Pathways for abiotic organic synthesis at submarine hydrothermal fields.

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McDermott, Jill M; Seewald, Jeffrey S; German, Christopher R; Sylva, Sean P

2015-06-23

Arguments for an abiotic origin of low-molecular weight organic compounds in deep-sea hot springs are compelling owing to implications for the sustenance of deep biosphere microbial communities and their potential role in the origin of life. Theory predicts that warm H2-rich fluids, like those emanating from serpentinizing hydrothermal systems, create a favorable thermodynamic drive for the abiotic generation of organic compounds from inorganic precursors. Here, we constrain two distinct reaction pathways for abiotic organic synthesis in the natural environment at the Von Damm hydrothermal field and delineate spatially where inorganic carbon is converted into bioavailable reduced carbon. We reveal that carbon transformation reactions in a single system can progress over hours, days, and up to thousands of years. Previous studies have suggested that CH4 and higher hydrocarbons in ultramafic hydrothermal systems were dependent on H2 generation during active serpentinization. Rather, our results indicate that CH4 found in vent fluids is formed in H2-rich fluid inclusions, and higher n-alkanes may likely be derived from the same source. This finding implies that, in contrast with current paradigms, these compounds may form independently of actively circulating serpentinizing fluids in ultramafic-influenced systems. Conversely, widespread production of formate by ΣCO2 reduction at Von Damm occurs rapidly during shallow subsurface mixing of the same fluids, which may support anaerobic methanogenesis. Our finding of abiogenic formate in deep-sea hot springs has significant implications for microbial life strategies in the present-day deep biosphere as well as early life on Earth and beyond.

Hydrothermal Processes in the Archean - New Insights from Imaging Spectroscopy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ruitenbeek, F.J.A. van

2007-01-01

The aim of this research was to gain new insights in fossil hydrothermal systems using airborne imaging spectroscopy. Fossil submarine hydrothermal systems in Archean greenstone belts and other geologic terranes are important because of their relationship with volcanic massive sulfide (VMS) mineral

Microbial diversity in a submarine carbonate edifice from the serpentinizing hydrothermal system of the Prony Bay (New Caledonia over a 6-year period.

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Anne ePostec

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Active carbonate chimneys from the shallow marine serpentinizing Prony Hydrothermal Field were sampled 3 times over a 6 years period at site ST09. Archaeal and bacterial communities composition was investigated using PCR-based methods (clone libraries, Denaturating Gel Gradient Electrophoresis, quantitative PCR targeting 16S rRNA genes, methyl coenzyme M reductase A and dissimilatory sulfite reductase subunit B genes. Methanosarcinales (Euryarchaeota and Thaumarchaea were the main archaeal members. The Methanosarcinales, also observed by epifluorescent microscopy and FISH, consisted of two phyotypes that were previously solely detected in two other serpentinitzing ecosystems (The Cedars and Lost City Hydrothermal Field. Surprisingly, members of the hyperthermophilic order Thermococcales were also found which may indicate the presence of a hot subsurface biosphere. The bacterial community mainly consisted of Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, Alpha-, Gamma-, Beta- and Delta-proteobacteria and of the candidate division NPL-UPA2. Members of these taxa were consistently found each year and may therefore represent a stable core of the indigenous bacterial community of the PHF chimneys. Firmicutes isolates representing new bacterial taxa were obtained by cultivation under anaerobic conditions. Our study revealed diverse microbial communities in PHF ST09 related to methane and sulfur compounds that share common populations with other terrestrial or submarine serpentinizing ecosystems.

Microbial diversity in a submarine carbonate edifice from the serpentinizing hydrothermal system of the Prony Bay (New Caledonia) over a 6-year period.

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Postec, Anne; Quéméneur, Marianne; Bes, Méline; Mei, Nan; Benaïssa, Fatma; Payri, Claude; Pelletier, Bernard; Monnin, Christophe; Guentas-Dombrowsky, Linda; Ollivier, Bernard; Gérard, Emmanuelle; Pisapia, Céline; Gérard, Martine; Ménez, Bénédicte; Erauso, Gaël

2015-01-01

Active carbonate chimneys from the shallow marine serpentinizing Prony Hydrothermal Field were sampled 3 times over a 6 years period at site ST09. Archaeal and bacterial communities composition was investigated using PCR-based methods (clone libraries, Denaturating Gel Gradient Electrophoresis, quantitative PCR) targeting 16S rRNA genes, methyl coenzyme M reductase A and dissimilatory sulfite reductase subunit B genes. Methanosarcinales (Euryarchaeota) and Thaumarchaea were the main archaeal members. The Methanosarcinales, also observed by epifluorescent microscopy and FISH, consisted of two phylotypes that were previously solely detected in two other serpentinitzing ecosystems (The Cedars and Lost City Hydrothermal Field). Surprisingly, members of the hyperthermophilic order Thermococcales were also found which may indicate the presence of a hot subsurface biosphere. The bacterial community mainly consisted of Firmicutes, Chloroflexi, Alpha-, Gamma-, Beta-, and Delta-proteobacteria and of the candidate division NPL-UPA2. Members of these taxa were consistently found each year and may therefore represent a stable core of the indigenous bacterial community of the PHF chimneys. Firmicutes isolates representing new bacterial taxa were obtained by cultivation under anaerobic conditions. Our study revealed diverse microbial communities in PHF ST09 related to methane and sulfur compounds that share common populations with other terrestrial or submarine serpentinizing ecosystems.

Evolution of submarine eruptive activity during the 2011-2012 El Hierro event as documented by hydroacoustic images and remotely operated vehicle observations

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Somoza, L.; González, F. J.; Barker, S. J.; Madureira, P.; Medialdea, T.; de Ignacio, C.; Lourenço, N.; León, R.; Vázquez, J. T.; Palomino, D.

2017-08-01

Submarine volcanic eruptions are frequent and important events, yet they are rarely observed. Here we relate bathymetric and hydroacoustic images from the 2011 to 2012 El Hierro eruption with surface observations and deposits imaged and sampled by ROV. As a result of the shallow submarine eruption, a new volcano named Tagoro grew from 375 to 89 m depth. The eruption consisted of two main phases of edifice construction intercalated with collapse events. Hydroacoustic images show that the eruptions ranged from explosive to effusive with variable plume types and resulting deposits, even over short time intervals. At the base of the edifice, ROV observations show large accumulations of lava balloons changing in size and type downslope, coinciding with the area where floating lava balloon fallout was observed. Peaks in eruption intensity during explosive phases generated vigorous bubbling at the surface, extensive ash, vesicular lapilli and formed high-density currents, which together with periods of edifice gravitational collapse, produced extensive deep volcaniclastic aprons. Secondary cones developed in the last stages and show evidence for effusive activity with lava ponds and lava flows that cover deposits of stacked lava balloons. Chaotic masses of heterometric boulders around the summit of the principal cone are related to progressive sealing of the vent with decreasing or variable magma supply. Hornitos represent the final eruptive activity with hydrothermal alteration and bacterial mats at the summit. Our study documents the distinct evolution of a submarine volcano and highlights the range of deposit types that may form and be rapidly destroyed in such eruptions.Plain Language SummaryToday and through most of geological history, the greatest number and volume of volcanic eruptions on Earth have occurred underwater. However, in comparison to subaerial eruption, little is known about submarine eruptive processes as they are dangerous to cruise it over

Alteration of submarine volcanic rocks in oxygenated Archean oceans

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Ohmoto, H.; Bevacqua, D.; Watanabe, Y.

2009-12-01

Most submarine volcanic rocks, including basalts in diverging plate boundaries and andesites/dacites in converging plate boundaries, have been altered by low-temperature seawater and/or hydrothermal fluids (up to ~400°C) under deep oceans; the hydrothermal fluids evolved from shallow/deep circulations of seawater through the underlying hot igneous rocks. Volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits (VMSDs) and banded iron formations (BIFs) were formed by mixing of submarine hydrothermal fluids with local seawater. Therefore, the behaviors of various elements, especially of redox-sensitive elements, in altered submarine volcanic rocks, VMSDs and BIFs can be used to decipher the chemical evolution of the oceans and atmosphere. We have investigated the mineralogy and geochemistry of >500 samples of basalts from a 260m-long drill core section of Hole #1 of the Archean Biosphere Drilling Project (ABDP #1) in the Pilbara Craton, Western Australia. The core section is comprised of ~160 m thick Marble Bar Chert/Jasper Unit (3.46 Ga) and underlying, inter-bedded, and overlying submarine basalts. Losses/gains of 65 elements were quantitatively evaluated on the basis of their concentration ratios against the least mobile elements (Ti, Zr and Nb). We have recognized that mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of many of these samples are essentially the same as those of hydrothermally-altered modern submarine basalts and also those of altered volcanic rocks that underlie Phanerozoic VMSDs. The similarities include, but are not restricted to: (1) the alteration mineralogy (chlorite ± sericite ± pyrophyllite ± carbonates ± hematite ± pyrite ± rutile); (2) the characteristics of whole-rock δ18O and δ34S values; (3) the ranges of depletion and enrichment of Si, Al, Mg, Ca, K, Na, Fe, Mn, and P; (4) the enrichment of Ba (as sulfate); (5) the increases in Fe3+/Fe2+ ratios; (6) the enrichment of U; (7) the depletion of Cr; and (8) the negative Ce anomalies. Literature data

The importance of shallow hydrothermal island arc systems in ocean biogeochemistry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hawkes, J.A.; Connelly, D.P.; Rijkenberg, M.J.A.; Achterberg, E.P.

2014-01-01

Hydrothermal venting often occurs at submarine volcanic calderas on island arc chains, typically at shallower depths than mid-ocean ridges. The effect of these systems on ocean biogeochemistry has been under-investigated to date. Here we show that hydrothermal effluent from an island arc caldera was

Heavy metals from Kueishantao shallow-sea hydrothermal vents, offshore northeast Taiwan

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Chen, Xue-Gang; Lyu, Shuang-Shuang; Garbe-Schönberg, Dieter; Lebrato, Mario; Li, Xiaohu; Zhang, Hai-Yan; Zhang, Ping-Ping; Chen, Chen-Tung Arthur; Ye, Ying

2018-04-01

Shallow water hydrothermal vents are a source of heavy metals leading to their accumulation in marine organisms that manage to live under extreme environmental conditions. This is the case at Kueishantao (KST) shallow-sea vents system offshore northeast Taiwan, where the heavy metal distribution in vent fluids and ambient seawater is poorly understood. This shallow vent is an excellent natural laboratory to understand how heavy and volatile metals behave in the nearby water column and ecosystem. Here, we investigated the submarine venting of heavy metals from KST field and its impact on ambient surface seawater. The total heavy metal concentrations in the vent fluids and vertical plumes were 1-3 orders of magnitude higher than the overlying seawater values. When compared with deep-sea hydrothermal systems, the estimated KST end-member fluids exhibited much lower concentrations of transition metals (e.g., Fe and Mn) but comparable concentrations of toxic metals such as Pb and As. This may be attributed to the lower temperature of the KST reaction zone and transporting fluids. Most of the heavy metals (Fe, Mn, As, Y, and Ba) in the plumes and seawater mainly originated from hydrothermal venting, while Cd and Pb were largely contributed by external sources such as contaminated waters (anthropogenic origin). The spatial distribution of heavy metals in the surface seawater indicated that seafloor venting impacts ambient seawater. The measurable influence of KST hydrothermal activity, however, was quite localized and limited to an area of heavy metals emanating from the yellow KST hydrothermal vent were: 430-2600 kg Fe, 24-145 kg Mn, 5-32 kg Ba, 10-60 kg As, 0.3-1.9 kg Cd, and 2-10 kg Pb. This study provides important data on heavy metals from a shallow-sea hydrothermal field, and it helps to better understand the environmental impact of submarine shallow hydrothermal venting.

Coupled RNA-SIP and metatranscriptomics of active chemolithoautotrophic communities at a deep-sea hydrothermal vent.

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Fortunato, Caroline S; Huber, Julie A

2016-08-01

The chemolithoautotrophic microbial community of the rocky subseafloor potentially provides a large amount of organic carbon to the deep ocean, yet our understanding of the activity and metabolic complexity of subseafloor organisms remains poorly described. A combination of metagenomic, metatranscriptomic, and RNA stable isotope probing (RNA-SIP) analyses were used to identify the metabolic potential, expression patterns, and active autotrophic bacteria and archaea and their pathways present in low-temperature hydrothermal fluids from Axial Seamount, an active submarine volcano. Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic results showed the presence of genes and transcripts for sulfur, hydrogen, and ammonium oxidation, oxygen respiration, denitrification, and methanogenesis, as well as multiple carbon fixation pathways. In RNA-SIP experiments across a range of temperatures under reducing conditions, the enriched (13)C fractions showed differences in taxonomic and functional diversity. At 30 °C and 55 °C, Epsilonproteobacteria were dominant, oxidizing hydrogen and primarily reducing nitrate. Methanogenic archaea were also present at 55 °C, and were the only autotrophs present at 80 °C. Correspondingly, the predominant CO2 fixation pathways changed from the reductive tricarboxylic acid (rTCA) cycle to the reductive acetyl-CoA pathway with increasing temperature. By coupling RNA-SIP with meta-omics, this study demonstrates the presence and activity of distinct chemolithoautotrophic communities across a thermal gradient of a deep-sea hydrothermal vent.

Diversity of Rare and Abundant Prokaryotic Phylotypes in the Prony Hydrothermal Field and Comparison with Other Serpentinite-Hosted Ecosystems.

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Frouin, Eléonore; Bes, Méline; Ollivier, Bernard; Quéméneur, Marianne; Postec, Anne; Debroas, Didier; Armougom, Fabrice; Erauso, Gaël

2018-01-01

The Bay of Prony, South of New Caledonia, represents a unique serpentinite-hosted hydrothermal field due to its coastal situation. It harbors both submarine and intertidal active sites, discharging hydrogen- and methane-rich alkaline fluids of low salinity and mild temperature through porous carbonate edifices. In this study, we have extensively investigated the bacterial and archaeal communities inhabiting the hydrothermal chimneys from one intertidal and three submarine sites by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. We show that the bacterial community of the intertidal site is clearly distinct from that of the submarine sites with species distribution patterns driven by only a few abundant populations, affiliated to the Chloroflexi and Proteobacteria phyla. In contrast, the distribution of archaeal taxa seems less site-dependent, as exemplified by the co-occurrence, in both submarine and intertidal sites, of two dominant phylotypes of Methanosarcinales previously thought to be restricted to serpentinizing systems, either marine (Lost City Hydrothermal Field) or terrestrial (The Cedars ultrabasic springs). Over 70% of the phylotypes were rare and included, among others, all those affiliated to candidate divisions. We finally compared the distribution of bacterial and archaeal phylotypes of Prony Hydrothermal Field with those of five previously studied serpentinizing systems of geographically distant sites. Although sensu stricto no core microbial community was identified, a few uncultivated lineages, notably within the archaeal order Methanosarcinales and the bacterial class Dehalococcoidia (the candidate division MSBL5) were exclusively found in a few serpentinizing systems while other operational taxonomic units belonging to the orders Clostridiales, Thermoanaerobacterales , or the genus Hydrogenophaga , were abundantly distributed in several sites. These lineages may represent taxonomic signatures of serpentinizing ecosystems. These findings extend our current

Diversity of Rare and Abundant Prokaryotic Phylotypes in the Prony Hydrothermal Field and Comparison with Other Serpentinite-Hosted Ecosystems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eléonore Frouin

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The Bay of Prony, South of New Caledonia, represents a unique serpentinite-hosted hydrothermal field due to its coastal situation. It harbors both submarine and intertidal active sites, discharging hydrogen- and methane-rich alkaline fluids of low salinity and mild temperature through porous carbonate edifices. In this study, we have extensively investigated the bacterial and archaeal communities inhabiting the hydrothermal chimneys from one intertidal and three submarine sites by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. We show that the bacterial community of the intertidal site is clearly distinct from that of the submarine sites with species distribution patterns driven by only a few abundant populations, affiliated to the Chloroflexi and Proteobacteria phyla. In contrast, the distribution of archaeal taxa seems less site-dependent, as exemplified by the co-occurrence, in both submarine and intertidal sites, of two dominant phylotypes of Methanosarcinales previously thought to be restricted to serpentinizing systems, either marine (Lost City Hydrothermal Field or terrestrial (The Cedars ultrabasic springs. Over 70% of the phylotypes were rare and included, among others, all those affiliated to candidate divisions. We finally compared the distribution of bacterial and archaeal phylotypes of Prony Hydrothermal Field with those of five previously studied serpentinizing systems of geographically distant sites. Although sensu stricto no core microbial community was identified, a few uncultivated lineages, notably within the archaeal order Methanosarcinales and the bacterial class Dehalococcoidia (the candidate division MSBL5 were exclusively found in a few serpentinizing systems while other operational taxonomic units belonging to the orders Clostridiales, Thermoanaerobacterales, or the genus Hydrogenophaga, were abundantly distributed in several sites. These lineages may represent taxonomic signatures of serpentinizing ecosystems. These findings extend

Changes in body composition of submarine crew during prolonged submarine deployment

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Sourabh Bhutani

2015-01-01

Discussion: Increased body fat along with lack of physical activity can lead to development of lifestyle disorders in submarine crew. These crew members need to be actively encouraged to participate in physical activity when in harbour. In addition dieting program specifically to encourage reduced fat consumption needs to be instituted in submarines during sorties at sea.

Submarine Volcanology: 1950 to 2050 and Beyond (Invited)

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Delaney, J. R.; Kelley, D. S.

2010-12-01

The vigorous pursuit of submarine volcanism as a major field emerged in the mid 1900’s with the post WWII recognition that there is a Mid-Ocean Ridge System that is a 70,000 km long volcanic mountain chain stretching around the world like the strings on a baseball. By the mid 1960’s it emerged that rocks from volcanic feature were consistently basaltic in character and that they were the direct result of major melting processes associated with rise of much deeper mantle material beneath the spreading ridges in a global plate tectonics framework. More than 60% of the volcanism on the planet occurs in submarine environments. The next major discovery, using the deep diving submarine ALVIN, was in the late 1970’s involving hydrothermal systems near active ridges close to the Galapagos Islands and Baja California. The idea that these vent sites were the locus of major biological productivity based on volcanically-driven chemosynthesis was a fundamental new insight in the deep ocean ecology of our planet. This was a major planetological discovery and was followed within about 15 years with an even more powerful realization: our planet has a vast sub seafloor microbial biosphere thriving in the pores and the cracks of the oceanic crust driven by circulation of modified ocean fluids through large portions of the lithosphere. These organisms are largely supported by degassing and water-rock reactions associated with submarine volcanoes. Some estimates have posited that: 1) these thermally active systems and the chemosynthetic lifestyle are a natural consequence of certain types of planetary evolution, 2) that life may have originated in these systems, and, 3) that the biomass associated with the modern sub seafloor systems rivals most other living carbon on the continents. Indeed, parallel exploration of the outer solar system has lead to propositions that the second moon of Jupiter, Europa, has (or had) a high potential to harbor analogous hydrothermal life forms

Looking for Larvae Above an Erupting Submarine Volcano, NW Rota-1, Mariana Arc

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Beaulieu, S.; Hanson, M.; Tunnicliffe, V.; Chadwick, W. W., Jr.; Breuer, E. R.

2016-02-01

In 2009 the first marine protected areas for deep-sea hydrothermal vents in U.S. waters were established as part of the Volcanic Unit of the Marianas Trench Marine National Monument. In this region, hydrothermal vents are located along the Mariana Arc and back-arc spreading center. In particular hydrothermal vents are located near the summit of NW Rota-1, an active submarine volcano on the Mariana Arc which was erupting between 2003 and 2010 and ceased as of 2014. NW Rota-1 experienced a massive landslide in late 2009, decimating the habitat on the southern side of the volcano. This project looked at zooplankton tow samples taken from the water column above NW Rota-1 in 2010, searching for larvae which have the potential to recolonize the sea floor after such a major disturbance. Samples were sorted in entirety into coarse taxa, and then larvae were removed for DNA barcoding. Overall zooplankton composition was dominated by copepods, ostracods, and chaetognaths, the majority of which are pelagic organisms. Comparatively few larvae of benthic invertebrates were found, but shrimp, gastropod, barnacle, and polychaete larvae did appear in low numbers in the samples. Species-level identification obtained via genetic barcoding will allow for these larvae to be matched to species known to inhabit the benthic communities at NW Rota-1. Identified larvae will give insight into the organisms which can re-colonize the seafloor vent communities after a disturbance such as the 2009 landslide. Communities at hydrothermal vents at other submarine volcanoes in the Monument may act as sources for these larvae, but connectivity in this region of complex topography is unknown. As the microinvertebrate biodiversity in the Monument has yet to be fully characterized, our project also provides an opportunity to better describe both the zooplankton and benthic community composition in this area of the Monument.

Pyrophosphate synthesis in iron mineral films and membranes simulating prebiotic submarine hydrothermal precipitates

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Barge, Laura M.; Doloboff, Ivria J.; Russell, Michael J.; VanderVelde, David; White, Lauren M.; Stucky, Galen D.; Baum, Marc M.; Zeytounian, John; Kidd, Richard; Kanik, Isik

2014-03-01

Cells use three main ways of generating energy currency to drive metabolism: (i) conversion of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) to adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by the proton motive force through the rotor-stator ATP synthase; (ii) the synthesis of inorganic phosphate˜phosphate bonds via proton (or sodium) pyrophosphate synthase; or (iii) substrate-level phosphorylation through the direct donation from an active phosphoryl donor. A mechanism to produce a pyrophosphate bond as “energy currency” in prebiotic systems is one of the most important considerations for origin of life research. Baltscheffsky (1996) suggests that inorganic pyrophosphate (PO74-; PPi) may have preceded ATP/ADP as an energy storage molecule in earliest life, produced by an H+ pyrophosphatase. Here we test the hypothesis that PPi could be synthesized in inorganic precipitates simulating hydrothermal chimney structures transected by thermal and/or ionic gradients. Appreciable yields of PPi were obtained via substrate phosphorylation by acetyl phosphate within the iron sulfide/silicate precipitates at temperatures expected for an alkaline hydrothermal system. The formation of PPi only occurred in the solid phase, i.e. when both Pi and the phosphoryl donor were precipitated with Fe-sulfides or Fe-silicates. The amount of Ac-Pi incorporated into the precipitate was a significant factor in the amount of PPi that could form, and phosphate species were more effectively incorporated into the precipitate at higher temperatures (⩾50 to >85 °C). Thus, we expect that the hydrothermal precipitate would be more enriched in phosphate (and especially, Ac-Pi) near the inner margins of a hydrothermal mound where PPi formation would be at a maximum. Iron sulfide and iron silicate precipitates effectively stabilized Ac-Pi and PPi against hydrolysis (relative to hydrolysis in aqueous solution). Thus it is plausible that PPi could accumulate as an energy currency up to useful concentrations for early life in a

H2O Contents of Submarine and Subaerial Silicic Pyroclasts from Oomurodashi Volcano, Northern Izu-Bonin Arc

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McIntosh, I. M.; Tani, K.; Nichols, A. R.

2014-12-01

Oomurodashi volcano is an active shallow submarine silicic volcano in the northern Izu-Bonin Arc, located ~20 km south of the inhabited active volcanic island of Izu-Oshima. Oomurodashi has a large (~20km diameter) flat-topped summit located at 100 - 150 metres below sea level (mbsl), with a small central crater, Oomuro Hole, located at ~200 mbsl. Surveys conducted during cruise NT12-19 of R/V Natsushima in 2012 using the remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) Hyper-Dolphin revealed that Oomuro Hole contains numerous active hydrothermal vents and that the summit of Oomurodashi is covered by extensive fresh rhyolitic lava and pumice clasts with little biogenetic or manganese cover, suggesting recent eruption(s) from Oomuro Hole. Given the shallow depth of the volcano summit, such eruptions are likely to have generated subaerial eruption columns. A ~10ka pumiceous subaerial tephra layer on the neighbouring island of Izu-Oshima has a similar chemical composition to the submarine Oomurodashi rocks collected during the NT12-19 cruise and is thought to have originated from Oomurodashi. Here we present FTIR measurements of the H2O contents of rhyolitic pumice from both the submarine deposits sampled during ROV dives and the subaerial tephra deposit on Izu-Oshima, in order to assess magma degassing and eruption processes occurring during shallow submarine eruptions.

Detailed magnetic and gravity surveys around the hydrothermal area off Kumejima Island in the Mid-Okinawa Trough, southwestern Japan

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Kitada, K.; Kasaya, T.; Iwamoto, H.; Nogi, Y.

2017-12-01

The Okinawa Trough is an active back-arc basin formed by the rifting associated with extension of the continental margin behind the Ryukyu trench. New hydrothermal sites were recently discovered off Kumejima Island in the Mid-Okinawa Trough and the hydrothermal mineral deposits were identified by seafloor surveys and rock samplings by ROV (e.g., JOGMEC, 2015). In order to characterize the sub-seafloor structures and the spatial distribution of the magmatic activity around the sites, we conducted the dense magnetic, gravity and bathymetric surveys with a line spacing of 0.5 nmi aboard the R/Vs Yokosuka and Kairei, operated by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) in 2016. The geophysical data collected during the previous cruises in the area by JAMSTEC were additionally used for this study. Magnetic anomaly was calculated by subtracting the IGRF model and the magnetization intensity was estimated by the method of Parker and Huestis (1974). Free-air gravity anomaly was calculated with subtracting the normal gravity field and with corrections of the drift and of the Eötvös effect. Bouguer gravity anomaly was calculated based on the method of Parker (1972). The magnetization intensity and the Bouguer gravity anomaly reveal three characteristics of the hydrothermal area off Kumejima Island: 1) The distribution of magnetization around the hydrothermal sites shows two different types of sub-seafloor magnetic features. One is corresponded to the submarine knolls with a relatively high magnetization of 4 A/M. The other is an ENE-WSW trending magnetization distribution with relatively high and low intensities, which is consistent with the trend of the bathymetric lineament. These features are considered to be formed by magmatism associated with submarine volcanoes and back-arc rifting. 2) The reduced magnetization zone corresponding to the hydrothermal area probably attributes to hydrothermal alteration of the host rock. 3) The hydrothermal

Submarine geology and geomorphology of active Sub-Antarctic volcanoes: Heard and McDonald Islands

Science.gov (United States)

Watson, S. J.; Coffin, M. F.; Whittaker, J. M.; Lucieer, V.; Fox, J. M.; Carey, R.; Arculus, R. J.; Bowie, A. R.; Chase, Z.; Robertson, R.; Martin, T.; Cooke, F.

2016-12-01

Heard and McDonald Islands (HIMI) are World Heritage listed sub-Antarctic active volcanic islands in the Southern Indian Ocean. Built atop the Kerguelen Plateau by Neogene-Quaternary volcanism, HIMI represent subaerial exposures of the second largest submarine Large Igneous Province globally. Onshore, processes influencing island evolution include glaciers, weathering, volcanism, vertical tectonics and mass-wasting (Duncan et al. 2016). Waters surrounding HIMI are largely uncharted, due to their remote location. Hence, the extent to which these same processes shape the submarine environment around HIMI has not been investigated. In early 2016, we conducted marine geophysical and geologic surveys around HIMI aboard RV Investigator (IN2016_V01). Results show that volcanic and sedimentary features prominently trend east-west, likely a result of erosion by the eastward flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current and tidal currents. However, spatial patterns of submarine volcanism and sediment distribution differ substantially between the islands. >70 sea knolls surround McDonald Island suggesting substantial submarine volcanism. Geophysical data reveals hard volcanic seafloor around McDonald Island, whereas Heard Island is characterised by sedimentary sequences tens of meters or more thick and iceberg scours - indicative of glacial processes. Differences in submarine geomorphology are likely due to the active glaciation of Heard Island and differing rock types (Heard: alkali basalt, McDonald: phonolite), and dominant products (clastics vs. lava). Variations may also reflect different magmatic plumbing systems beneath the two active volcanoes (Heard produces larger volumes of more focused lava, whilst McDonald extrudes smaller volumes of more evolved lavas from multiple vents across the edifice). Using geophysical data, corroborated with new and existing geologic data, we present the first geomorphic map revealing the processes that shape the submarine environment around HIMI.

Submarine geothermal resources

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, D.L.

1976-01-01

Approximately 20% of the earth's heat loss (or 2 ?? 1012 cal/s) is released through 1% of the earth's surface area and takes the form of hydrothermal discharge from young (Pleistocene or younger) rocks adjacent to active seafloor-spreading centers and submarine volcanic areas. This amount is roughly equivalent to man's present gross energy consumption rate. A sub-seafloor geothermal reservoir, to be exploitable under future economic conditions, will have to be hot, porous, permeable, large, shallow, and near an energy-deficient, populated land mass. Furthermore, the energy must be recoverable using technology achievable at a competitive cost and numerous environmental, legal and institutional problems will have to be overcome. The highest-temperature reservoirs should be found adjacent to the zones of the seafloor extension or volcanism that are subject to high sedimentation rates. The relatively impermeable sediments reduce hydrothermal-discharge flow rates, forcing the heat to be either conducted away or released by high-temperature fluids, both of which lead to reservoir temperatures that can exceed 300??C. There is evidence that the oceanic crust is quite permeable and porous and that it was amenable to deep (3-5 km) penetration by seawater at least some time in the early stages of its evolution. Most of the heat escapes far from land, but there are notable exceptions. For example, in parts of the Gulf of California, thermal gradients in the bottom sediments exceed 1??C/m. In the coastal areas of the Gulf of California, where electricity and fresh water are at a premium, this potential resource lies in shallow water (characteristics of these systems before they can be considered a viable resource. Until several of the most promising areas are carefully defined and drilled, the problem will remain unresolved. ?? 1976.

ORP and pH measurements to detect redox and acid-base anomalies from hydrothermal activity

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Santana-Casiano, J. M.; González-Dávila, M.; Fraile-Nuez, E.

2017-12-01

The Tagoro submarine volcano is located 1.8 km south of the Island of El Hierro at 350 m depth and rises up to 88 m below sea level. It was erupting melting material for five months, from October 2011 to March 2012, changing drastically the physical-chemical properties of the water column in the area. After this eruption, the system evolved to a hydrothermal system. The character of both reduced and acid of the hydrothermal emissions in the Tagoro submarine volcano allowed us to detect anomalies related with changes in the chemical potential and the proton concentration using ORP and pH sensors, respectively. Tow-yos using a CTD-rosette with these two sensors provided the locations of the emissions plotting δ(ORP)/δt and ΔpH versus the latitude or longitude. The ORP sensor responds very quickly to the presence of reduced chemicals in the water column. Changes in potential are proportional to the amount of reduced chemical species present in the water. The magnitude of these changes are examined by the time derivative of ORP, δ(ORP)/δt. To detect changes in the pH, the mean pH for each depth at a reference station in an area not affected by the vent emission is subtracted from each point measured near the volcanic edifice, defining in this way ΔpH. Detailed surveys of the volcanic edifice were carried out between 2014 and 2016 using several CTD-pH-ORP tow-yo studies, localizing the ORP and pH changes, which were used to obtain surface maps of anomalies. Moreover, meridional tow-yos were used to calculate the amount of volcanic CO2 added to the water column. The inputs of CO2 along multiple sections combined with measurements of oceanic currents produced an estimated volcanic CO2 flux = 6.0 105 ± 1.1 105 kg d-1 which increases the acidity above the volcano by 20%. Sites like the Tagoro submarine volcano, in its degasification stage, provide an excellent opportunity to study the carbonate system in a high CO2 world, the volcanic contribution to the global

Hydrothermal activity at slow-spreading ridges: variability and importance of magmatic controls

Science.gov (United States)

Escartin, Javier

2016-04-01

Hydrothermal activity along mid-ocean ridge axes is ubiquitous, associated with mass, chemical, and heat exchanges between the deep lithosphere and the overlying envelopes, and sustaining chemiosynthetic ecosystems at the seafloor. Compared with hydrothermal fields at fast-spreading ridges, those at slow spreading ones show a large variability as their location and nature is controlled or influenced by several parameters that are inter-related: a) tectonic setting, ranging from 'volcanic systems' (along the rift valley floor, volcanic ridges, seamounts), to 'tectonic' ones (rift-bounding faults, oceanic detachment faults); b) the nature of the host rock, owing to compositional heterogeneity of slow-spreading lithosphere (basalt, gabbro, peridotite); c) the type of heat source (magmatic bodies at depth, hot lithosphere, serpentinization reactions); d) and the associated temperature of outflow fluids (high- vs.- low temperature venting and their relative proportion). A systematic review of the distribution and characteristics of hydrothermal fields along the slow-spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge suggests that long-lived hydrothermal activity is concentrated either at oceanic detachment faults, or along volcanic segments with evidence of robust magma supply to the axis. A detailed study of the magmatically robust Lucky Strike segment suggests that all present and past hydrothermal activity is found at the center of the segment. The association of these fields to central volcanos, and the absence of indicators of hydrothermal activity along the remaining of the ridge segment, suggests that long-lived hydrothermal activity in these volcanic systems is maintained by the enhanced melt supply and the associated magma chamber(s) required to build these volcanic edifices. In this setting, hydrothermal outflow zones at the seafloor are systematically controlled by faults, indicating that hydrothermal fluids in the shallow crust exploit permeable fault zones to circulate. While

Geochemical Constraints on Archaeal Diversity in the Vulcano Hydrothermal System

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, K. L.; Amend, J. P.

2006-12-01

The shallow marine hydrothermal system of Vulcano, Italy hosts a wide diversity of cultured thermophilic Archaea, including Palaeococcus helgesonii, Archaeoglobus fulgidus, and Pyrococcus furiosus, to name a few. However, recent studies have revealed a plethora of uncultured archaeal lineages in the Vulcano system. For example, a 16S rRNA gene survey of an onshore geothermal well identified a diverse archaeal community including deeply-branching uncultured Crenarchaeota, Korarchaeota, and Euryarchaeota. Additionally, culture-independent hybridization techniques suggested that Archaea account for nearly half of the microbial community in the Vulcano system. Furthermore, geochemical characterization of fluids revealed numerous lithotrophic and heterotrophic exergonic reactions that could support as yet uncultured organisms. Archaeal diversity throughout the Vulcano hydrothermal system was investigated using 16S rRNA gene surveys at five submarine vents and an onshore sediment seep. Overall, archaeal diversity was higher (10 groups) at submarine vents with moderate temperatures (59°C) compared with higher temperature (94°C) vents (4 groups). Archaeal communities at the moderately thermal vents were dominated by Thermococcales and also contained Archaeoglobales, Thermoproteales, and uncultured archaea among the Korarchaeota, Marine Group I, and the Deep-sea Hydrothermal Vent Euryarchaeota (DHVE). Fluid composition also affects the microbial community structure. At two high-temperature sites variations in archaeal diversity can be attributed to differences in iron and hydrogen concentrations, and pH. Comparing sites with similar temperature and pH conditions suggests that the presence of Desulfurococcales is limited to sites at which metabolic energy yields exceed 10 kJ per mole of electrons transferred. The Vulcano hydrothermal system hosts diverse archaeal communities, containing both cultured and uncultured species, whose distribution appears to be constrained by

Active hydrothermal and non-active massive sulfide mound investigation using a new multiparameter chemical sensor

Science.gov (United States)

Han, C.; Wu, G.; Qin, H.; Wang, Z.

2012-12-01

Investigation of active hydrothermal mound as well as non-active massive sulfide mound are studied recently. However, there is still lack of in-situ detection method for the non-active massive sulfide mound. Even though Transient ElectroMagnetic (TEM) and Electric Self-potential (SP) methods are good, they both are labour, time and money cost work. We proposed a new multiparameter chemical sensor method to study the seafloor active hydrothermal mound as well as non-active massive sulfide mound. This sensor integrates Eh, S2- ions concentration and pH electrochemical electrodes together, and could found chemical change caused by the active hydrothermal vent, even weak chemical abnormalities by non-active massive sulfide hydrothermal mound which MARP and CTD sometimes cannot detect. In 2012, the 1st Leg of the Chinese 26th cruise, the multiparameter chemical sensor was carried out with the deepsea camera system over the Carlsberg Ridge in Indian Ocean by R/V DAYANGYIHAO. It was shown small Eh and S2- ions concentration abnormal around a site at Northwest Indian ridge. This site was also evidenced by the TV grab. In the 2nd Leg of the same cruise in June, this chemical sensor was carried out with TEM and SP survey system. The chemical abnormalities are matched very well with both TEM and SP survey results. The results show that the multiparameter chemical sensor method not only can detect active hydrothermal mound, but also can find the non-active massive sulfide hydrothermal mound.

Unveiling the transformation and bioavailability of dissolved organic matter in contrasting hydrothermal vents using fluorescence EEM-PARAFAC.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Liyang; Zhuang, Wan-E; Chen, Chen-Tung Arthur; Wang, Bing-Jye; Kuo, Fu-Wen

2017-03-15

The submarine hydrothermal systems are extreme environments where active cycling of dissolved organic matter (DOM) may occur. However, little is known about the optical properties and bioavailability of hydrothermal DOM, which could provide valuable insights into its transformation processes and biogeochemical reactivity. The quantity, quality, and bioavailability of DOM were investigated for four very different hydrothermal vents east of Taiwan, using dissolved organic carbon (DOC), absorption spectroscopy, and fluorescence excitation-emission matrices-parallel factor analysis (EEM-PARAFAC). The DOC and absorption coefficient a 280 were both lower in the two hydrothermal vents off the Orchid Island and on the Green Island than in the surrounding seawater and the two vents off the Kueishantao Island, indicating effective removals of DOM in the former two hydrothermal systems owing to possible adsorption/co-precipitation and thermal degradation respectively. The four hydrothermal DOM showed notable differences in the absorption spectral slope S 275-295 , humification index HIX, biological index BIX, EEM spectra, and the relative distributions of seven PARAFAC components. The results demonstrated a high diversity of chemical composition and transformation history of DOM under contrasting hydrothermal conditions. The little change in the hydrothermal DOC after 28-day microbial incubations indicated a low bioavailability of the bulk DOM, and different PARAFAC components showed contrasting bioavailability. The results have profound implications for understanding the biogeochemical cycling and environmental effects of hydrothermal DOM in the marine environments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geochemical Tracers of Processes Affecting the Formation of Seafloor Hydrothermal Fluids and Deposits in the Manus Back-Arc Basin

Science.gov (United States)

2009-02-01

pp. 184-197. Grassle J. F. (1986) The ecology of deep-sea hydrothermal vent communities. Advances in Marine Biology 23, 301-362. Halbach P...Gesellschaft 82, 183-210. Tunnicliffe V. (1991) The biology of hydrothermal vents: Ecology and evolution. Oceanography and Marine Biology Annual Reviews 29...Evidence for Magmatic Contributions to Submarine and Subaerial Gold Mineralization: Conical Seamount and the Ladolam Gold Deposit, Papua New Guinea

Hydrothermal Alteration in Submarine Basaltic Rocks from the Reykjanes Geothermal Field, Iceland. (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Zierenberg, R. A.; Schiffman, P.; Fowler, A. P.; Marks, N.; Fridleifsson, G.; Elders, W. A.

2013-12-01

The Iceland Deep Drilling Project (IDDP) is preparing to drill to 4-5 km in the Reykjanes Geothermal Field to sample geothermal fluids at supercritical temperature and pressure for power generation. The Reykjanes geothermal field is the on-land extension of the Reykjanes Ridge spreading center. The upper 1-2 kilometers drilled at Reykjanes are submarine basalts and basaltic sediments, hyalloclastites, and breccias, with an increasing proportion of basaltic intrusive rocks below 2 km depth. Geothermal fluids are evolved seawater with a composition similar to mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems. Zn- and Cu-rich sulfide scale, locally enriched in Au and Ag, are deposited in production pipes. The sulfide deposits are compositionally and isotopically similar to seafloor massive sulfides. In anticipation of deeper drilling, we have investigated the mineralogy and geochemistry of drill cuttings from a 3 km deep well (RN-17). The depth zoning of alteration minerals is similar to that described from other Icelandic geothermal fields, and is comparable to observed seafloor metamorphic gradients in ODP drill holes and ophiolites. Chlorite-epidote alteration occurs at depths >400 m and passes downhole through epidote-actinolite alteration and into amphibole facies (hornblende-calcic plagioclase) alteration below 2.5 km. Local zones of high temperature (>800°C), granoblastic-textured, pyroxene hornfels, are interpreted to form by contact metamorphism during dike/sill emplacement. Similar granoblasically altered basalts were recovered from the base of the sheeted dikes in IODP Hole 1256D. Downhole compositional variations of drill cuttings, collected every 50 m, suggest that rocks below ~ 2 km are little altered. Whole-rock oxygen isotope profiles are consistent with low water/rock ratios, but suggest that early stages of hydrothermal alteration included meteoric water-derived fluids. Strontium isotope profiles indicate more extensive exchange with seawater-derived fluids

Anaerobic methanotrophic communities thrive in deep submarine permafrost.

Science.gov (United States)

Winkel, Matthias; Mitzscherling, Julia; Overduin, Pier P; Horn, Fabian; Winterfeld, Maria; Rijkers, Ruud; Grigoriev, Mikhail N; Knoblauch, Christian; Mangelsdorf, Kai; Wagner, Dirk; Liebner, Susanne

2018-01-22

Thawing submarine permafrost is a source of methane to the subsurface biosphere. Methane oxidation in submarine permafrost sediments has been proposed, but the responsible microorganisms remain uncharacterized. We analyzed archaeal communities and identified distinct anaerobic methanotrophic assemblages of marine and terrestrial origin (ANME-2a/b, ANME-2d) both in frozen and completely thawed submarine permafrost sediments. Besides archaea potentially involved in anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) we found a large diversity of archaea mainly belonging to Bathyarchaeota, Thaumarchaeota, and Euryarchaeota. Methane concentrations and δ 13 C-methane signatures distinguish horizons of potential AOM coupled either to sulfate reduction in a sulfate-methane transition zone (SMTZ) or to the reduction of other electron acceptors, such as iron, manganese or nitrate. Analysis of functional marker genes (mcrA) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) corroborate potential activity of AOM communities in submarine permafrost sediments at low temperatures. Modeled potential AOM consumes 72-100% of submarine permafrost methane and up to 1.2 Tg of carbon per year for the total expected area of submarine permafrost. This is comparable with AOM habitats such as cold seeps. We thus propose that AOM is active where submarine permafrost thaws, which should be included in global methane budgets.

Hydrothermal Processes

Science.gov (United States)

German, C. R.; von Damm, K. L.

2003-12-01

What is Hydrothermal Circulation?Hydrothermal circulation occurs when seawater percolates downward through fractured ocean crust along the volcanic mid-ocean ridge (MOR) system. The seawater is first heated and then undergoes chemical modification through reaction with the host rock as it continues downward, reaching maximum temperatures that can exceed 400 °C. At these temperatures the fluids become extremely buoyant and rise rapidly back to the seafloor where they are expelled into the overlying water column. Seafloor hydrothermal circulation plays a significant role in the cycling of energy and mass between the solid earth and the oceans; the first identification of submarine hydrothermal venting and their accompanying chemosynthetically based communities in the late 1970s remains one of the most exciting discoveries in modern science. The existence of some form of hydrothermal circulation had been predicted almost as soon as the significance of ridges themselves was first recognized, with the emergence of plate tectonic theory. Magma wells up from the Earth's interior along "spreading centers" or "MORs" to produce fresh ocean crust at a rate of ˜20 km3 yr-1, forming new seafloor at a rate of ˜3.3 km2 yr-1 (Parsons, 1981; White et al., 1992). The young oceanic lithosphere formed in this way cools as it moves away from the ridge crest. Although much of this cooling occurs by upward conduction of heat through the lithosphere, early heat-flow studies quickly established that a significant proportion of the total heat flux must also occur via some additional convective process (Figure 1), i.e., through circulation of cold seawater within the upper ocean crust (Anderson and Silbeck, 1981). (2K)Figure 1. Oceanic heat flow versus age of ocean crust. Data from the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans, averaged over 2 Ma intervals (circles) depart from the theoretical cooling curve (solid line) indicating convective cooling of young ocean crust by circulating seawater

A submarine andesite-rhyodacite lineage of arc affinity hosting hydrothermal mineralisation, Pual Ridge, Eastern Manus back-arc basin, Papua New Guinea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Binns, R.A.; Waters, J.C.; Parr, J.M.; Carr, G.R.; Whitford, D.J.

2000-01-01

Pual Ridge, host to the PACMANUS hydrothermal field, is a composite edifice formed by recent submarine eruptions, with a continuous suite of consanguineous andesite, dacite and rhyodacite (58 to 74% SiO 2 , mg 41 to 17). The lavas are vesicular, hyaline, and aphyric to sparsely porphyritic. Dacites dominate the PACMANUS hydrothermal field at the ridge crest. The Pual Ridge volcanic suite is subalkalic, with a calcic character, bordering on calcalkaline (Fig. 1). It falls just within the medium-K field, and has geochemical characteristics (K/Rb ∼500, K/Ba∼40, mild enrichment in light rare earth elements (LREE) ((La/Sm) N ∼1.7, (La/Yb) N ∼2.1) which fall into the spectrum of modern arc volcanic rock suites on New Britain to the south. By contrast, the basalts from the central Manus back-arc spreading zone are very low-K. When major and trace element data are plotted against silica contents in Harker diagrams, gently curved trends extend from andesite to rhyodacite. The trends can be interpreted in terms of low-pressure fractionation of the observed (albeit rare) phenocryst assemblage (plagioclase, ortho- and clinopyroxene, magnetite), with progressive enrichment of incompatible elements such as K, Ba, Zr and the REE. Basaltic andesites (mg 42-45) from features adjacent to Pual Ridge exhibit Ti and P contents falling below this fractionation trend, but trend towards a possible parent magma from which Pual Ridge andesites were derived by extraction of an olivine-dominated assemblage. Moderately potassic picritic basalts (mg 56) representing the potential parent magmas also occur on edifices east of Pual Ridge. Like the Pual lavas, these have low Nb (1-2 ppm) consistent with an arc affinity

Nuclear-powered submarines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Curren, T.

1989-01-01

The proposed acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines by the Canadian Armed Forces raises a number of legitimate concerns, including that of their potential impact on the environment. The use of nuclear reactors as the propulsion units in these submarines merits special consideration. Radioactivity, as an environmental pollutant, has unique qualities and engenders particular fears among the general population. The effects of nuclear submarines on the environment fall into two distinct categories: those deriving from normal operations of the submarine (the chief concern of this paper), and those deriving from a reactor accident. An enormous body of data must exist to support the safe operation of nuclear submarines; however, little information on this aspect of the proposed submarine program has been made available to the Canadian public. (5 refs.)

Gas Chemistry of Submarine Hydrothermal Venting at Maug Caldera, Mariana Arc

Science.gov (United States)

Embley, R. W.; Lupton, J. E.; Butterfield, D. A.; Lilley, M. D.; Evans, L. J.; Olson, E. J.; Resing, J. A.; Buck, N.; Larson, B. I.; Young, C.

2014-12-01

Maug volcano consists of 3 islands that define the perimeter of a submerged caldera that was formed by an explosive eruption. The caldera reaches a depth of ~225 meters, and has a prominent central cone or pinnacle that ascends within 20 meters of the sea surface. Our exploration of Maug began in 2003, when a single hydrocast in the caldera detected a strong suspended particle and helium plume reaching a maximum of δ3He = 250% at ~180 meters depth, clearly indicating hydrothermal activity within the caldera. In 2004 we returned armed with the ROPOS ROV, and two ROPOS dives discovered and sampled low temperature (~4 °C) diffuse venting associated with bacterial mats on the NE flank of the central pinnacle at 145 m depth. Samples collected with titanium gas tight bottles were badly diluted with ambient seawater but allowed an estimate of end-member 3He/4He of 7.3 Ra. Four vertical casts lowered into the caldera in 2004 all had a strong 3He signal (δ3He = 190%) at 150-190 meters depth. A recent expedition in 2014 focused on the shallow (~10 m) gas venting along the caldera interior. Scuba divers were able to collect samples of the gas bubbles using evacuated SS bottles fitted with plastic funnels. The gas samples had a consistent ~170 ppm He, 8 ppmNe, 60% CO2, 40%N2, and 0.8% Ar, and an end-member 3He/4He ratio of 6.9 Ra. This 3He/4He ratio falls within the range for typical arc volcanoes. The rather high atmospheric component (N2, Ar, Ne) in these samples is not contamination but appears to be derived from subsurface exchange between the ascending CO2 bubbles and air saturated seawater. A single vertical cast in 2014 had a maximum δ3He = 55% at 140 m depth, much lower than in 2003 and 2004. This decrease is possibly due to recent flushing of the caldera by a storm event, or may reflect a decrease in the deep hydrothermal activity. This area of shallow CO2 venting in Maug caldera is of particular interest as a natural laboratory for studying the effects of ocean

Hydrothermal processes above the Yellowstone magma chamber: Large hydrothermal systems and large hydrothermal explosions

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan, L.A.; Shanks, W.C. Pat; Pierce, K.L.

2009-01-01

Hydrothermal explosions are violent and dramatic events resulting in the rapid ejection of boiling water, steam, mud, and rock fragments from source craters that range from a few meters up to more than 2 km in diameter; associated breccia can be emplaced as much as 3 to 4 km from the largest craters. Hydrothermal explosions occur where shallow interconnected reservoirs of steam- and liquid-saturated fluids with temperatures at or near the boiling curve underlie thermal fields. Sudden reduction in confi ning pressure causes fluids to fl ash to steam, resulting in signifi cant expansion, rock fragmentation, and debris ejection. In Yellowstone, hydrothermal explosions are a potentially signifi cant hazard for visitors and facilities and can damage or even destroy thermal features. The breccia deposits and associated craters formed from hydrothermal explosions are mapped as mostly Holocene (the Mary Bay deposit is older) units throughout Yellowstone National Park (YNP) and are spatially related to within the 0.64-Ma Yellowstone caldera and along the active Norris-Mammoth tectonic corridor. In Yellowstone, at least 20 large (>100 m in diameter) hydrothermal explosion craters have been identifi ed; the scale of the individual associated events dwarfs similar features in geothermal areas elsewhere in the world. Large hydrothermal explosions in Yellowstone have occurred over the past 16 ka averaging ??1 every 700 yr; similar events are likely in the future. Our studies of large hydrothermal explosion events indicate: (1) none are directly associated with eruptive volcanic or shallow intrusive events; (2) several historical explosions have been triggered by seismic events; (3) lithic clasts and comingled matrix material that form hydrothermal explosion deposits are extensively altered, indicating that explosions occur in areas subjected to intense hydrothermal processes; (4) many lithic clasts contained in explosion breccia deposits preserve evidence of repeated fracturing

Evidence from acoustic imaging for submarine volcanic activity in 2012 off the west coast of El Hierro (Canary Islands, Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, Nemesio M.; Somoza, Luis; Hernández, Pedro A.; de Vallejo, Luis González; León, Ricardo; Sagiya, Takeshi; Biain, Ander; González, Francisco J.; Medialdea, Teresa; Barrancos, José; Ibáñez, Jesús; Sumino, Hirochika; Nogami, Kenji; Romero, Carmen

2014-12-01

We report precursory geophysical, geodetic, and geochemical signatures of a new submarine volcanic activity observed off the western coast of El Hierro, Canary Islands. Submarine manifestation of this activity has been revealed through acoustic imaging of submarine plumes detected on the 20-kHz chirp parasound subbottom profiler (TOPAS PS18) mounted aboard the Spanish RV Hespérides on June 28, 2012. Five distinct "filament-shaped" acoustic plumes emanating from the flanks of mounds have been recognized at water depth between 64 and 88 m on a submarine platform located NW El Hierro. These plumes were well imaged on TOPAS profiles as "flares" of high acoustic contrast of impedance within the water column. Moreover, visible plumes composed of white rafts floating on the sea surface and sourcing from the location of the submarine plumes were reported by aerial photographs on July 3, 2012, 5 days after acoustic plumes were recorded. In addition, several geophysical and geochemical data support the fact that these submarine vents were preceded by several precursory signatures: (i) a sharp increase of the seismic energy release and the number of daily earthquakes of magnitude ≥2.5 on June 25, 2012, (ii) significant vertical and horizontal displacements observed at the Canary Islands GPS network (Nagoya University-ITER-GRAFCAN) with uplifts up to 3 cm from June 25 to 26, 2012, (iii) an anomalous increase of the soil gas radon activity, from the end of April until the beginning of June reaching peak values of 2.7 kBq/m3 on June 3, 2012, and (iv) observed positive peak in the air-corrected value of 3He/4He ratio monitored in ground waters (8.5 atmospheric 3He/4He ratio ( R A)) at the northwestern El Hierro on June 16, 2012. Combining these submarine and subaerial information, we suggest these plumes are the consequence of submarine vents exhaling volcanic gas mixed with fine ash as consequence of an event of rapid rise of volatile-rich magma beneath the NW submarine ridge

Elemental geochemical records of seafloor hydrothermal activities in the sediments from the Okinawa Trough

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

ZHAI Shikui; YU Zenghui; DU Tongjun

2007-01-01

The major and minor element contents in the sediment core H9 from the hydrothermal fields of the Okinawa Trough show a sharp change at the depth of 80 cm. The elements enriched in the upper 80 cm core are those enriched in the hydrothermal deposits and in the surface sediments recovered from the hydrothermal fields in the trough, which indicates the input of hydrothermal materials. Comparing with other hydrothermal sediments from Mid-ocean Ridges or the Lau Basin, the degree of the enrichment of elements iron, copper, cobalt, and nickel is relatively low. However, the enrichment of elements manganese, lead, arsenic, antimony and mercury is remarkable. The average contents of these elements in the upper 80 cm core sediments are three to six times those in the lower section, and 3 ~ 12 times those in the surface sediments which are not influenced by hydrothermal activities. Hydrothermal activities have contributed significant manganese, lead, arsenic, antimony and mercury to the sediments, and these elements are distinct indicators for the hydrothermal activity in the Okinawa Trough. The significant enrichment of these elements in Core H9 upward from the depth 80 cm indicates the start or the significant enhancing of the hydrothermal activity in this area at about 5 740 aB. P. The average accumulation rate of manganese during this period is about 40 461 μg/( cm2 · ka), which is similar to the hydrothermal sediments in the Lau Basin or the East Pacific Rise.

Sunken nuclear submarines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eriksen, V.O.

1990-01-01

The increasing number of accidents with nuclear submarines is a worriment to the general public. Five nuclear submarines are resting on the bottom of the North Atlantic. Design information on nuclear propulsion plants for submarines is classified. The author describes a potential generic nuclear submarine propulsion plant. Design information from the civilian nuclear industry, nuclear power plants, research reactors, nuclear cargo vessels and nuclear propelled icebreakers are used for illustration of relevant problems. A survey is given of nuclear submarines. Factors influencing the accident risks and safety characteristics of nuclear submarines are considered, and potential accident scenarios are described. The fission product content of the nuclear plant can be estimated, '' source terms'' can be guessed and potential release rates can be judged. The mechanisms of dispersion in the oceans is reviewed and compared with the dumping of radioactive waste in the Atlantic and other known releases. 46 refs., 49 figs., 14 tabs

Immunomodulatory N-acyl Dopamine Glycosides from the Icelandic Marine Sponge Myxilla incrustans Collected at a Hydrothermal Vent Site

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Einarsdottir, Eydis; Liu, Hong Bing; Freysdottir, Jona

2016-01-01

A chemical investigation of the sponge (Porifera) Myxilla incrustans collected from the unique submarine hydrothermal vent site Strytan, North of Iceland, revealed a novel family of closely related N-acyl dopamine glycosides. Three new compounds, myxillin A (1), B (2) and C (3), were isolated...

Tectonic activity and the evolution of submarine canyons: The Cook Strait Canyon system, New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Micallef, Aaron; Mountjoy, Joshu; Barnes, Philip; Canals, Miquel; Lastras, Galderic

2016-04-01

Submarine canyons are Earth's most dramatic erosional features, comprising steep-walled valleys that originate in the continental shelf and slope. They play a key role in the evolution of continental margins by transferring sediments into deep water settings and are considered important biodiversity hotspots, pathways for nutrients and pollutants, and analogues of hydrocarbon reservoirs. Although comprising only one third of continental margins worldwide, active margins host more than half of global submarine canyons. We still lack of thorough understanding of the coupling between active tectonics and submarine canyon processes, which is necessary to improve the modelling of canyon evolution in active margins and derive tectonic information from canyon morphology. The objectives of this study are to: (i) understand how tectonic activity influences submarine canyon morphology, processes, and evolution in an active margin, and (2) formulate a generalised model of canyon development in response to tectonic forcing based on morphometric parameters. We fulfil these objectives by analysing high resolution geophysical data and imagery from Cook Strait Canyon system, offshore New Zealand. Using these data, we demonstrate that tectonic activity, in the form of major faults and structurally-generated tectonic ridges, leaves a clear topographic signature on submarine canyon location and morphology, in particular their dendritic and sinuous planform shapes, steep and linear longitudinal profiles, and cross-sectional asymmetry and width. We also report breaks/changes in canyon longitudinal slope gradient, relief and slope-area regression models at the intersection with faults. Tectonic activity gives rise to two types of knickpoints in the Cook Strait Canyon. The first type consists of low slope gradient, rounded and diffusive knickpoints forming as a result of short wavelength folds or fault break outs and being restored to an equilibrium profile by upstream erosion and

Arctic Submarine Slope Stability

Science.gov (United States)

Winkelmann, D.; Geissler, W.

2010-12-01

Submarine landsliding represents aside submarine earthquakes major natural hazard to coastal and sea-floor infrastructure as well as to coastal communities due to their ability to generate large-scale tsunamis with their socio-economic consequences. The investigation of submarine landslides, their conditions and trigger mechanisms, recurrence rates and potential impact remains an important task for the evaluation of risks in coastal management and offshore industrial activities. In the light of a changing globe with warming oceans and rising sea-level accompanied by increasing human population along coasts and enhanced near- and offshore activities, slope stability issues gain more importance than ever before. The Arctic exhibits the most rapid and drastic changes and is predicted to change even faster. Aside rising air temperatures, enhanced inflow of less cooled Atlantic water into the Arctic Ocean reduces sea-ice cover and warms the surroundings. Slope stability is challenged considering large areas of permafrost and hydrates. The Hinlopen/Yermak Megaslide (HYM) north of Svalbard is the first and so far only reported large-scale submarine landslide in the Arctic Ocean. The HYM exhibits the highest headwalls that have been found on siliciclastic margins. With more than 10.000 square kilometer areal extent and app. 2.400 cubic kilometer of involved sedimentary material, it is one of the largest exposed submarine slides worldwide. Geometry and age put this slide in a special position in discussing submarine slope stability on glaciated continental margins. The HYM occurred 30 ka ago, when the global sea-level dropped by app. 50 m within less than one millennium due to rapid onset of global glaciation. It probably caused a tsunami with circum-Arctic impact and wave heights exceeding 130 meters. The HYM affected the slope stability field in its neighbourhood by removal of support. Post-megaslide slope instability as expressed in creeping and smaller-scaled slides are

Geochemical and visual indicators of hydrothermal fluid flow through a sediment-hosted volcanic ridge in the Central Bransfield Basin (Antarctica.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfred Aquilina

Full Text Available In the austral summer of 2011 we undertook an investigation of three volcanic highs in the Central Bransfield Basin, Antarctica, in search of hydrothermal activity and associated fauna to assess changes since previous surveys and to evaluate the extent of hydrothermalism in this basin. At Hook Ridge, a submarine volcanic edifice at the eastern end of the basin, anomalies in water column redox potential (E(h were detected close to the seafloor, unaccompanied by temperature or turbidity anomalies, indicating low-temperature hydrothermal discharge. Seepage was manifested as shimmering water emanating from the sediment and from mineralised structures on the seafloor; recognisable vent endemic fauna were not observed. Pore fluids extracted from Hook Ridge sediment were depleted in chloride, sulfate and magnesium by up to 8% relative to seawater, enriched in lithium, boron and calcium, and had a distinct strontium isotope composition ((87Sr/(86Sr = 0.708776 at core base compared with modern seawater ((87Sr/(86Sr ≈ 0.70918, indicating advection of hydrothermal fluid through sediment at this site. Biogeochemical zonation of redox active species implies significant moderation of the hydrothermal fluid with in situ diagenetic processes. At Middle Sister, the central ridge of the Three Sisters complex located about 100 km southwest of Hook Ridge, small water column E(h anomalies were detected but visual observations of the seafloor and pore fluid profiles provided no evidence of active hydrothermal circulation. At The Axe, located about 50 km southwest of Three Sisters, no water column anomalies in E(h, temperature or turbidity were detected. These observations demonstrate that the temperature anomalies observed in previous surveys are episodic features, and suggest that hydrothermal circulation in the Bransfield Strait is ephemeral in nature and therefore may not support vent biota.

Grains of Nonferrous and Noble Metals in Iron-Manganese Formations and Igneous Rocks of Submarine Elevations of the Sea of Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Kolesnik, O. N.; Astakhova, N. V.

2018-01-01

Iron-manganese formations and igneous rocks of submarine elevations in the Sea of Japan contain overlapping mineral phases (grains) with quite identical morphology, localization, and chemical composition. Most of the grains conform to oxides, intermetallic compounds, native elements, sulfides, and sulfates in terms of the set of nonferrous, noble, and certain other metals (Cu, Zn, Sn, Pb, Ni, Mo, Ag, Pd, and Pt). The main conclusion that postvolcanic hydrothermal fluids are the key sources of metals is based upon a comparison of the data of electron microprobe analysis of iron-manganese formations and igneous rocks dredged at the same submarine elevations in the Sea of Japan.

Submarine Medicine Team

Data.gov (United States)

Federal Laboratory Consortium — The Submarine Medicine Team conducts basic and applied research on biomedical aspects of submarine and diving environments. It focuses on ways to optimize the health...

Geomorphic process fingerprints in submarine canyons

Science.gov (United States)

Brothers, Daniel S.; ten Brink, Uri S.; Andrews, Brian D.; Chaytor, Jason D.; Twichell, David C.

2013-01-01

Submarine canyons are common features of continental margins worldwide. They are conduits that funnel vast quantities of sediment from the continents to the deep sea. Though it is known that submarine canyons form primarily from erosion induced by submarine sediment flows, we currently lack quantitative, empirically based expressions that describe the morphology of submarine canyon networks. Multibeam bathymetry data along the entire passive US Atlantic margin (USAM) and along the active central California margin near Monterey Bay provide an opportunity to examine the fine-scale morphology of 171 slope-sourced canyons. Log–log regression analyses of canyon thalweg gradient (S) versus up-canyon catchment area (A) are used to examine linkages between morphological domains and the generation and evolution of submarine sediment flows. For example, canyon reaches of the upper continental slope are characterized by steep, linear and/or convex longitudinal profiles, whereas reaches farther down canyon have distinctly concave longitudinal profiles. The transition between these geomorphic domains is inferred to represent the downslope transformation of debris flows into erosive, canyon-flushing turbidity flows. Over geologic timescales this process appears to leave behind a predictable geomorphic fingerprint that is dependent on the catchment area of the canyon head. Catchment area, in turn, may be a proxy for the volume of sediment released during geomorphically significant failures along the upper continental slope. Focused studies of slope-sourced submarine canyons may provide new insights into the relationships between fine-scale canyon morphology and down-canyon changes in sediment flow dynamics.

Monitoring of the nuclear submarine Komsomolets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heldal, Hilde E.; Flo, Janita K.; Liebig, Penny L. [Institute of Marine Research, P. O. Box 1870 Nordnes, N-5817 Bergen (Norway); Gaefvert, Torbjoern; Rudjord, Anne Liv [Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, P.O. Box 55, N-1332 Oesteraas (Norway); Gwynn, Justin P. [Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, The Fram Centre, N-9296 Tromsoe (Norway)

2014-07-01

The Soviet nuclear submarine Komsomolets sank on the 7 April 1989, 180 km southwest of Bear Island in the Norwegian Sea to a depth of about 1655 m. The submarine contains one nuclear reactor containing long-lived radionuclides such as cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs) along with other fission and activation products, in addition to 2 mixed uranium/plutonium nuclear warheads containing weapons grade plutonium. Although several model studies have shown that a radioactive leakage from Komsomolets will have insignificant impact on fish and other marine organisms, there are still public concerns about the condition of the submarine and the potential for radioactive leakage. In order to document the contamination levels and to meet public concerns, monitoring of radioactive contamination in the area adjacent to the submarine has been ongoing since 1993. Samples of bottom seawater and sediments have been collected annually by the Institute of Marine Research (IMR) and have been analysed for {sup 137}Cs and plutonium-239,240 ({sup 239,240}Pu). So far, activity concentrations in the samples have been comparable to levels found in other samples from the Norwegian and Barents Seas. During sampling from R/V 'G. O. Sars' in April 2013, an area of about 1 km{sup 2} of the seabed around Komsomolets was mapped to precisely locate the submarine using a Kongsberg EM302 multibeam echo sounder, a Simrad EK60 single beam echo sounder and an Olex 3D bottom-mapping system. For sediment sampling, a Simrad MST342 mini-transponder was attached to a Smoegen box corer to allow for precise positioning of the corer. With the aid of the Kongsberg HiPAP (High Precision Acoustic Positioning) system, 4 box cores were collected around the submarine at a distance of 10 to 20 m. In addition, one box core was collected from a reference station about 100 m upstream of the submarine. Surface sediments and sediment cores were collected from the box cores taken at each sampling location. Sediment cores

The distribution and stabilisation of dissolved Fe in deep-sea hydrothermal plumes

Science.gov (United States)

Bennett, Sarah A.; Achterberg, Eric P.; Connelly, Douglas P.; Statham, Peter J.; Fones, Gary R.; German, Christopher R.

2008-06-01

We have conducted a study of hydrothermal plumes overlying the Mid-Atlantic Ridge near 5° S to investigate whether there is a significant export flux of dissolved Fe from hydrothermal venting to the oceans. Our study combined measurements of plume-height Fe concentrations from a series of 6 CTD stations together with studies of dissolved Fe speciation in a subset of those samples. At 2.5 km down plume from the nearest known vent site dissolved Fe concentrations were ˜ 20 nM. This is much higher than would be predicted from a combination of plume dilution and dissolved Fe(II) oxidation rates, but consistent with stabilisation due to the presence of organic Fe complexes and Fe colloids. Using Competitive Ligand Exchange-Cathodic Stripping Voltammetry (CLE-CSV), stabilised dissolved Fe complexes were detected within the dissolved Fe fraction on the edges of one non-buoyant hydrothermal plume with observed ligand concentrations high enough to account for stabilisation of ˜ 4% of the total Fe emitted from the 5° S vent sites. If these results were representative of all hydrothermal systems, submarine venting could provide 12-22% of the global deep-ocean dissolved Fe budget.

Oxygen isotope mapping and evaluation of paleo-hydrothermal systems associated with synvolcanic intrusion and VMS deposits

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, B.E

2001-01-01

Whole-rock oxygen isotope mapping provides a useful method for the delineation and quantitative evaluation of paleo-hydrothermal systems associated with syn-volcanic intrusions and volcanic-associated massive sulfide (VMS) deposits. During the course of a four-year study of regional alteration systems associated with VMS Deposits, four syn-volcanic intrusive complexes in Canada were mapped using stable isotope techniques. The complexes included Noranda, Quebec; Clifford-Ben Nevis, Ontario; Snow Lake, Manitoba, and Sturgeon Lake, Ontario. This study was regional in extent, involving large areas and large numbers of whole-rock samples: Noranda (625 km 2 ;≥600 samples, plus others (total = 1198); Sturgeon Lake (525 km 2 ; 452 samples); Clifford-Ben Nevis (160 km 2 ; 251 samples); and Snow Lake (84 km 2 ; 575 samples). Isotopic data on whole-rock carbonates and hydrous minerals were also collected. The regional isotopic studies were carried out in concert with other studies on mineral assemblages and mineral composition, and on associated intrusive and extrusive rocks. The Clifford-Ben Nevis area was selected as a control area, in as much as it contains no known VMS deposits; all other areas are well-known, productive VMS districts. Oxygen isotope maps are, in a sense, thermal maps, illustrating the paleo-distribution of heat and fluids, and offering a potential aid to exploration. The isotopic data may be contoured to reveal zones of 18 O depletion and enrichment, relative to unaltered rocks. Zones of δ 18 O≤60% comprise rocks that have reacted with seawater at high (e.g., 300+ o C) temperatures. The volume of foot-wall rocks isotopically-depleted by water/rock interaction during the life of one or more episodes of submarine hydrothermal activity is proportional to the amount of heat available from the syn-volcanic intrusive center. These altered rocks comprise the reaction zone often inferred to have supplied metals and other constituents for the VMS deposits

Hydrothermal Alteration and Seawater Exchange at Surtsey Volcano, Iceland: New results from 1979 Surtsey Drill Core.

Science.gov (United States)

Rhodes, M.; Bryce, J. G.; Jercinovic, M. J.; Fahnestock, M. F.; Jackson, M. D.

2017-12-01

The archetypal volcano Surtsey erupted spectacularly out of the North Atlantic Ocean from November 1963 to June 1967, on the southern submarine extension of the E. Icelandic Rift Zone. Twelve years later, in 1979, the eastern cone (Surtur I) was drilled to a depth of 181 m to document the growth of the volcano and the interaction of basaltic tephra with seawater [1]. The present study is a pilot project for the International Continental Drilling Project on Surtsey, SUSTAIN, starting in August, 2017. The overall intent is to document the nature, extent and rates of hydrothermal and seawater reaction with tephra over the past 50 years. This work builds on the 1979 drilling studies through new electron microprobe and laser ablation (LA- ICPMS) analyses to document varying degrees of palagonitic alteration of volcanic glass and primary phases to form authigenic minerals (smectite, zeolites, Al-tobermorite, anhydrite) in the intervening 12 years since the eruption. Combined with modal data and inferred phase densities, the data documents the mass balance of major and trace elements among the phases and the relationship of these changes to core depth, temperature and porosity. Although hydrothermal alteration is extensive, especially in the hotter submarine intervals from 60 to 120 m, detailed whole-rock major, trace and isotopic data (Sr, Nd, Pb), show that, apart from hydration and oxidation, there is only modest exchange of elements between tephra and seawater, or hydrothermal fluids, in the upper 140 m of the core prior to 1979. Below 140 m, in a cooler zone of coarse, more porous tephra, extensive exchange of elements, involving hydrothermal introduction of sulfur and growth of anhydrite, is associated with the loss of Ca, K, Rb, Sr and addition of MgO and Na and seawater isotopic signatures. It is surely no coincidence that this zone of elemental and isotopic exchange supports active microbial colonies [2]. Our results serve as an important baseline for the 2017

The Ministry of Dilemmas [decommissioning nuclear submarines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peden, W.

1995-01-01

A consultant for Greenpeace, the anti-nuclear campaigners, looks at the United Kingdom Government's problems with decommissioning of its nuclear submarine fleet as the vessels become obsolete, and at the transport and storage of spent fuels from the submarine's propulsion reactors. It is argued that no proper plans exist to decommission the vessels safely. The Ministry of Defence sites such as Rosyth and Devonport are immune from inspection by regulatory bodies, so there is no public knowledge of any potential radioactive hazards from the stored out-of-service carcasses, floating in dock, awaiting more active strategies. The author questions the wisdom of building new nuclear submarines, when no proper program exists to decommission existing vessels and their operational waste. (U.K.)

Absolute Magnetization Distribution on Back-arc Spreading Axis Hosting Hydrothermal Vents; Insight from Shinkai 6500 Magnetic Survey

Science.gov (United States)

Fujii, M.; Okino, K.; Honsho, C.; Mochizuki, N.; Szitkar, F.; Dyment, J.

2013-12-01

Near-bottom magnetic profiling using submersible, deep-tow, Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) make possible to conduct high-resolution surveys and depict detailed magnetic features reflecting, for instance, the presence of fresh lavas or hydrothermal alteration, or geomagnetic paleo-intensity variations. We conducted near-bottom three component magnetic measurements onboard submersible Shinkai 6500 in the Southern Mariana Trough, where five active hydrothermal vent fields (Snail, Yamanaka, Archean, Pica, and Urashima sites) have been found in both on- and off-axis areas of the active back-arc spreading center, to detect signals from hydrothermally altered rock and to distinguish old and new submarine lava flows. Fourteen dives were carried out at an altitude of 1-40 m during the R/V Yokosuka YK10-10 and YK10-11 cruises in 2010. We carefully corrected the effect of the induced and permanent magnetizations of the submersible by applying the correction method for the shipboard three-component magnetometer measurement modified for deep-sea measurement, and subtracted the IGRF values from the corrected data to obtain geomagnetic vector anomalies along the dive tracks. We then calculated the synthetic magnetic vector field produced by seafloor, assumed to be uniformly magnetized, using three dimensional forward modeling. Finally, values of the absolute magnetizations were estimated by using a linear transfer function in the Fourier domain from the observed and synthetic magnetic anomalies. The distribution of estimated absolute magnetization generally shows low values around the five hydrothermal vent sites. This result is consistent with the equivalent magnetization distribution obtained from previous AUV survey data. The areas of low magnetization are also consistent with hydrothermal deposits identified in video records. These results suggest that low magnetic signals are due to hydrothermal alteration zones where host rocks are

Hydrothermal simulation experiments as a tool for studies of the origin of life on Earth and other terrestrial planets: a review.

Science.gov (United States)

Holm, Nils G; Andersson, Eva

2005-08-01

The potential of life's origin in submarine hydrothermal systems has been evaluated by a number of investigators by conducting high temperature-high pressure experiments involving organic compounds. In the majority of these experiments little attention has been paid to the importance of constraining important parameters, such as the pH and the redox state of the system. This is particularly revealed in the apparent difficulties in interpreting experimental data from hydrothermal organic synthesis and stability studies. However, in those cases where common mineral assemblages have been used in an attempt to buffer the pH and redox conditions to geologically and geochemically realistic values, theoretical and experimental data seem to converge. The use of mineral buffer assemblages provides a convenient way by which to constrain the experimental conditions. Studies at high temperatures and pressure in the laboratory have revealed a number of reactions that proceed rapidly in hydrothermal fluids, including the Strecker synthesis of amino acids. In other cases, the verification of postulated abiotic reaction mechanisms has not been possible, at least for large molecules such as large fatty acids and hydrocarbons. This includes the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reaction. High temperature-high pressure experimental methods have been developed and used successfully for a long time in, for example, mineral solubility studies under hydrothermal conditions. By taking advantage of this experimental experience new and, at times, unexpected directions can be taken in bioorganic geochemistry, one being, for instance, primitive two-dimensional information coding. This article critically reviews some of the organic synthesis and stability experiments that have been conducted under simulated submarine hydrothermal conditions. We also discuss some of the theoretical and practical considerations that apply to hydrothermal laboratory studies of organic molecules related to the origin of

On the global distribution of hydrothermal vent fields: One decade later

Science.gov (United States)

Beaulieu, S. E.; Baker, E. T.; German, C. R.

2012-12-01

Since the last global compilation one decade ago, the known number of active submarine hydrothermal vent fields has almost doubled. At the end of 2009, a total of 518 active vent fields was catalogued, with about half (245) visually confirmed and others (273) inferred active at the seafloor. About half (52%) of these vent fields are at mid-ocean ridges (MORs), 25% at volcanic arcs, 21% at back-arc spreading centers (BASCs), and 2% at intra-plate volcanoes and other settings. One third are in high seas, and the nations with the most known active vent fields within EEZs are Tonga, USA, Japan, and New Zealand. The increase in known vent fields reflects a number of factors, including increased national and commercial interests in seafloor hydrothermal deposits as mineral resources. Here, we have comprehensively documented the percentage of strike length at MORs and BASCs that has been systematically explored for hydrothermal activity. As of the end of 2009, almost 30% of the ~60,000 km of MORs had been surveyed at least with spaced vertical profiles to detect hydrothermal plumes. A majority of the vents discovered at MORs in the past decade occurred at segments with vs. weighted-average full spreading rate (u_s), we predicted 676 vent fields remaining to be discovered at MORs. Even accounting for the lower F_s at slower spreading rates, almost half of the vents that are predicted remaining to be discovered at MORs are at ultra-slow to slow spreading rates (explored tend to be at high latitudes, such as the ultra-slow to slow spreading Arctic MORs (e.g., Kolbeinsey and Mohns Ridges), the ultra-slow American-Antarctic Ridge, and the intermediate spreading Pacific-Antarctic Ridge. Although a greater percentage of the ~11,000 km of BASCs has been surveyed for hydrothermal activity, the discoveries at BASCs in the past decade were mainly at segments with intermediate to fast spreading rates. Using the same equation for F_s vs. u_s, we predicted 71 vent fields remaining to

A Serpentinite-Hosted Ecosystem: The Lost City Hydrothermal Field

Science.gov (United States)

Kelley, Deborah S.; Karson, Jeffrey A.; Früh-Green, Gretchen L.; Yoerger, Dana R.; Shank, Timothy M.; Butterfield, David A.; Hayes, John M.; Schrenk, Matthew O.; Olson, Eric J.; Proskurowski, Giora; Jakuba, Mike; Bradley, Al; Larson, Ben; Ludwig, Kristin; Glickson, Deborah; Buckman, Kate; Bradley, Alexander S.; Brazelton, William J.; Roe, Kevin; Elend, Mitch J.; Delacour, Adélie; Bernasconi, Stefano M.; Lilley, Marvin D.; Baross, John A.; Summons, Roger E.; Sylva, Sean P.

2005-03-01

The serpentinite-hosted Lost City hydrothermal field is a remarkable submarine ecosystem in which geological, chemical, and biological processes are intimately interlinked. Reactions between seawater and upper mantle peridotite produce methane- and hydrogen-rich fluids, with temperatures ranging from A low diversity of microorganisms related to methane-cycling Archaea thrive in the warm porous interiors of the edifices. Macrofaunal communities show a degree of species diversity at least as high as that of black smoker vent sites along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, but they lack the high biomasses of chemosynthetic organisms that are typical of volcanically driven systems.

Exploring the submarine Graham Bank in the Sicily Channel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mauro Coltelli

2016-05-01

Full Text Available In the Sicily Channel, volcanic activity has been concentrated mainly on the Pantelleria and Linosa islands, while minor submarine volcanism took place in the Adventure, Graham and Nameless banks. The volcanic activity spanned mostly during Plio-Pleistocene, however, historical submarine eruptions occurred in 1831 on the Graham Bank and in 1891 offshore Pantelleria Island. On the Graham Bank, 25 miles SW of Sciacca, the 1831 eruption formed the short-lived Ferdinandea Island that represents the only Italian volcano active in historical times currently almost completely unknown and not yet monitored. Moreover, most of the Sicily Channel seismicity is concentrated along a broad NS belt extending from the Graham Bank to Lampedusa Island. In 2012, the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV carried out a multidisciplinary oceanographic cruise, named “Ferdinandea 2012”, the preliminary results of which represent the aim of this paper. The cruise goal was the mapping of the morpho-structural features of some submarine volcanic centres located in the northwestern side of the Sicily Channel and the temporary recording of their seismic and degassing activity. During the cruise, three OBS/Hs (ocean bottom seismometer with hydrophone were deployed near the Graham, Nerita and Terribile submarine banks. During the following 9 months they have recorded several seismo-acoustic signals produced by both tectonic and volcanic sources. A high-resolution bathymetric survey was achieved on the Graham Bank and on the surrounding submarine volcanic centres. A widespread and voluminous gas bubbles emission was observed by both multibeam sonar echoes and a ROV (remotely operated vehicle along the NW side of the Graham Bank, where gas and seafloor samples were also collected.

Submarine Landslides: What we Know and Where we are Going!

Science.gov (United States)

Moscardelli, L. G.; Mountjoy, J. J.; Micallef, A.; Strasser, M.; Vanneste, M.; Chaytor, J. D.; Mosher, D.; Krastel, S.; Lo Iacono, C.; Yamada, Y.

2015-12-01

Submarine landslides and other gravity-induced movements can disrupt very large areas of continental margins resulting in long-term seafloor morphologic change and multi-scale mass transport deposits (MTDs). Potential consequences of submarine landslides include damage to seabed infrastructure, offshore facilities, as well as generation or enhancement of tsunamis. MTDs are common on the modern seafloor and within the stratigraphic record. Slides, slumps and debris flows can be constituents of MTDs and can co-occur in the same event or depositional unit. Recent research indicates that relationships exist between MTD geological setting, causal mechanisms, and geometries. Quantitative data analysis suggests that MTD morphometric parameters can be used to link these three parameters. Despite many advances in this field, it still remains unclear how to definitively identify pre-conditioning factors and triggers of submarine landslides in modern slopes, and how submarine landslides evolve after initiation. In addition, new questions regarding the interaction between submarine landslides and active marine processes, such as bottom currents and fluid flow, have emerged.One of the mandates of the S4SLIDE (IGCP-640) project, a joint endeavor of UNESCO and IGCP that represents the broad field of submarine landslide research, is to facilitate interactions at an international level among scientists, industry and government representatives to advance our knowledge on a number of outstanding science questions: (i) What is the nature of the interaction between current-controlled sedimentation and submarine landslides? (ii) What role do transient turbulent-laminar flows play in the formation of submarine landslides? (iii) Do climatic variations control the occurrence of submarine landslides? (iv) What is the economic significance of submarine landslides? (v) Do we understand the hazards that submarine landslides pose to the environment and to humans? This presentation will cover

Submarine hydrodynamics

CERN Document Server

Renilson, Martin

2015-01-01

This book adopts a practical approach and presents recent research together with applications in real submarine design and operation. Topics covered include hydrostatics, manoeuvring, resistance and propulsion of submarines. The author briefly reviews basic concepts in ship hydrodynamics and goes on to show how they are applied to submarines, including a look at the use of physical model experiments. The issues associated with manoeuvring in both the horizontal and vertical planes are explained, and readers will discover suggested criteria for stability, along with rudder and hydroplane effectiveness. The book includes a section on appendage design which includes information on sail design, different arrangements of bow planes and alternative stern configurations. Other themes explored in this book include hydro-acoustic performance, the components of resistance and the effect of hull shape. Readers will value the author’s applied experience as well as the empirical expressions that are presented for use a...

Modeling of hydrothermal circulation applied to active volcanic areas. The case of Vulcano (Italy)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Todesco, M. [Dip. Scienze della Terra, Posa (Italy)

1995-03-01

Modeling of fluid and heat flows through porous media has been diffusely applied up to date to the study of geothermal reservoirs. Much less has been done to apply the same methodology to the study of active volcanoes and of the associated volcanic hazard. Hydrothermal systems provide direct information on dormant eruptive centers and significant insights on their state of activity and current evolution. For this reason, the evaluation of volcanic hazard is also based on monitoring of hydrothermal activity. Such monitoring, however, provides measurements of surface parameters, such as fluid temperature or composition, that often are only representative of the shallower portion of the system. The interpretation of these data in terms of global functioning of the hydrothermal circulation can therefore be highly misleading. Numerical modeling of hydrothermal activity provides a physical approach to the description of fluid circulation and can contribute to its understanding and to the interpretation of monitoring data. In this work, the TOUGH2 simulator has been applied to study the hydrothermal activity at Vulcano (Italy). Simulations involved an axisymmetric domain heated from below, and focused on the effects of permeability distribution and carbon dioxide. Results are consistent with the present knowledge of the volcanic system and suggest that permeability distribution plays a major role in the evolution of fluid circulation. This parameter should be considered in the interpretation of monitoring data and in the evaluation of volcanic hazard at Vulcano.

Stability and activity of doped transition metal zeolites in the hydrothermal processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thomas François Robin

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the stability and activity of HZSM-5 doped with metals such as molybdenum, nickel, copper and iron in under hydrothermal conditions used for the direct liquefaction of microalgae. Catalysts have been prepared by ion exchange techniques, and MoZSM-5 was also prepared by wet incipient impregnation for comparison. Hydrothermal liquefaction is considered as a potential route to convert microalgae into a sustainable fuel. One of the drawbacks of this process is that the bio-crude produced contains significant levels of nitrogen and oxygen compounds which have an impact on the physical and chemical propriety of the fuel. Heterogeneous catalysts have been shown to improve the quality of the bio-crude by reducing nitrogen and oxygen contents. Zeolites, such as HZSM-5, are strong candidates due to their low cost compared to noble metal catalysts but their stability and activity under hydrothermal conditions is not well understood. The stability of the catalysts has been determined under hydrothermal conditions at 350 °C. Catalysts have been characterised before and after treatment using XRD, BET physisorption and STEM microscopy. Metal leaching was determined by analysis of the water phase following hydrothermal treatment. The inserted cation following ion-exchange can influence the physical properties of HZSM-5 for example molybdenum improves the crystallinity of the zeolite. In general, metal doped zeolites were relatively stable under subcritical water. Activity of the catalysts for processing lipids, protein and microalgae has been assessed. Four feedstocks were selected: sunflower oil, soya proteins, Chlorella and P. ellipsoidea. The catalysts exhibited greater activity towards converting lipids for example MoZSM-5 enhanced the formation of aromatic compounds. NiZSM-5 and CuZSM-5 were observed to be more efficient for deoxygenation.

Stability and Activity of Doped Transition Metal Zeolites in the Hydrothermal Processing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Robin, Thomas François; Ross, Andrew B.; Lea-Langton, Amanda R.; Jones, Jenny M.

2015-01-01

This study investigates the stability and activity of HZSM-5 doped with metals such as molybdenum, nickel, copper, and iron under hydrothermal conditions used for the direct liquefaction of microalgae. Catalysts have been prepared by ion-exchange techniques, and MoZSM-5 was also prepared by wet incipient impregnation for comparison. Hydrothermal liquefaction is considered a potential route to convert microalgae into a sustainable fuel. One of the drawbacks of this process is that the bio-crude produced contains significant levels of nitrogen and oxygen compounds that have an impact on the physical and chemical properties of the fuel. Heterogeneous catalysts have been shown to improve the quality of the bio-crude by reducing nitrogen and oxygen contents. Zeolites, such as HZSM-5, are strong candidates due to their low cost compared to noble metal catalysts, but their stability and activity under hydrothermal conditions are not well understood. The stability of the catalysts has been determined under hydrothermal conditions at 350°C. Catalysts have been characterized before and after treatment using X-ray diffraction, BET physisorption, and scanning transmission electronic microscopy. Metal leaching was determined by the analysis of the water phase following the hydrothermal treatment. The inserted cation following ion-exchange can influence the physical properties of HZSM-5, for example, molybdenum improves the crystallinity of the zeolite. In general, metal-doped zeolites were relatively stable in subcritical water. The activity of the catalysts for processing lipids, protein, and microalgae has been assessed. Four feedstocks were selected: sunflower oil, soya proteins, Chlorella, and Pseudochoricystis ellipsoidea. The catalysts exhibited greater activity toward converting lipids, for example, MoZSM-5 enhanced the formation of aromatic compounds. NiZSM-5 and CuZSM-5 were observed to be more efficient for deoxygenation.

Stability and Activity of Doped Transition Metal Zeolites in the Hydrothermal Processing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Robin, Thomas François, E-mail: thomas.cognac@gmail.com; Ross, Andrew B.; Lea-Langton, Amanda R.; Jones, Jenny M. [School of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds (United Kingdom)

2015-12-14

This study investigates the stability and activity of HZSM-5 doped with metals such as molybdenum, nickel, copper, and iron under hydrothermal conditions used for the direct liquefaction of microalgae. Catalysts have been prepared by ion-exchange techniques, and MoZSM-5 was also prepared by wet incipient impregnation for comparison. Hydrothermal liquefaction is considered a potential route to convert microalgae into a sustainable fuel. One of the drawbacks of this process is that the bio-crude produced contains significant levels of nitrogen and oxygen compounds that have an impact on the physical and chemical properties of the fuel. Heterogeneous catalysts have been shown to improve the quality of the bio-crude by reducing nitrogen and oxygen contents. Zeolites, such as HZSM-5, are strong candidates due to their low cost compared to noble metal catalysts, but their stability and activity under hydrothermal conditions are not well understood. The stability of the catalysts has been determined under hydrothermal conditions at 350°C. Catalysts have been characterized before and after treatment using X-ray diffraction, BET physisorption, and scanning transmission electronic microscopy. Metal leaching was determined by the analysis of the water phase following the hydrothermal treatment. The inserted cation following ion-exchange can influence the physical properties of HZSM-5, for example, molybdenum improves the crystallinity of the zeolite. In general, metal-doped zeolites were relatively stable in subcritical water. The activity of the catalysts for processing lipids, protein, and microalgae has been assessed. Four feedstocks were selected: sunflower oil, soya proteins, Chlorella, and Pseudochoricystis ellipsoidea. The catalysts exhibited greater activity toward converting lipids, for example, MoZSM-5 enhanced the formation of aromatic compounds. NiZSM-5 and CuZSM-5 were observed to be more efficient for deoxygenation.

Hydrothermal focusing of chemical and chemiosmotic energy, supported by delivery of catalytic Fe, Ni, Mo/W, Co, S and Se, forced life to emerge.

Science.gov (United States)

Nitschke, Wolfgang; Russell, Michael J

2009-11-01

Energised by the protonmotive force and with the intervention of inorganic catalysts, at base Life reacts hydrogen from a variety of sources with atmospheric carbon dioxide. It seems inescapable that life emerged to fulfil the same role (i.e., to hydrogenate CO(2)) on the early Earth, thus outcompeting the slow geochemical reduction to methane. Life would have done so where hydrothermal hydrogen interfaced a carbonic ocean through inorganic precipitate membranes. Thus we argue that the first carbon-fixing reaction was the molybdenum-dependent, proton-translocating formate hydrogenlyase system described by Andrews et al. (Microbiology 143:3633-3647, 1997), but driven in reverse. Alkaline on the inside and acidic and carbonic on the outside - a submarine chambered hydrothermal mound built above an alkaline hydrothermal spring of long duration - offered just the conditions for such a reverse reaction imposed by the ambient protonmotive force. Assisted by the same inorganic catalysts and potential energy stores that were to evolve into the active centres of enzymes supplied variously from ocean or hydrothermal system, the formate reaction enabled the rest of the acetyl coenzyme-A pathway to be followed exergonically, first to acetate, then separately to methane. Thus the two prokaryotic domains both emerged within the hydrothermal mound-the acetogens were the forerunners of the Bacteria and the methanogens were the forerunners of the Archaea.

To the problem of utilization of nuclear submarines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tarakanov, E.; Larin, V.

1999-01-01

Paper discusses a concept of step-by-step utilization of nuclear submarines in Russia. By the late 2000 minimum 160 nuclear submarines with over 300 nuclear reactors should be removed. Unloading of spent nuclear fuel from reactors, dismounting of nuclear submarines, efforts to arrange storage facilities for liquid and solid radioactive waste are the main steps of nuclear submarine utilization. Under the rates of nuclear submarine utilization being as they are, the utilization of 160 nuclear submarines will take about 30 years. Paper analyzes the alternative variants of nuclear submarine utilization and discusses the social and ecological aspects of utilization of nuclear submarines [ru

Hydrothermal Petroleum in Active Continental Rift: Lake Chapala, Western Mexico, Initial Results.

Science.gov (United States)

Zarate-del Valle, P. F.; Simoneit, B. R.; Ramirez-Sanchez, H. U.

2003-12-01

Lake Chapala in western Mexico is located partially in the Citala Rift, which belongs to the well-known neotectonic Jalisco continental triple junction. The region is characterized by active volcanism (Ceboruco, Volcan de Fuego), tectonic (1995 earthquake, M=8, 40-50 mm to SW) and hydrothermal (San Juan Cosala & Villa Corona spas and La Calera sinter deposit) activities. Hydrothermal petroleum has been described in active continental rift (East African Rift) and marine spreading zones (Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California). In 1868 the Mexican local press reported that manifestations of bitumen were appearing in front of the Columba Cap on the mid south shore of Lake Chapala. This bitumen is linked to the lake bottom and when the water level decreases sufficiently it is possible to access these tar bodies as islands. Because of these manifestations the Mexican oil company (PEMEX) drilled an exploration well (2,348m) at Tizapan El Alto without success. Hydrothermal activity is evident in the tar island zone as three in-shore thermal springs (26.8 m depth, 48.5° C, pH 7.8 and oriented N-S). The preliminary analyses by GC-MS of the tar from these islands indicate hydrothermal petroleum derived from lake sedimentary organic matter, generated at low temperatures (150° -200° C). The tars contain no n-alkanes, no PAH or other aromatics, but a major UCM of branched and cyclic hydrocarbons and mature biomarkers derived from lacustrine biota. The biomarkers consist of mainly 17α (H),21β (H)-hopanes ranging from C27 to C34 (no C28), gammacerane, tricyclic terpanes (C20-C26), carotane and its cracking products, and drimanes (C14-C16). The biomarker composition indicates an organic matter source from bacteria and algae, typical of lacustrine ecosystems. 14C dating of samples from two tar islands yielded ages exceeding 40 kyrs, i.e., old carbon from hydrothermal/tectonic remobilization of bitumen from deeper horizons to the surface. The occurrence of hydrothermal petroleum in

Vein networks in hydrothermal systems provide constraints for the monitoring of active volcanoes.

Science.gov (United States)

Cucci, Luigi; Di Luccio, Francesca; Esposito, Alessandra; Ventura, Guido

2017-03-10

Vein networks affect the hydrothermal systems of many volcanoes, and variations in their arrangement may precede hydrothermal and volcanic eruptions. However, the long-term evolution of vein networks is often unknown because data are lacking. We analyze two gypsum-filled vein networks affecting the hydrothermal field of the active Lipari volcanic Island (Italy) to reconstruct the dynamics of the hydrothermal processes. The older network (E1) consists of sub-vertical, N-S striking veins; the younger network (E2) consists of veins without a preferred strike and dip. E2 veins have larger aperture/length, fracture density, dilatancy, and finite extension than E1. The fluid overpressure of E2 is larger than that of E1 veins, whereas the hydraulic conductance is lower. The larger number of fracture intersections in E2 slows down the fluid movement, and favors fluid interference effects and pressurization. Depths of the E1 and E2 hydrothermal sources are 0.8 km and 4.6 km, respectively. The decrease in the fluid flux, depth of the hydrothermal source, and the pressurization increase in E2 are likely associated to a magma reservoir. The decrease of fluid discharge in hydrothermal fields may reflect pressurization at depth potentially preceding hydrothermal explosions. This has significant implications for the long-term monitoring strategy of volcanoes.

Hydrothermally Activated Graphene Fiber Fabrics for Textile Electrodes of Supercapacitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Zheng; Huang, Tieqi; Gao, Weiwei; Xu, Zhen; Chang, Dan; Zhang, Chunxiao; Gao, Chao

2017-11-28

Carbon textiles are promising electrode materials for wearable energy storage devices owing to their conductive, flexible, and lightweight features. However, there still lacks a perfect choice for high-performance carbon textile electrodes with sufficient electrochemical activity. Graphene fiber fabrics (GFFs) are newly discovered carbon textiles, exhibiting various attractive properties, especially a large variability on the microstructure. Here we report the fabrication of hierarchical GFFs with significantly enlarged specific surface area using a hydrothermal activation strategy. By carefully optimize the activation process, the hydrothermally activated graphene fiber fabrics (HAGFFs) could achieve an areal capacitance of 1060 mF cm -2 in a very thin thickness (150 μm) and the capacitance is easily magnified by overlaying several layers of HAGFFs, even up to a record value of 7398 mF cm -2 . Meanwhile, a good rate capability and a long cycle life are also attained. As compared with other carbon textiles, including the commercial carbon fiber cloths, our HAGFFs present much better capacitive performance. Therefore, the mechanically stable, flexible, conductive, and highly active HAGFFs have provided an option for high-performance textile electrodes.

Ironstones of the Olary Block, South Australia: the use of RNAA and INAA to understand their genesis.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Plimer, I R [Melbourne Univ., Parkville, VIC (Australia); Lottermoser, B G; Ashley, P M; Lawrie, D C [New England Univ., Armidale, NSW (Australia). Dept. of Geology

1997-12-31

Reactor neutron activation analysis (RNAA) , instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and electron microprobe analysis of ironstones and barite from the Olary Block indicate that these deposits are geochemically similar to modem and ancient submarine hydrothermal precipitates. Geochemical analyses generally show low Mn, Pb, Zn, As and Sb concentrations and elevated Au and Cu values. Major (Al, Si) and trace (REE, Th, U, PGEs) element data show that the ironstones and barite rocks are of hydrothermal origin and that mixing occurred between oxidised (and possibly hypersaline) surficial waters and a hydrothermal fluid similar to that from modem sites of submarine exhalation. Such geochemical similarities imply rapid burial in the volcano-sedimentary pile or sub-seafloor replacement. The REE patterns in the iron formations demonstrate a range from low temperature reduced hydrothermal precipitates, seawater and oxidised hydrothermal precipitates. Geochemical signatures are due to precipitation from hydrothermal fluids of lower temperature with further influence by prolonged exposure to the overlying water column and subaqueous oxidation. 7 refs.

Ironstones of the Olary Block, South Australia: the use of RNAA and INAA to understand their genesis.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Plimer, I.R. [Melbourne Univ., Parkville, VIC (Australia); Lottermoser, B.G.; Ashley, P.M.; Lawrie, D.C. [New England Univ., Armidale, NSW (Australia). Dept. of Geology

1996-12-31

Reactor neutron activation analysis (RNAA) , instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and electron microprobe analysis of ironstones and barite from the Olary Block indicate that these deposits are geochemically similar to modem and ancient submarine hydrothermal precipitates. Geochemical analyses generally show low Mn, Pb, Zn, As and Sb concentrations and elevated Au and Cu values. Major (Al, Si) and trace (REE, Th, U, PGEs) element data show that the ironstones and barite rocks are of hydrothermal origin and that mixing occurred between oxidised (and possibly hypersaline) surficial waters and a hydrothermal fluid similar to that from modem sites of submarine exhalation. Such geochemical similarities imply rapid burial in the volcano-sedimentary pile or sub-seafloor replacement. The REE patterns in the iron formations demonstrate a range from low temperature reduced hydrothermal precipitates, seawater and oxidised hydrothermal precipitates. Geochemical signatures are due to precipitation from hydrothermal fluids of lower temperature with further influence by prolonged exposure to the overlying water column and subaqueous oxidation. 7 refs.

Submarine Salt Karst Terrains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nico Augustin

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Karst terrains that develop in bodies of rock salt (taken as mainly of halite, NaCl are special not only for developing in one of the most soluble of all rocks, but also for developing in one of the weakest rocks. Salt is so weak that many surface-piercing salt diapirs extrude slow fountains of salt that that gravity spread downslope over deserts on land and over sea floors. Salt fountains in the deserts of Iran are usually so dry that they flow at only a few cm/yr but the few rain storms a decade so soak and weaken them that they surge at dm/day for a few days. We illustrate the only case where the rates at which different parts of one of the many tens of subaerial salt karst terrains in Iran flows downslope constrains the rates at which its subaerial salt karst terrains form. Normal seawater is only 10% saturated in NaCl. It should therefore be sufficiently aggressive to erode karst terrains into exposures of salt on the thousands of known submarine salt extrusions that have flowed or are still flowing over the floors of hundreds of submarine basins worldwide. However, we know of no attempt to constrain the processes that form submarine salt karst terrains on any of these of submarine salt extrusions. As on land, many potential submarine karst terrains are cloaked by clastic and pelagic sediments that are often hundreds of m thick. Nevertheless, detailed geophysical and bathymetric surveys have already mapped likely submarine salt karst terrains in at least the Gulf of Mexico, and the Red Sea. New images of these two areas are offered as clear evidence of submarine salt dissolution due to sinking or rising aggressive fluids. We suggest that repeated 3D surveys of distinctive features (± fixed seismic reflectors of such terrains could measure any downslope salt flow and thus offer an exceptional opportunity to constrain the rates at which submarine salt karst terrains develop. Such rates are of interest to all salt tectonicians and the many

Russian nuclear-powered submarine decommissioning

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bukharin, O.; Handler, J.

1995-01-01

Russia is facing technical, economic and organizational difficulties in dismantling its oversized and unsafe fleet of nuclear powered submarines. The inability of Russia to deal effectively with the submarine decommissioning crisis increases the risk of environmental disaster and may hamper the implementation of the START I and START II treaties. This paper discusses the nuclear fleet support infrastructure, the problems of submarine decommissioning, and recommends international cooperation in addressing these problems

What the submarine is

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liuzzi, A

1972-03-01

A short review of submarine problems and design is presented. Included are trim and stability concepts; propulsion and steering gears (surface and submerged); batteries on a conventional (diesel) submarine; optical and electronic sensing equipments; and an outline of new hull designs and shipbuilding methods.

Low cost submarine robot

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ponlachart Chotikarn

2010-10-01

Full Text Available A submarine robot is a semi-autonomous submarine robot used mainly for marine environmental research. We aim todevelop a low cost, semi-autonomous submarine robot which is able to travel underwater. The robot’s structure was designedand patented using a novel idea of the diving system employing a volume adjustment mechanism to vary the robot’s density.A light weight, flexibility and small structure provided by PVC can be used to construct the torpedo-liked shape robot.Hydraulic seal and O-ring rubbers are used to prevent water leaking. This robot is controlled by a wired communicationsystem.

Characterizing Volcanic Processes using Near-bottom, High Resolution Magnetic Mapping of the Caldera and Inner Crater of the Kick'em Jenny Submarine Volcano

Science.gov (United States)

Ruchala, T. L.; Chen, M.; Tominaga, M.; Carey, S.

2016-12-01

Kick'em Jenny (KEJ) is an active submarine volcano located in the Lesser Antilles subduction zone, 7.5 km north of the Caribbean island Grenada. KEJ, known as one of the most explosive volcanoes in Caribbean, erupted 12 times since 1939 with recent eruptions in 2001 and possibly in 2015. Multiple generations of submarine landslides and canyons have been observed in which some of them can be attributed to past eruptions. The structure of KEJ can be characterized as a 1300 m high conical profile with its summit crater located around 180 m in depth. Active hydrothermal venting and dominantly CO2 composition gas seepage take place inside this 250m diameter crater, with the most activity occurring primarily within a small ( 70 x 110 m) depression zone (inner crater). In order to characterize the subsurface structure and decipher the processes of this volcanic system, the Nautilus NA054 expedition in 2014 deployed the underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) Hercules to conduct near-bottom geological observations and magnetometry surveys transecting KEJ's caldera. Raw magnetic data was corrected for vehicle induced magnetic noise, then merged with ROV to ship navigation at 1 HZ. To extract crustal magnetic signatures, the reduced magnetic data was further corrected for external variations such as the International Geomagnetic Reference Field and diurnal variations using data from the nearby San Juan Observatory. We produced a preliminary magnetic anomaly map of KEJ's caldera for subsequent inversion and forward modeling to delineate in situ magnetic source distribution in understanding volcanic processes. We integrated the magnetic characterization of the KEJ craters with shipboard multibeam, ROV visual descriptions, and photomosaics. Initial observations show the distribution of short wavelength scale highly magnetized source centered at the north western part of the inner crater. Although locations of gas seeps are ubiquitous over the inner crater area along ROV

Analysis of SSN 688 Class Submarine Maintenance Delays

Science.gov (United States)

2017-06-01

Simplified Notional Submarine FRP (Independent Deployer) ..................11  Figure 8.  Evolution of Los Angeles Class Submarine Notional...Number TFP Technical Foundation Paper URO Unrestricted Operations xv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank my lead advisor, Professor Nick Dew...only on Los Angeles (SSN 688)-class submarines. Being the higher quantity and older generation submarine hull type, the Los Angeles class submarine

Addressing submarine geohazards through scientific drilling

Science.gov (United States)

Camerlenghi, A.

2009-04-01

Natural submarine geohazards (earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, volcanic island flank collapses) are geological phenomena originating at or below the seafloor leading to a situation of risk for off-shore and on-shore structures and the coastal population. Addressing submarine geohazards means understanding their spatial and temporal variability, the pre-conditioning factors, their triggers, and the physical processes that control their evolution. Such scientific endeavour is nowadays considered by a large sector of the international scientific community as an obligation in order to contribute to the mitigation of the potentially destructive societal effects of submarine geohazards. The study of submarine geohazards requires a multi-disciplinary scientific approach: geohazards must be studied through their geological record; active processes must be monitored; geohazard evolution must be modelled. Ultimately, the information must be used for the assessment of vulnerability, risk analysis, and development of mitigation strategies. In contrast with the terrestrial environment, the oceanic environment is rather hostile to widespread and fast application of high-resolution remote sensing techniques, accessibility for visual inspection, sampling and installation of monitoring stations. Scientific Drilling through the IODP (including the related pre site-survey investigations, sampling, logging and in situ measurements capability, and as a platform for deployment of long term observatories at the surface and down-hole) can be viewed as the centre of gravity of an international, coordinated, multi-disciplinary scientific approach to address submarine geohazards. The IODP Initial Science Plan expiring in 2013 does not address openly geohazards among the program scientific objectives. Hazards are referred to mainly in relation to earthquakes and initiatives towards the understanding of seismogenesis. Notably, the only drilling initiative presently under way is the

Hydrothermal activity in the Tulancingo-Acoculco Caldera Complex, central Mexico. Exploratory studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez-Hernandez, Aida [Gerencia de Proyectos Geotermoelectricos, CFE, Alejandro Volta 655, 58290 Morelia, Michoacan (Mexico); Centro de Geociencias, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Campus Juriquilla, Queretaro, Qro., 76230 (Mexico); Garcia-Estrada, Gerardo; Palma-Guzman, Hugo; Quijano-Leon, Jose L. [Gerencia de Proyectos Geotermoelectricos, CFE, Alejandro Volta 655, 58290 Morelia, Michoacan (Mexico); Aguirre-Diaz, Gerardo; Gonzalez-Partida, Eduardo [Centro de Geociencias, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Campus Juriquilla, Queretaro, Qro., 76230 (Mexico)

2009-09-15

Mineral alteration and fluid inclusion studies of drill cuttings and core samples indicate that the sedimentary basement rocks and the volcanic rocks associated with Tulancingo-Acoculco Caldera Complex have been the site of two distinct and major hydrothermal events. The complex, located in the eastern portion of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, is formed by the Pliocene Tulancingo Caldera and the younger (Pleistocene) Acoculco Caldera, which developed within the older depression. The volcanic rocks are underlain by Cretaceous sedimentary rocks of the Sierra Madre Oriental. The earliest important hydrothermal event occurred during the emplacement of Mid-Tertiary granitic intrusions that metamorphosed the sedimentary rocks; these intrusives are not exposed at the surface. However, granitic rocks were encountered at the bottom of exploratory borehole EAC-1, drilled within the Caldera Complex. The second main event occurred during the formation of the Tulancingo and Acoculco Calderas. Both episodes lead to secondary mineralization that reduced the permeability of the reservoir rocks. A possible third hydrothermal event may be associated with the recent magmatic activity within the Acoculco Caldera.Thermal logs from well EAC-1 display a conductive thermal gradient with maximum temperatures exceeding 300 C at 2000 m depth. Although there are no active thermal springs in the area, there is extensive fossil surface hydrothermal alteration and cold gas discharges with high He{sup 3}/He{sup 4} ratios. (author)

Hydrovolcanic and Hydrothermal Biomediated Mineral Growth in Basaltic Tuff, Surtsey Volcano, Iceland

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, M. D.; Couper, S.; Ivarsson, M.; Stan, C. V.; Tamura, N.; Miyagi, L. M.; Moore, J. G.

2017-12-01

Fine-scale analyses of hydroclasts in 1979 Surtsey basaltic tuff drill core provide new methods for examining hydrovolcanic and hydrothermal magma-rock influences on biomediated alteration in palagonitized submarine tephra. Synchrotron source X-ray microdiffraction and microfluorescence studies from Advanced Light Source beamline 12.3.2, epifluorescent UVA illumination microscopy, S/TEM EDX compositional analyses, and Raman spectroscopy define diverse nanocrystalline clay mineral structures at 137.9 m depth (93.8 °C (1980)) and 102.6 m depth (141.3 °C (1980)). At 137.9 m, olivine contains endolithic microborings; vermicular microstructures in altered glass contain nontronite exhibiting crystallographic preferred orientation; and 75-150 µm sub-circular microstructures in altered glass contain Al-tobermorite, a calcium-silicate-hydrate with 11.3 Å interlayer spacing, zeolite, and epifluorescent, thread-like structures. At 102.6 m depth, concentrically-layered microstructures occur in altered glass and altered olivine. These have nontronite crystallographic preferred orientations that rotate around a longitudinal axis commonly occupied by a 10-80 µm long, epifluorescent thread-like structure. Pronounced carbon concentrations detected by S/TEM EDX trace layer boundaries. First-order Raman bands at 1370 cm-1 (disorder-related) and at 1580 cm-1 (order-related), and second-order bands at 2500-3300 cm-1 (overtone scattering) detect degraded organic carbonaceous matter, a strong indication of biological origin. Sub-circular nanostructures in altered glass at 137.9 m depth show similar spectra. Borehole fluid temperatures at 102.6 m, 141.3 °C in 1980, exceeded 130 °C, the assumed limit for growth of microorganisms, however. Previous analyses suggest an early low temperature episode in submarine deposits, prior to development of a hydrothermal system driven by 1964-1967 magmatic intrusions. The abundant traces of biomediated nanocrystalline clay mineral growth validate

Chemical composition of hydrothermal ores from Mid-Okinawa trough and Suiyo Seamount determined by neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noguchi, Takuroh; Taira, Naoto; Oomori, Tamotsu; Taira, Hatsuo; Tanahara, Akira; Takada, Jitsuya

2007-01-01

Neutron activation analysis of 13 hydrothermal ore samples (70 subsamples) collected from the Mid-Okinawa Trough and Suiyo Seamount revealed higher contents of precious metal such as Au and Ag, and those of As, Sb, Ga, and Hg than those from mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal systems. In addition, the Mid-Okinawa Trough samples were richer in Ag and Sb than those from the Suiyo Seamount. The geochemical differences among these hydrothermal ore deposits are regarded as reflecting both differences in the chemical composition of the hosted magma of hydrothermal system and the abundance of sediments that is reacted with hydrothermal fluids. (author)

The Role of Siliceous Hydrothermal Breccias in the Genesis of Volcanic Massive Sulphide Deposits - Ancient and Recent Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Costa, I. A.; Barriga, F. J.; Fouquet, Y.

2014-12-01

Siliceous hydrothermal breccias were sampled in two Mid-Atlantic Ridge active sites: Lucky Strike and Menez Gwen. These hydrothermal fields are located in the border of the Azorean plateau, southwest of the Azores islands where the alteration processes affecting basaltic rocks are prominent (Costa et al., 2003). The hydrothermal breccias are genetically related with the circulation of low temperature hydrothermal fluids in diffuse vents. The groundmass of these breccias precipitates from the fluid and consolidates the clastic fragments mostly composed of basalt. The main sources are the surrounding volcanic hills. Breccias are found near hydrothermal vents and may play an important role in the protection of subseafloor hydrothermal deposits forming an impermeable cap due to the high content in siliceous material. The amorphous silica tends to precipitate when the fluid is conductively cooled as proposed by Fouquet et al. (1998) after Fournier (1983). The process evolves gradually from an initial stage where we have just the fragments and circulating seawater. The ascending hydrothermal fluid mixes with seawater, which favours the precipitation of the sulphide components. Sealing of the initially loose fragments begins, the temperature rises below this crust, and the processes of mixing fluid circulation and conductive cooling are simultaneous. At this stage the fluid becomes oversaturated with respect to amorphous silica. This form of silica can precipitate in the open spaces of the porous sulphides and seal the system. Normally this can happen at low temperatures. At this stage the hydrothermal breccia is formed creating a progressively less permeable, eventually impermeable cap rock at the surface. Once the fluid is trapped under this impermeable layer, conductive cooling is enhanced and mixing with seawater is restricted, making the precipitation of amorphous silica more efficient. Since the first discovery and description of recent mineralized submarine

Understanding the Compositional Variability of the Major Components of Hydrothermal Plumes in the Okinawa Trough

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhigang Zeng

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Studies of the major components of hydrothermal plumes in seafloor hydrothermal fields are critical for an improved understanding of biogeochemical cycles and the large-scale distribution of elements in the submarine environment. The composition of major components in hydrothermal plume water column samples from 25 stations has been investigated in the middle and southern Okinawa Trough. The physical and chemical properties of hydrothermal plume water in the Okinawa Trough have been affected by input of the Kuroshio current, and its influence on hydrothermal plume water from the southern Okinawa Trough to the middle Okinawa Trough is reduced. The anomalous layers of seawater in the hydrothermal plume water columns have higher K+, Ca2+, Mn2+, B3+, Ca2+/SO42-, and Mn2+/Mg2+ ratios and higher optical anomalies than other layers. The Mg2+, SO42-, Mg2+/Ca2+, and SO42-/Mn2+ ratios of the anomalous layers are lower than other layers in the hydrothermal plume water columns and are consistent with concentrations in hydrothermal vent fluids in the Okinawa Trough. This suggests that the chemical variations of hydrothermal plumes in the Tangyin hydrothermal field, like other hydrothermal fields, result in the discharge of high K+, Ca2+, and B3+ and low Mg2+ and SO42- fluid. Furthermore, element ratios (e.g., Sr2+/Ca2+, Ca2+/Cl− in hydrothermal plume water columns were found to be similar to those in average seawater, indicating that Sr2+/Ca2+ and Ca2+/Cl− ratios of hydrothermal plumes might be useful proxies for chemical properties of seawater. The hydrothermal K+, Ca2+, Mn2+, and B3+ flux to seawater in the Okinawa Trough is about 2.62–873, 1.04–326, 1.30–76.4, and 0.293–34.7 × 106 kg per year, respectively. The heat flux is about 0.159–1,973 × 105 W, which means that roughly 0.0006% of ocean heat is supplied by seafloor hydrothermal plumes in the Okinawa Trough.

Submarine landslides: advances and challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Locat, Jacques; Lee, Homa J.

2002-01-01

Due to the recent development of well-integrated surveying techniques of the sea floor, significant improvements were achieved in mapping and describing the morphology and architecture of submarine mass movements. Except for the occurrence of turbidity currents, the aquatic environment (marine and fresh water) experiences the same type of mass failure as that found on land. Submarine mass movements, however, can have run-out distances in excess of 100 km, so their impact on any offshore activity needs to be integrated over a wide area. This great mobility of submarinemass movements is still not very well understood, particularly for cases like the far-reaching debris flows mapped on the Mississippi Fan and the large submarine rock avalanches found around many volcanic islands. A major challenge ahead is the integration of mass movement mechanics in an appropriate evaluation of the hazard so that proper risk assessment methodologies can be developed and implemented for various human activities offshore, including the development of natural resources and the establishment of reliable communication corridors. Key words : submarine slides, hazards, risk assessment, morphology, mobility, tsunami. Le dveloppement rcent de techniques de levs hydrograhiques pour les fonds marins nous a permis d'atteindre une qualit ingale dans la cartographie et la description des glissements sous marins. l'exception des courants de turbidit, on retrouve dans le domaine aquatique les mmes types de mouvements de terrain que sur terre. Par contre, les glissements sous-marins peuvent atteindre des distances excdant 100 km de telle sorte que leur impact sur les activits offshore doit tre pris en compte sur degrandes tendues. La grande mobilit des glissements sous-marins n'est pas encore bien comprise, comme pour le cas des coules dedbris cartographies sur le cne du Mississippi ainsi que pour les grandes avalanches rocheuses sous-marines retrouves au pourtour des les volcaniques. Un dfi majeur

Volcano-hydrothermal system and activity of Sirung volcano (Pantar Island, Indonesia)

Science.gov (United States)

Caudron, Corentin; Bernard, Alain; Murphy, Sam; Inguaggiato, Salvatore; Gunawan, Hendra

2018-05-01

Sirung is a frequently active volcano located in the remote parts of Western Timor (Indonesia). Sirung has a crater with several hydrothermal features including a crater lake. We present a timeseries of satellite images of the lake and chemical and isotope data from the hyperacid hydrothermal system. The fluids sampled in the crater present the typical features of hyperacidic systems with high TDS, low pH and δ34SHSO4-δ34SS0 among the highest for such lakes. The cations concentrations are predominantly controlled by the precipitation of alunite, jarosite, silica phases, native sulfur and pyrite which dominate the shallow portions of the hydrothermal system. These minerals may control shallow sealing processes thought to trigger phreatic eruptions elsewhere. Sparse Mg/Cl and SO4/Cl ratios and lake parameters derived from satellite images suggest gradual increase in heat and gas flux, most likely SO2-rich, prior to the 2012 phreatic eruption. An acidic river was sampled 8 km far from the crater and is genetically linked with the fluids rising toward the active crater. This river would therefore be a relevant target for future remote monitoring purposes. Finally, several wells and springs largely exceeded the World Health Organization toxicity limits in total arsenic and fluoride.

ALTERATION RELATED TO HYDROTHERMAL ACTIVITY OF THE NEVADO DEL RUIZ VOLCANO (NRV), COLOMBIA

OpenAIRE

Forero, Jhon; Zuluaga, Carlos; Mojica, Jaime

2011-01-01

The hydrothermal activity in the NRV generates alteration characterized by mineral associations depending on a number of physic-chemical factors of the hydrothermal system. Petrography of unaltered rocks was used to establish the mineral assemblage prior to rock-fluid interaction. XRD was used in altered rocks, where it was not possible to recognize the alteration products. The observed mineral assemblages indicate advanced and intermediate argillic alterations, this and the observation of ve...

Xenopumice erupted on 15 October 2011 offshore of El Hierro (Canary Islands): a subvolcanic snapshot of magmatic, hydrothermal and pyrometamorphic processes

Science.gov (United States)

Del Moro, S.; Di Roberto, A.; Meletlidis, S.; Pompilio, M.; Bertagnini, A.; Agostini, S.; Ridolfi, F.; Renzulli, A.

2015-06-01

On 15 October 2011, a submarine eruption offshore of El Hierro Island gave rise to floating volcanic products, known as xenopumices, i.e., pumiceous xenoliths partly mingled and coated with the juvenile basanitic magma. Over the last few years, no consensus in the scientific community in explaining the origin of these products has been reached. In order to better understand the formation of xenopumice, we present a textural, mineralogical, and geochemical study of the possible magmatic, hydrothermal, and pyrometamorphic processes, which usually operate in the plumbing systems of active volcanoes. We carried out a comprehensive SEM investigation and Sr-Nd-Pb isotope analyses on some samples representative of three different xenopumice facies. All the data were compared with previous studies, new data for El Hierro extrusives and a literature dataset of Canary Islands igneous and sedimentary rocks. In the investigated xenopumices, we emphasize the presence of restitic magmatic phases as well as crystallization of minerals (mainly olivine + pyroxene + magnetite aggregates) as pseudomorphs after pre-existing mafic phenocrysts, providing evidence of pyrometamorphism induced by the high-T juvenile basanitic magma. In addition, we identify veins consisting of zircon + REE-oxides + mullite associated with Si-rich glass and hydrothermal quartz, which indicate the fundamental role played by hydrothermal fluid circulation in the xenopumice protolith. The petrological data agree with a pre-syneruptive formation of the xenopumice, when El Hierro basanite magma intruded hydrothermally altered trachyandesite to trachyte rocks and triggered local partial melting. Therefore, the El Hierro xenopumice represents a snapshot of the transient processes at the magma-wall rock interface, which normally occurs in the feeding system of active volcanoes.

Template-free hydrothermal synthesis and high photocatalytic activity of ZnWO4 nanorods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao, Bin; Fan, Huiqing; Zhang, Xiaojun; Song, Lixun

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► ZnWO 4 nanorods with uniform diameter are successfully prepared through a template-free hydrothermal method. ► The crystallinity of the products is influenced by the pH value of initial precursor suspension. ► Photocatalytic activity of the ZnWO 4 nanorods for degradation of methylene blue is evaluated. ► The ZnWO 4 nanorods exhibit good stability of photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: ZnWO 4 nanorods are successfully synthesized by a template-free hydrothermal method, and are characterized in detail by X-ray diffractometer (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and selected area electron diffraction (SAED). The results show that the ZnWO 4 nanorods with wolframite structure are well-crystallized single crystallites. The crystallinity of the products is influenced by the pH value of initial precursor suspension. The width and length of the synthesized samples increase with hydrothermal reaction temperature. The photocatalytic efficiency of the ZnWO 4 nanorods for degradation of methylene blue (MB) in aqueous solution under UV light irradiation declines greatly with increasing crystallinity. The ZnWO 4 nanorods prepared at pH of 4 have the best activity in photo-degradation of MB. After six recycles, photocatalytic activity loss of the catalyst is not obvious.

Evaluation of the energy potential, biogenesis and essential characteristics of the geothermal submarine systems in Mexico; Evaluacion del potencial, biogenesis y caracteristicas esenciales de los sistemas geotermicos submarinos en Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Suarez Arriaga, Mario Cesar [Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolas Hidalgo, Morelia, Michoacan (Mexico)

2004-12-01

Geothermal energy in Mexico embraces both near-surface traditional reservoirs located between 500 and 3000 meters depth, and deep geothermal resources over 3000 meters in depth. Non-traditional geothermal energy sources in Mexico include the deep portions and boundaries of traditional hydrothermal reservoirs, systems in hot dry or wet rock, geo-pressured reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico and hydrothermal submarine systems mainly located close to the northern Mexican coast of the Pacific Ocean. Deep submarine energy is related to the existence of hydrothermal vents emerging in many places along the oceanic spreading centers between tectonic plates. These systems have a total length of about 65,000 km in the Earth's oceanic crust. There are two kinds of ocean systems in the Gulf of California: deep resources, located along the rifts between tectonic plates of oceanic crust over 2000 m below sea level, and shallow resources near continental platforms at 20-50 m depth. The shallow, submarine heat is related to faults and fractures in the sea bottom close to some coasts. This type of shallow, sub-sea system is found offshore at Punta Banda in Ensenada, Baja California. The preliminary energy potential of such reservoirs is estimated at an average of 1120 MWt per cubic kilometer of sub-sea rock. The specific chemical characteristics of the submarine hydrothermal waters found in those systems indicate that water-oceanic rock interactions occur under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions. At the same time, submarine geothermal energy supports rich biological communities at depths where living organisms find no sunlight for photosynthesis. Recent research suggests that possible locations for the synthesis of chemical needed for the origin of life include submarine hydrothermal systems. [Spanish] La energia geotermica en Mexico abarca todos los tipos de sistemas conocidos. Desde los grandes reservorios tradicionales, localizados entre 500 y 3000 metros de

Introduction to the special issue on submarine geohazard records and potential seafloor instability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Song-Chuen Chen Jia-Jyun Dong

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Submarine landslides frequently occur in passive continental margins or active margins (Hampton et al. 1996; Wynn et al. 2000; Mienert et al. 2002; Korup et al. 2007; Twichell et al. 2009; Cukur et al. 2016. Submarine landslides have been studied extensively not only for scientific research but also for submarine geohazards. Submarine landslides could jeopardize marine infrastructures, such as offshore drilling platforms or submarine telecommunication cables, and could even trigger disastrous tsunamis (Bondevik et al. 2005; Harbitz et al. 2006; Hornbach et al. 2007, 2008; Hsu et al. 2008; Su et al. 2012; Tappin et al. 2014; Li et al. 2015. For instance, one disastrous tsunami hitting the coastal area of southwestern Taiwan in 1781 or 1782 was reported (Chen 1830; Hsu 1983; the tsunami event was probably generated by submarine landslides in the offshore area of southwestern Taiwan (Li et al. 2015. Moreover, several submarine landslides triggered by the 2006 Pingtung earthquake have induced turbidity currents off southwest Taiwan and destroyed about 14 submarine telecommunication cables off SW Taiwan (Hsu et al. 2008. The area of southwest Taiwan currently has a dense population (more than 3 million people in total, one deep-water Kaohsiung Port, several tanks of liquefied natural gas and a nuclear power plant on the coast (Fig. 1. Numerous submarine telecommunication cables exist off SW Taiwan. If a considerable tsunami event would hit again the costal area of SW Taiwan, the damage could very serious. Likewise, there are two nuclear power plants on the coast of northern Taiwan (Fig. 2, and the population in northern Taiwan has more than 10 million people. Submarine telecommunication cables also exist off northern Taiwan. In any case, it is important to understand the status of seafloor stability in the offshore areas of SW and NE Taiwan. For that, this special issue of submarine geohazard records and potential seafloor instability is aimed to

Insight from Genomics on Biogeochemical Cycles in a Shallow-Sea Hydrothermal System

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, G. S.; Amend, J.

2015-12-01

Shallow-sea hydrothermal ecosystems are dynamic, high-energy systems influenced by sunlight and geothermal activity. They provide accessible opportunities for investigating thermophilic microbial biogeochemical cycles. In this study, we report biogeochemical data from a shallow-sea hydrothermal system offshore Paleochori Bay, Milos, Greece, which is characterized by a central vent covered by white microbial mats with hydrothermally influenced sediments extending into nearby sea grass area. Geochemical analysis and deep sequencing provide high-resolution information on the geochemical patterns, microbial diversity and metabolic potential in a two-meter transect. The venting fluid is elevated in temperature (~70oC), low in pH (~4), and enriched in reduced species. The geochemical pattern shows that the profile is affected by not only seawater dilution but also microbial regulation. The microbial community in the deepest section of vent core (10-12 cm) is largely dominated by thermophilic archaea, including a methanogen and a recently described Crenarcheon. Mid-core (6-8 cm), the microbial community in the venting area switches to the hydrogen utilizer Aquificae. Near the sediment-water interface, anaerobic Firmicutes and Actinobacteria dominate, both of which are commonly associated with subsurface and hydrothermal sites. All other samples are dominated by diverse Proteobacteria. The sulfate profile is strongly correlated with the population size of delta- and episilon-proteobactia. The dramatic decrease in concentrations of As and Mn in pore fluids as a function of distance from the vent suggests that in addition to seawater dilution, microorganisms are likely transforming these and other ions through a combination of detoxification and catabolism. In addition, high concentrations of dissolved Fe are only measurable in the shallow sea grass area, suggesting that iron-transforming microorganisms are controlling Fe mobility, and promoting biomineralization. Taken

Active normal faults and submarine landslides in the Keelung Shelf off NE Taiwan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ching-Hui Tsai

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The westernmost Okinawa Trough back-arc basin is located to the north of the Ryukyu islands and is situated above the northward dipping Ryukyu subducted slab. In the northern continental margin of the Okinawa Trough, the continental slope between the Keelung Valley and the Mein-Hua Submarine Canyon shows a steep angle and future slope failures are expected. The question is how slope failures will proceed? A sudden deep-seated slump or landslide would probably cause local tsunami and hit northern coast of Taiwan. To understand the probable submarine landslides, we conducted multi-channel seismic reflection, sub-bottom profilers, and multi-beam bathymetry surveys off NE Taiwan. Two general trends of shallow crustal faults are observed. The NE-SW trending faults generally follow the main structural trend of the Taiwan mountain belt. These faults are products of inversion tectonics of reverse faults from the former collisional thrust faults to post-collisional normal faults. Another trend of roughly E-W faults is consistent with the current N-S extension of the southern Okinawa Trough. The fault offsets in the eastern portion of the study area are more pronounced. No obvious basal surface of sliding is found beneath the continental margin. We conclude that the movement of the submarine landslides in the Keelung Shelf off northeastern Taiwan could be in a spread type. The submarine landslides mainly occur in the continental slope area and it is more obvious in the east than in the west of the Keelung Shelf.

Study on the locational criteria for submarine rock repositories of low and medium level radioactive wastes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, G H; Kang, W J; Kim, T J. and others [Chungnam National Univ., Taejon (Korea, Republic of)

1992-01-15

Submarine repositories have significant advantages over their land counterparts locating close to the areas of daily human activities. Consequently, the construction of submarine repositories on the vast continental shelves around Korean seas is considered to be highly positive. In this context, the development of locational criteria primarily targeting the safety of submarine rock repositories is very important.The contents of the present study are: analyzing characteristics of marine environment: Search of potential hazards to, and environmental impact by, the submarine repositories; Investigation of the oceanographic, geochemical, ecological and sedimentological characteristics of estuaries and coastal seas. Locating potential hazards to submarine repositories by: Bibliographical search of accidents leading to the destruction of submarine structures by turbidity currents and other potentials; Review of turbidity currents. Consideration of environmental impact caused by submarine repositories: Logistics to minimize the environmental impacts in site selection; Removal and dispersion processes of radionuclides in sea water. Analyses of oceanographical characteristics of, and hazard potentials in, the Korean seas. Evaluation of the MOST 91-7 criteria for applicability to submarine repositories and the subsequent proposition of additional criteria.

Study on the locational criteria for submarine rock repositories of low and medium level radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, G. H.; Kang, W. J.; Kim, T. J. and others

1992-01-01

Submarine repositories have significant advantages over their land counterparts locating close to the areas of daily human activities. Consequently, the construction of submarine repositories on the vast continental shelves around Korean seas is considered to be highly positive. In this context, the development of locational criteria primarily targeting the safety of submarine rock repositories is very important.The contents of the present study are: analyzing characteristics of marine environment: Search of potential hazards to, and environmental impact by, the submarine repositories; Investigation of the oceanographic, geochemical, ecological and sedimentological characteristics of estuaries and coastal seas. Locating potential hazards to submarine repositories by: Bibliographical search of accidents leading to the destruction of submarine structures by turbidity currents and other potentials; Review of turbidity currents. Consideration of environmental impact caused by submarine repositories: Logistics to minimize the environmental impacts in site selection; Removal and dispersion processes of radionuclides in sea water. Analyses of oceanographical characteristics of, and hazard potentials in, the Korean seas. Evaluation of the MOST 91-7 criteria for applicability to submarine repositories and the subsequent proposition of additional criteria

Concentration and distribution of dissolved amino acids in a shallow hydrothermal system, Vulcano Island (Italy)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Svensson, E.; Skoog, A. [University of Connecticut, Groton, CT (United States). Dept. of Marine Sciences; Amend, J.P. [Washington University, St. Louis, MO (United States). Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences

2004-09-01

Hydrothermal systems are known to harbour a large number of microorganisms, but the organic chemical composition of the solution that comprises their potential substrate is largely unknown. Concentrations and distributions of dissolved free amino acids (DFAA) and dissolved combined amino acids (DCAA) were determined in fluids from the moderate-temperature (42-89{sup o}C), shallow hydrothermal system on the volcanically active island of Vulcano, Italy. The seven samples represent three different geological settings on the island; shallow ({approx} 1 m) submarine vents, geothermal wells, and seeps in heated beach sediments, in addition to ambient local seawater from the bay, Baia di Levante. All hydrothermal sites, with one exception, had TDAA concentrations that were 3-114 times higher than local seawater in Baia di Levante. There were large similarities in amino acid concentration and composition among samples from the same geological setting. The highest amino acid concentrations were found at sites with acidic and reducing conditions, which also had the largest freshwater component. An unusually high fraction of the TDAA pool was represented by DFAA (33-87%), possibly due to in situ acid hydrolysis of DCAA to DFAA. Both DFAA and DCAA concentrations were correlated to DOC, indicating similar source and sink functions for these pools. The yield of TDAA (TDAA-carbon as fraction of organic carbon) ranged from 2% to 25%, which is high compared with non-hydrothermal settings, and indicates high biological lability. The mole fraction of {beta}-alanine plus {gamma}-aminobutyric acid (% BALA + GABA) was 2-2.7% of TDAA, also indicating high biological lability. Owing to the high over-all amino acid concentrations, the high fraction of DFAAs, and the high biological lability of the organic matter, organic matter in general and amino acids specifically could represent significant carbon and energy sources for archaea and bacteria in this hydrothermal system. The clear

Identification and characterization of the active hydrothermal deposits in Okinawa Trough, SW Japan: Estimates from logging-while-drilling

Science.gov (United States)

Saito, S.; Sanada, Y.; Moe, K.; Kido, Y. N.; Hamada, Y.; Kumagai, H.; Nozaki, T.; Takai, K.; Suzuki, K.

2015-12-01

A scientific drilling expedition was conducted at an active hydrothermal field on the Iheya-North Knoll by D/V Chikyu in 2014 (Expedition 907) as a part of "Next-generation Technology for Ocean Resources Survey" of the Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program. During the expedition logging while drilling (LWD) was deployed to constrain the area of the fluid reservoir beneath seafloor followed by three coring holes down to 150 meter below the seafloor (mbsf). The LWD system is composed of arcVISION for resistivity and natural gamma ray measurement and TeleScope for real-time transmission of drilling parameters and arcVISION data. Five sites (C9011-15) at the Iheya-North Original Site and one site (C9016) at Aki Site were drilled with LWD. At C9012 and C9016, the arcVISION detected temperature anomaly up to 84℃ at 234 mbsf and up to 39℃ at 80 mbsf, respectively. The temperature quickly increases at that depth and it would reflect the existence of high-temperature heat source along borehole. Due to the continuous fluid circulation during drilling, the measured temperature does not indicate in-situ temperature, but it reflects the heat disturbed by the cold circulated water instead. High quality resistivity and natural gamma ray data were acquired at six sites. The log curves at Site C9016 show characteristic response; the natural gamma ray log exhibits extremely high radiation (>500 gAPI) at 7-13 and 23-31 mbsf (Zone A). In the underlying interval of 31-40 mbsf, the resistivity log exhibits extremely low value (LWD-based lithological interpretation was confirmed by the following core description. Zones A and B can be correlated to altered clay zone and sulfide zone including sphalerite, galena, chalcopyrite, and pyrite. Our results show that LWD is a powerful tool for the identification and characterization of submarine hydrothermal deposits and LWD survey enhances the successful recovery of sulfide samples.

Impact-generated Hydrothermal Activity at the Chicxulub Crater

Science.gov (United States)

Kring, D. A.; Zurcher, L.; Abramov, O.

2007-05-01

Borehole samples recovered from PEMEX exploration boreholes and an ICDP scientific borehole indicate the Chicxulub impact event generated hydrothermal alteration throughout a large volume of the Maya Block beneath the crater floor and extending across the bulk of the ~180 km diameter crater. The first indications of hydrothermal alteration were observed in the crater discovery samples from the Yucatan-6 borehole and manifest itself in the form of anhydrite and quartz veins. Continuous core from the Yaxcopoil-1 borehole reveal a more complex and temporally extensive alteration sequence: following a brief period at high temperatures, impact- melt-bearing polymict breccias and a thin, underlying unit of impact melt were subjected to metasomatism, producing alkali feldspar, sphene, apatite, and magnetite. As the system continued to cool, smectite-series phyllosilicates appeared. A saline solution was involved. Stable isotopes suggest the fluid was dominated by a basinal brine created mostly from existing groundwater of the Yucatan Peninsula, although contributions from down-welling water also occurred in some parts of the system. Numerical modeling of the hydrothermal system suggests circulation occurred for 1.5 to 2.3 Myr, depending on the permeability of the system. Our understanding of the hydrothermal system, however, is still crude. Additional core recovery projects, particularly into the central melt sheet, are needed to better evaluate the extent and duration of hydrothermal alteration.

Learning about hydrothermal volcanic activity by modeling induced geophysical changes

Science.gov (United States)

Currenti, Gilda M.; Napoli, Rosalba

2017-05-01

Motivated by ongoing efforts to understand the nature and the energy potential of geothermal resources, we devise a coupled numerical model (hydrological, thermal, mechanical), which may help in the characterization and monitoring of hydrothermal systems through computational experiments. Hydrothermal areas in volcanic regions arise from a unique combination of geological and hydrological features which regulate the movement of fluids in the vicinity of magmatic sources capable of generating large quantities of steam and hot water. Numerical simulations help in understanding and characterizing rock-fluid interaction processes and the geophysical observations associated with them. Our aim is the quantification of the response of different geophysical observables (i.e. deformation, gravity and magnetic field) to hydrothermal activity on the basis of a sound geological framework (e.g. distribution and pathways of the flows, the presence of fractured zones, caprock). A detailed comprehension and quantification of the evolution and dynamics of the geothermal systems and the definition of their internal state through a geophysical modeling approach are essential to identify the key parameters for which the geothermal system may fulfill the requirements to be exploited as a source of energy. For the sake of illustration only, the numerical computations are focused on a conceptual model of the hydrothermal system of Vulcano Island by simulating a generic 1-year unrest and estimating different geophysical changes. We solved (i) the mass and energy balance equations of flow in porous media for temperature, pressure and density changes, (ii) the elastostatic equation for the deformation field and (iii) the Poisson’s equations for gravity and magnetic potential fields. Under the model assumptions, a generic unrest of 1-year engenders on the ground surface low amplitude changes in the investigated geophysical observables, that are, however, above the accuracies of the modern

Learning about Hydrothermal Volcanic Activity by Modeling Induced Geophysical Changes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gilda M. Currenti

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Motivated by ongoing efforts to understand the nature and the energy potential of geothermal resources, we devise a coupled numerical model (hydrological, thermal, mechanical, which may help in the characterization and monitoring of hydrothermal systems through computational experiments. Hydrothermal areas in volcanic regions arise from a unique combination of geological and hydrological features which regulate the movement of fluids in the vicinity of magmatic sources capable of generating large quantities of steam and hot water. Numerical simulations help in understanding and characterizing rock-fluid interaction processes and the geophysical observations associated with them. Our aim is the quantification of the response of different geophysical observables (i.e., deformation, gravity, and magnetic fields to hydrothermal activity on the basis of a sound geological framework (e.g., distribution and pathways of the flows, the presence of fractured zones, caprock. A detailed comprehension and quantification of the evolution and dynamics of the geothermal systems and the definition of their internal state through a geophysical modeling approach are essential to identify the key parameters for which the geothermal system may fulfill the requirements to be exploited as a source of energy. For the sake of illustration only, the numerical computations are focused on a conceptual model of the hydrothermal system of Vulcano Island by simulating a generic 1-year unrest and estimating different geophysical changes. We solved (i the mass and energy balance equations of flow in porous media for temperature, pressure and density changes, (ii the elastostatic equation for the deformation field and (iii the Poisson's equations for gravity and magnetic potential fields. Under the model assumptions, a generic unrest of 1-year engenders on the ground surface low amplitude changes in the investigated geophysical observables, that, being above the accuracies of

Volcanic and Hydrothermal Activity of the North Su Volcano: New Insights from Repeated Bathymetric Surveys and ROV Observations

Science.gov (United States)

Thal, J.; Bach, W.; Tivey, M.; Yoerger, D.

2013-12-01

Bathymetric data from cruises in 2002, 2006, and 2011 were combined and compared to determine the evolution of volcanic activity, seafloor structures, erosional features and to identify and document the distribution of hydrothermal vents on North Su volcano, SuSu Knolls, eastern Manus Basin (Papua New Guinea). Geologic mapping based on ROV observations from 2006 (WHOI Jason-2) and 2011 (MARUM Quest-4000) combined with repeated bathymetric surveys from 2002 and 2011 are used to identify morphologic features on the slopes of North Su and to track temporal changes. ROV MARUM Quest-4000 bathymetry was used to develop a 10 m grid of the top of North Su to precisely depict recent changes. In 2006, the south slope of North Su was steeply sloped and featured numerous white smoker vents discharging acid sulfate waters. These vents were covered by several tens of meters of sand- to gravel-sized volcanic material in 2011. The growth of this new cone changed the bathymetry of the south flank of North Su up to ~50 m and emplaced ~0.014 km3 of clastic volcanic material. This material is primarily comprised of fractured altered dacite and massive fresh dacite as well as crystals of opx, cpx, olivine and plagioclase. There is no evidence for pyroclastic fragmentation, so we hypothesize that the fragmentation is likely related to hydrothermal explosions. Hydrothermal activity varies over a short (~50 m) lateral distance from 'flashing' black smokers to acidic white smoker vents. Within 2 weeks of observation time in 2011, the white smoker vents varied markedly in activity suggesting a highly episodic hydrothermal system. Based on ROV video recordings, we identified steeply sloping (up to 30°) slopes exposing pillars and walls of hydrothermal cemented volcaniclastic material representing former fluid upflow zones. These features show that hydrothermal activity has increased slope stability as hydrothermal cementation has prevented slope collapse. Additionally, in some places

Mercury Anomaly in the Okinawa Trough Sediments—An Indicator of Modern Seafloor Hydrothermal Activity

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

赵一阳; 鄢明才

1995-01-01

The Okinawa Trough is located between the shelf-sea area of the East China Sea and the deep-sea area of western Pacific Ocean.More than 60 chemical elements in the sediments from the shelf area of the East China Sea,the Okinawa Trough and western Pacific Ocean were determined by advanced techniques including neutron acti-vation analysis,X-ray fluorescence spectrometry,atomic fluorescence spectrometry and atomic absorption spectrometry.Quantitative comparisons of the element abundances of the sediments were made in terms of the enrichment coefficients(K) of the elements.K>1.5 indicates enrichment (K=1.5-2, weak enrichment;K=2-4,strong enrichment) and K>4,anomalous enrichment.The results show that the Okinawa Trough sediments are characterized by Hg anomaly and the enrichment of such elements as Au,Ag,Se,Te,Sb,Cd,Mn,Mo,etc.Detailed studies show that the excess Hg comes from hydrothermal solutions rather than from the continent,sea water ,marine organisms,cosmic dust or vol-canic rocks.Attributed to modern hydrothermal activities on the sea floor ,Hg anomaly can be used as a geochemical indicator of modern seafloor hydrothermal activity.

Preparation high photocatalytic activity of CdS/halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) nanocomposites with hydrothermal method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xing Weinan [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Ni Liang, E-mail: xingweinan3@126.com [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China); Huo Pengwei; Lu Ziyang; Liu Xinlin; Luo Yingying; Yan Yongsheng [School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013 (China)

2012-10-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer CdS/halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were synthesized by hydrothermal method. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The CdS/HNTs had better photocatalytic activity for degradation of tetracycline. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The presence of halloysite nanotubes both improved its photocatalytic activity and stability. - Abstract: A novel nanocatalyst CdS/halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) was synthesized by hydrothermal method with direct growth of CdS nanoparticles on the surface of HNTs. The as-prepared photocatalysts had been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-vis DRS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and the thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). The photocatalytic activity of the sample was evaluated by the degradation of tetracycline (TC) under visible light irradiation. Benefit from the excellent properties of CdS and HNTs, the photocatalyst exhibited good photocatalytic activity and stability. In order to find out the optimum synthesis condition to obtain the best photocatalytic activity, a series of experiments were performed with different CdS loading capacity, different sources of sulfide and different hydrothermal temperatures, etc. The best photodegradation rate could reach 93% in 60 min under visible light irradiation. Therefore, the combination of CdS nanoparticles with HNTs endowed this material with a potential use in environmental treatments in industries.

Preparation high photocatalytic activity of CdS/halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) nanocomposites with hydrothermal method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xing Weinan; Ni Liang; Huo Pengwei; Lu Ziyang; Liu Xinlin; Luo Yingying; Yan Yongsheng

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► CdS/halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) were synthesized by hydrothermal method. ► The CdS/HNTs had better photocatalytic activity for degradation of tetracycline. ► The presence of halloysite nanotubes both improved its photocatalytic activity and stability. - Abstract: A novel nanocatalyst CdS/halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) was synthesized by hydrothermal method with direct growth of CdS nanoparticles on the surface of HNTs. The as-prepared photocatalysts had been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV–vis DRS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and the thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). The photocatalytic activity of the sample was evaluated by the degradation of tetracycline (TC) under visible light irradiation. Benefit from the excellent properties of CdS and HNTs, the photocatalyst exhibited good photocatalytic activity and stability. In order to find out the optimum synthesis condition to obtain the best photocatalytic activity, a series of experiments were performed with different CdS loading capacity, different sources of sulfide and different hydrothermal temperatures, etc. The best photodegradation rate could reach 93% in 60 min under visible light irradiation. Therefore, the combination of CdS nanoparticles with HNTs endowed this material with a potential use in environmental treatments in industries.

Hydrothermal activity, functional diversity and chemoautotrophy are major drivers of seafloor carbon cycling.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, James B; Woulds, Clare; Oevelen, Dick van

2017-09-20

Hydrothermal vents are highly dynamic ecosystems and are unusually energy rich in the deep-sea. In situ hydrothermal-based productivity combined with sinking photosynthetic organic matter in a soft-sediment setting creates geochemically diverse environments, which remain poorly studied. Here, we use comprehensive set of new and existing field observations to develop a quantitative ecosystem model of a deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystem from the most southerly hydrothermal vent system known. We find evidence of chemosynthetic production supplementing the metazoan food web both at vent sites and elsewhere in the Bransfield Strait. Endosymbiont-bearing fauna were very important in supporting the transfer of chemosynthetic carbon into the food web, particularly to higher trophic levels. Chemosynthetic production occurred at all sites to varying degrees but was generally only a small component of the total organic matter inputs to the food web, even in the most hydrothermally active areas, owing in part to a low and patchy density of vent-endemic fauna. Differences between relative abundance of faunal functional groups, resulting from environmental variability, were clear drivers of differences in biogeochemical cycling and resulted in substantially different carbon processing patterns between habitats.

Submarine geologic disposal of nuclear waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hollister, C.D.; Corliss, B.H.; Anderson, D.R.

1980-01-01

Site suitability characteristics of submarine geological formations for the disposal of radioactive wastes include the distribution coefficient of the host medium, permeability, viscoelastic nature of the sediments, influence of organic material on remobilization, and effects of thermal stress. The submarine geological formation that appears to best satisfy these criteria is abyssal ''red'' clay. Regions in the ocean that have coarse-grained deposits, high or variable thermal conductivity, high organic carbon content, and sediment thickness of less than 50 m are not being considered at this time. The optimum geological environment should be tranquil and have environmental predictability over a minimum of 10 5 years. Site selection activities for the North Atlantic and North Pacific are reviewed and future activities which include international cooperation are discussed. A paleoenvironmental model for Cenozoic sedimentation in the central North Pacific is presented based on studies of a long core from the Mid-Plate Gyre MPG-1 area, and is an example of the type of study that will be carried out in other seabed study areas. The data show that the MPG-1 region has been an area of slow, continuous accumulation during the past 65 million years. (author)

Monitoring of radioactivity at the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Amundsen, I.; Lind, B.

2002-01-01

In the morning of August 12th 2000, a Russian submarine accident occurred in international waters east of Rybatschi Peninsula in the Barents Sea about 250 km from Norway. The submarine, a Russian Oscar class II attack submarine, sunk to 116 meters depth at the position 69 deg. 36,99N, 37 deg. 34,50E. The submarine 'Kursk' is 154 meters long, equipped with two pressurised water reactors and the submerged displacement is 24000 tons. Each reactor has a thermal effect or 190 megawatt, or less than 10% of a typical nuclear power plant reactor. The submarines in Oscar-II class is one of the largest and most capable in the Russian Northern Fleet. No indications of leakage from the submarine have so far been observed during the monitoring expeditions. Elevated levels of radioactivity have note been detected in any dose-rate readings or at any of the measurements of environmental samples taken close to Kursk. Furthermore, no increased levels were measured on bits and pieces from the submarine or from water sampled inside the submarine. A more comprehensive report covering experience and monitoring results from the two expeditions term and impact assessments of possible future releases from Kursk. (LN)

Estimating the Total Heat Flux from the ASHES Hydrothermal Vent Field Using the Sentry Autonomous Underwater Vehicle

Science.gov (United States)

Crone, T. J.; Kinsey, J. C.; Mittelstaedt, E. L.

2017-12-01

Hydrothermal venting at mid-ocean ridges influences ocean chemistry, the thermal and chemical structure of the oceanic crust, and the evolution of unique and diverse autolithotrophically-supported ecosystems. Axially-hosted hydrothermal systems are responsible for 20-25% of the total heat flux out of Earth's interior, and likely play a large role in local as well as global biogeochemical cycles. Despite the importance of these systems, only a few studies have attempted to constrain the volume and heat flux of an entire hydrothermal vent field. In July of 2014 we used the Sentry autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) to survey the water column over the ASHES hydrothermal vent field which is located within the caldera of Axial Seamount, an active submarine volcano located on the Juan de Fuca Ridge. To estimate the total heat and mass flux from this vent field, we equipped Sentry with a Nortek acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV), an inertial measurement unit (IMU), two acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs), and two SBE3 temperature probes, allowing us to obtain precise measurements of fluid temperature and water velocity. The survey was designed using a control volume approach in which Sentry was pre-programmed to survey a 150-m-square centered over the vent field flying a grid pattern with 5-m track line spacing followed by a survey of the perimeter. This pattern was repeated multiple times during several 10-h dives at different altitudes, including 10, 20, 40, and 60 m above the seafloor, and during one 40-h survey at an altitude of 10 m. During the 40-h survey, the pattern was repeated nine times allowing us to obtain observations over several tidal cycles. Water velocity data obtained with Sentry were corrected for platform motion and then combined with the temperature measurements to estimate heat flux. The analysis of these data will likely provide the most accurate and highest resolution heat and mass flux estimates at a seafloor hydrothermal field to date.

Geothermic analysis of high temperature hydrothermal activities area in Western plateau of Sichuan province, China

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, J.

2016-12-01

There is a high temperature hydrothermal activity area in the western plateau of Sichuan. More than 200 hot springs points have been found in the region, including 11 hot spring water temperature above local boiling point. Most of these distribute along Jinshajjiang fracture, Dege-Xiangcheng fracture, Ganzi-Litang fracture as well as Xianshuihe fracture, and form three high-temperature hydrothermal activity strips in the NW-SE direction. Using gravity, magnetic, seismic and helium isotope data, this paper analyzed the crust-mantle heat flow structure, crustal heat source distribution and water heating system. The results show that the geothermal activity mainly controlled by the "hot" crust. The ratio of crustal heat flow and surface heat flow is higher than 60%. In the high temperature hydrothermal activities area, there is lower S wave velocity zone with VsGeothermal water mainly reserve in the Triassic strata of the containing water good carbonate rocks, and in the intrusive granite which is along the fault zone. The thermal energy of Surface heat thermal activities mainly comes from the high-temperature hot source which is located in the middle and lower crust. Being in the deep crustal fracture, the groundwater infiltrated to the deep crust and absorbed heat, then, quickly got back to the surface and formed high hot springs.

What threat do turbidity currents and submarine landslides pose to submarine telecommunications cable infrastructure?

Science.gov (United States)

Clare, Michael; Pope, Edward; Talling, Peter; Hunt, James; Carter, Lionel

2016-04-01

The global economy relies on uninterrupted usage of a network of telecommunication cables on the seafloor. These submarine cables carry ~99% of all trans-oceanic digital data and voice communications traffic worldwide, as they have far greater bandwidth than satellites. Over 9 million SWIFT banks transfers alone were made using these cables in 2004, totalling 7.4 trillion of transactions per day between 208 countries, which grew to 15 million SWIFT bank transactions last year. We outline the challenge of why, how often, and where seafloor cables are broken by natural causes; primarily subsea landslides and sediment flows (turbidity currents and also debris flows and hyperpycnal flows). These slides and flows can be very destructive. As an example, a sediment flow in 1929 travelled up to 19 m/s and broke 11 cables in the NE Atlantic, running out for ~800 km to the abyssal ocean. The 2006 Pingtung earthquake triggered a sediment flow that broke 22 cables offshore Taiwan over a distance of 450 km. Here, we present initial results from the first statistical analysis of a global database of cable breaks and causes. We first investigate the controls on frequency of submarine cable breaks in different environmental and geological settings worldwide. We assess which types of earthquake pose a significant threat to submarine cable networks. Meteorological events, such as hurricanes and typhoons, pose a significant threat to submarine cable networks, so we also discuss the potential impacts of future climate change on the frequency of such hazards. We then go on to ask what are the physical impacts of submarine sediment flows on submerged cables? A striking observation from past cable breaks is sometimes cables remain unbroken, whilst adjacent cables are severed (and record powerful flows travelling at up to 6 m/s). Why are some cables broken, but neighbouring cables remain intact? We provide some explanations for this question, and outline the need for future in

Influence of Anchoring on Burial Depth of Submarine Pipelines.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuang, Yuan; Li, Yang; Su, Wei

2016-01-01

Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, there has been widespread construction of submarine oil-gas transmission pipelines due to an increase in offshore oil exploration. Vessel anchoring operations are causing more damage to submarine pipelines due to shipping transportation also increasing. Therefore, it is essential that the influence of anchoring on the required burial depth of submarine pipelines is determined. In this paper, mathematical models for ordinary anchoring and emergency anchoring have been established to derive an anchor impact energy equation for each condition. The required effective burial depth for submarine pipelines has then been calculated via an energy absorption equation for the protection layer covering the submarine pipelines. Finally, the results of the model calculation have been verified by accident case analysis, and the impact of the anchoring height, anchoring water depth and the anchor weight on the required burial depth of submarine pipelines has been further analyzed.

Stability of submarine slopes in the northern South China Sea: a numerical approach

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Liang; Luan, Xiwu

2013-01-01

Submarine landslides occur frequently on most continental margins. They are effective mechanisms of sediment transfer but also a geological hazard to seafloor installations. In this paper, submarine slope stability is evaluated using a 2D limit equilibrium method. Considerations of slope, sediment, and triggering force on the factor of safety (FOS) were calculated in drained and undrained ( Φ=0) cases. Results show that submarine slopes are stable when the slope is 13° with earthquake peak ground acceleration (PGA) of 0.5 g; whereas with a weak layer, a PGA of 0.2 g could trigger instability at slopes >10°, and >3° for PGA of 0.5 g. The northern slope of the South China Sea is geomorphologically stable under static conditions. However, because of the possibility of high PGA at the eastern margin of the South China Sea, submarine slides are likely on the Taiwan Bank slope and eastern part of the Dongsha slope. Therefore, submarine slides recognized in seismic profiles on the Taiwan Bank slope would be triggered by an earthquake, the most important factor for triggering submarine slides on the northern slope of the South China Sea. Considering the distribution of PGA, we consider the northern slope of the South China Sea to be stable, excluding the Taiwan Bank slope, which is tectonically active.

Geophysical characterization of an active hydrothermal shear zone in granitic rocks

Science.gov (United States)

Zahner, Tobias; Baron, Ludovic; Holliger, Klaus; Egli, Daniel

2016-04-01

Hydrothermally active faults and shear zones in the crystalline massifs of the central Alps are currently of particular interest because of their potential similarities and analogies with planned deep petrothermal reservoirs in the Alpine foreland. In order to better understand such hydrothermal systems, a near-vertical, hydrothermally active shear zone embedded in low-permeability granitic rocks has been drilled. This borehole is located on the Grimsel Pass in the central Swiss Alps, has an inclination of 24 degrees with regard to the vertical, and crosses the targeted shear zone between about 82 and 86 meters depth. The borehole has been fully cored and a comprehensive suite of geophysical logging data has been acquired. The latter comprises multi-frequency sonic, ground-penetrating radar, resistivity, self-potential, gamma-gamma, neutron-neutron, optical televiewer, and caliper log data. In addition to this, we have also performed a surface-to-borehole vertical seismic profiling experiment. The televiewer data and the retrieved core samples show a marked increase of the fracture density in the target region, which also finds its expression in rather pronounced and distinct signatures in all other log data. Preliminary results point towards a close correspondence between the ground-penetrating radar and the neutron-neutron log data, which opens the perspective of constraining the effective fracture porosity at vastly differing scales. There is also remarkably good agreement between the sonic log and the vertical seismic profiling data, which may allow for assessing the permeability of the probed fracture network by interpreting these data in a poroelastic context.

Influence of Anchoring on Burial Depth of Submarine Pipelines.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuan Zhuang

Full Text Available Since the beginning of the twenty-first century, there has been widespread construction of submarine oil-gas transmission pipelines due to an increase in offshore oil exploration. Vessel anchoring operations are causing more damage to submarine pipelines due to shipping transportation also increasing. Therefore, it is essential that the influence of anchoring on the required burial depth of submarine pipelines is determined. In this paper, mathematical models for ordinary anchoring and emergency anchoring have been established to derive an anchor impact energy equation for each condition. The required effective burial depth for submarine pipelines has then been calculated via an energy absorption equation for the protection layer covering the submarine pipelines. Finally, the results of the model calculation have been verified by accident case analysis, and the impact of the anchoring height, anchoring water depth and the anchor weight on the required burial depth of submarine pipelines has been further analyzed.

A kuroko-type polymetallic sulfide deposit in a submarine silicic caldera

Science.gov (United States)

Iizasa; Fiske; Ishizuka; Yuasa; Hashimoto; Ishibashi; Naka; Horii; Fujiwara; Imai; Koyama

1999-02-12

Manned submersible studies have delineated a large and actively growing Kuroko-type volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit 400 kilometers south of Tokyo in Myojin Knoll submarine caldera. The sulfide body is located on the caldera floor at a depth of 1210 to 1360 meters, has an area of 400 by 400 by 30 meters, and is notably rich in gold and silver. The discovery of a large Kuroko-type polymetallic sulfide deposit in this arc-front caldera raises the possibility that the numerous unexplored submarine silicic calderas elsewhere might have similar deposits.

Enhancing Submarine Operational Relevance: A Leadership Challenge

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Daigle, Jr, Michael J

2008-01-01

.... This vision of submarine operations must change. As the military continues to shift to operations focused on joint capabilities, the submarine force must break from the closed, protective, and risk averse culture of its past and push forward...

A large hydrothermal reservoir beneath Taal Volcano (Philippines) revealed by magnetotelluric observations and its implications to the volcanic activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Alanis, Paul K B; Yamaya, Yusuke; Takeuchi, Akihiro; Sasai, Yoichi; Okada, Yoshihiro; Nagao, Toshiyasu

2013-01-01

Taal Volcano is one of the most active volcanoes in the Philippines. The magnetotelluric 3D forward analyses indicate the existence of a large high resistivity anomaly (∼100 Ω·m) with a volume of at least 3 km×3 km×3 km, which is capped by a conductive layer (∼10 Ω·m), beneath the Main Crater. This high resistivity anomaly is hypothesized to be a large hydrothermal reservoir, consisting of the aggregate of interconnected cracks in rigid and dense host rocks, which are filled with hydrothermal fluids coming from a magma batch below the reservoir. The hydrothermal fluids are considered partly in gas phase and liquid phase. The presence of such a large hydrothermal reservoir and the stagnant magma below may have influences on the volcano's activity. Two possibilities are presented. First, the 30 January 1911 explosion event was a magmatic hydrothermal eruption rather than a base-surge associated with a phreato-magmatic eruption. Second, the earlier proposed four eruption series may be better interpreted by two cycles, each consisting of series of summit and flank eruptions.

Relationship between work stress and health in submariners

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nan-nan JIANG

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Objective　To explore the relationship between work stress and health in submariners. Methods　In April 2008, 272 submariners trained in a navy base were selected as study subjects by random group sampling method, and tested by primary personal information questionnaire, self-rated health measurement scale (SRHMS, self-developed submariners' work stressors questionnaire, and work stress self-rated scale. Physical health, mental health and social health of submariners were analyzed, and scores were compared with the norm of reference scores. Correlations were analyzed respectively between 10 items of submariners' general information (including age, length of military service, education degree, years at the present post, times of receiving awards, on-duty hours, off-duty hours, hours of sleep, lost days of leave, positive attitude to work and their physical health score, mental health score, social health score, total health score, as well as between 15 submariners' work stressors (including workrelated risks, diet problems, high temperature, humidity and noise in workplace, shortage of clean clothes, illness, losing contact with outside, lack of information about the task, lacking supports from family members, relationship problems, lack of involvement in task decisions, boring and dull work, on duty, heavy work, high quality of work, coping with unexpected threat and their physical health score, mental health score, social health score and total health score. Results　No significant difference was found between submariners' SRHMS total score and the normal referenced score (t=0.56, P>0.05, but the physical health score and mental health score were significantly lower than normal referenced scores respectively (t=–2.172, P<0.05; t=–3.299, P<0.01, and the social health score was significantly higher than normal referenced score (t=9.331, P<0.001. The age, length of military service, years at present post of submariners were related

Research on the hydrogeological and geochemical conditions at the coastal area and submarine formations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tokunaga, Tomochika; Taniguchi, Makoto; Goto, Junji

2003-05-01

One of the major concerns for the high-level radioactive waste disposal is the possibility of the radionuclides to reach biosphere by groundwater flow. Recent research results have shown that the fresh groundwater discharge from subsea formations are widespread phenomena, thus, it is necessary to evaluate the submarine groundwater discharge as possible pathways of contaminant discharge towards the biosphere. It is also important to unravel the groundwater flow and associated material transport at the coastal area and subsea formations. To better understand the groundwater flow processes and the submarine groundwater discharge, we have conducted the hydrological, hydrogeological, geochemical, and numerical modeling studies at the Kurobe alluvial fan and its offshore, Toyama Prefecture, Japan. In this report, the results of the following research activities are presented: 1) Development and application of a method to detect the locations of the submarine groundwater discharge. 2) Development and application of a method to collect uncontaminated groundwater samples from subsea formations. 3) Measurements of submarine groundwater discharge fluxes by automated seepage meter. 4) Hydrological and geochemical studies for groundwater flow at the coastal area. 5) Geochemical studies to understand sources of fresh submarine groundwater discharge. 6) Examination of groundwater flow and submarine groundwater discharge using methane concentration and carbon isotope ratio. 7) Numerical modeling studies for coastal groundwater flow system. (author)

Submarine Volcanic Eruptions and Potential Analogs for Venus

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, L.; Mouginismark, P. J.; Fryer, P.; Gaddis, L. R.

1985-01-01

As part of an analysis program to better understand the diversity of volcanic processes on the terrestrial planets, an investigation of the volcanic landforms which exist on the Earth's ocean floor was initiated. In part, this analysis is focused toward gaining a better understanding of submarine volcanic landforms in their own right, but also it is hoped that these features may show similarities to volcanic landforms on Venus, due to the high ambient water (Earth) and atmospheric (Venus) pressures. A series of numerical modelling experiments was performed to investigate the relative importance of such attributes as water pressure and temperature on the eruption process, and to determine the rate of cooling and emplacement of lava flows in the submarine environment. Investigations to date show that the confining water pressure and the buoyancy effects of the surrounding water significantly affect the styles of volcanism on the ocean floor. In the case of Venusian volcanism, confining pressures will not be as great as that found at the ocean's abyssal plains, but nevertheless the general trend toward reducing magma vesiculation will hold true for Venus as well as the ocean floor. Furthermore, other analogs may also be found between submarine volcanism and Venusian activity.

Noble Gas geochemistry of the newly discovered hydrothermal fields in the Gulf of California: preliminary He-isotope ratios from the Alarcon Rise and Pescadero basin vent sites

Science.gov (United States)

Spelz, R. M.; Lupton, J. E.; Evans, L. J.; Zierenberg, R. A.; Clague, D. A.; Neumann, F.; Paduan, J. B.

2015-12-01

Numerous submarine deep-sea hydrothermal vents related to volcanic activity of the East Pacific Rise (EPR) are situated along the Pacific margins of Mexico. Until recently, active hydrothermal venting was unknown between the Guaymas Basin and 21°N on the EPR. MBARI's recent oceanographic surveys have added 7 new active vent sites. In this study, we aimed to sample the high-temperature hydrothermal fluids emanating from two distinct vent sites, named Meyibo and Auka, located in the Alarcon Rise and Pescadero Basin, respectively. Mantle-derived He have long been identified in hydrothermal fluid releases. The presence of He in aqueous fluids with 3He/4He ratios greater than in-situ production values (~0.05 RA, where RA = air He or 1.4 x 10-6) indicates the presence of mantle-derived melts. Preliminary analyses of He-isotope ratios derived from the newly discovered Meyibo and Auka hydrothermal fields show high 3He/4He ratios (~8RA), typical of MORB's. Auka vent field, characterized by chimneys composed of light carbonate minerals and oil-like hydrocarbons, and temperatures between 250-290oC, show average values of ~7.87RA. In contrast, the black-smokers at the Meyibo field, composed of dark sulfide minerals and temperatures over 350oC, yielded a higher He ratio of ~8.24RA. Recently, it has become clear that regional maximum mantle He values correlate with the velocity structure in the mantle, therefore, He has the potential to map regions of the underlying mantle that are undergoing partial melting. Seismic records could then be compared with the geochemical He ratio signal and supply information regarding tectonics and other processes involved in the generation of these gases. The data presented here will be completing a totally new inventory of He results from hydrothermal vents in the EPR and fault-termination basins distributed along the P-NA plate boundary in the Gulf of California. The results will be further coupled with the analysis of other geochemical

Dynamics of the Yellowstone hydrothermal system

Science.gov (United States)

Hurwitz, Shaul; Lowenstern, Jacob B.

2014-01-01

The Yellowstone Plateau Volcanic Field is characterized by extensive seismicity, episodes of uplift and subsidence, and a hydrothermal system that comprises more than 10,000 thermal features, including geysers, fumaroles, mud pots, thermal springs, and hydrothermal explosion craters. The diverse chemical and isotopic compositions of waters and gases derive from mantle, crustal, and meteoric sources and extensive water-gas-rock interaction at variable pressures and temperatures. The thermal features are host to all domains of life that utilize diverse inorganic sources of energy for metabolism. The unique and exceptional features of the hydrothermal system have attracted numerous researchers to Yellowstone beginning with the Washburn and Hayden expeditions in the 1870s. Since a seminal review published a quarter of a century ago, research in many fields has greatly advanced our understanding of the many coupled processes operating in and on the hydrothermal system. Specific advances include more refined geophysical images of the magmatic system, better constraints on the time scale of magmatic processes, characterization of fluid sources and water-rock interactions, quantitative estimates of heat and magmatic volatile fluxes, discovering and quantifying the role of thermophile microorganisms in the geochemical cycle, defining the chronology of hydrothermal explosions and their relation to glacial cycles, defining possible links between hydrothermal activity, deformation, and seismicity; quantifying geyser dynamics; and the discovery of extensive hydrothermal activity in Yellowstone Lake. Discussion of these many advances forms the basis of this review.

Radon surveys and monitoring at active volcanoes: an open window on deep hydrothermal systems and their dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Cigolini, Corrado; Laiolo, Marco; Coppola, Diego

2017-04-01

The behavior of fluids in hydrothermal systems is critical in volcano monitoring and geothermal prospecting. Analyzing the time series of radon emissions on active volcanoes is strategic for detecting and interpreting precursory signals of changes in volcanic activity, eventually leading to eruptions. Radon is a radioactive gas generated from the decay of U bearing rocks, soils and magmas. Although radon has been regarded as a potential precursor of earthquakes, radon anomalies appear to be better suited to forecast volcanic eruptions since we know where paroxysms may occur and we can follow the evolution of volcanic activity. Radon mapping at active volcanoes is also a reliable tool to assess diffuse and concentrated degassing as well as efficiently detecting earthquake-volcano interactions. Systematic radon monitoring has been shown to be a key factor for evaluating the rise of volcanic and hydrothermal fluids. In fact, the decay properties of radon, the duration of radon anomalies together with sampling rates may be cross-checked with the chemistry of hydrothermal fluids (and their transport properties) to constrain fluids ascent rates and to infer the permeability and porosity of rocks in sectors surrounding the active conduits. We hereby further discuss the data of radon surveys and monitoring at Somma-Vesuvius, Stromboli and La Soufrière (Guadeloupe, Lesser Antilles). The integrated analysis of seismic and geochemical data, including radon emissions, may be successfully used in testing temperature distributions and variations of porosity and permeability in volcanic hydrothermal systems and can be used as a proxy to analyze geothermal reservoirs.

Ge/Si Ratios as a Tracer of Hydrothermal Activity in the Nepal Himalaya

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, M. J.; Derry, L. A.

2001-12-01

Advection of deep-seated crustal rocks, high internal heat production, and rapid erosion of the thrust wedge result in steep thermal gradients in the crystalline rocks of the Himalayan front. Meteoric water circulation within these rocks produces geothermal activity in the deeply-incised river valleys near the Main Central Thrust shear zone. The springs have measured temperatures up to 70° C and TDS up to 8000 mg/L and drive significant anomalies in river chemistry. We have carried out a detailed study of the role of hot springs in the Narayani River basin of central Nepal (area 35,000 km2), the major drainage of the central Nepal Himalaya and a major tributary to the Ganges. In order to quantify the fluxes of heat and solutes from geothermal systems in the Narayani basin, the hydrothermal fluid flux must be estimated. As part of an ongoing effort to investigate the use of germanium-silicon systematics, we measured Ge/Si ratios in main stem, tributary and hot spring waters of the Narayani basin. While Ge/Si ratios in tributaries are similar to non-polluted world rivers (Iceland (9 to 150 μ mol/mol). The high Ge/Si ratios in the hot springs may reflect Rayleigh fractionation as low Ge/Si quartz is precipitated. The wide disparity in stream vs. hydrothermal values makes Ge/Si a valuable tool for quantifying hydrothermal fluid flux by mass balance. We can use a hydrothermal fluid flux estimate derived from the chemical mass balance to estimate convective heat loss in the Narayani basin. Preliminary estimates in the Marsyandi River yield a thermal power output rate of 200 MW, comparable with geothermal fields in the Taupo Volcanic Zone and when distributed over the spring affected area, yield a hydrothermal heat flow (160 mW/m2) comparable to continental heat flow and hydrothermal heat loss in the geothermal belt across Tibet. Fluxes of solutes and heat carried by Himalayan hot springs appear to be significant for Himalayan river chemistry and for thermal models of

Submarine fans: A critical retrospective (1950–2015

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Shanmugam

2016-04-01

Full Text Available When we look back the contributions on submarine fans during the past 65 years (1950–2015, the empirical data on 21 modern submarine fans and 10 ancient deep-water systems, published by the results of the First COMFAN (Committee on FANs Meeting (Bouma et al., 1985a, have remained the single most significant compilation of data on submarine fans. The 1970s were the “heyday” of submarine fan models. In the 21st century, the general focus has shifted from submarine fans to submarine mass movements, internal waves and tides, and contourites. The purpose of this review is to illustrate the complexity of issues surrounding the origin and classification of submarine fans. The principal elements of submarine fans, composed of canyons, channels, and lobes, are discussed using nine modern case studies from the Mediterranean Sea, the Equatorial Atlantic, the Gulf of Mexico, the North Pacific, the NE Indian Ocean (Bay of Bengal, and the East Sea (Korea. The Annot Sandstone (Eocene–Oligocene, exposed at Peira-Cava area, SE France, which served as the type locality for the “Bouma Sequence”, was reexamined. The field details are documented in questioning the validity of the model, which was the basis for the turbidite-fan link. The 29 fan-related models that are of conceptual significance, developed during the period 1970–2015, are discussed using modern and ancient systems. They are: (1 the classic submarine fan model with attached lobes, (2 the detached-lobe model, (3 the channel-levee complex without lobes, (4 the delta-fed ramp model, (5 the gully-lobe model, (6 the suprafan lobe model, (7 the depositional lobe model, (8 the fan lobe model, (9 the ponded lobe model, (10 the nine models based on grain size and sediment source, (11 the four fan models based on tectonic settings, (12 the Jackfork debrite model, (13 the basin-floor fan model, (14 supercritical and subcritical fans, and (15 the three types of fan reservoirs. Each model is unique

Improved Submariner Eyewear for Routine Wear and Emergency Equipment Use Underway

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-15

information. 2.0 DESCRIPTION Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory (NSMRL) is seeking information from the eyewear industry that will provide...Improved Submariner Eyewear for Routine Wear and Emergency Equipment Use Underway by Alison America, MA Wayne G. Horn, MD...Submariner Eyewear for Routine Wear and Emergency Equipment Use Underway 50818 Alison America, MA Wayne G. Horn, MD Naval Submarine Medical Research

VICTORIA Class Submarine Human-in-the-Loop Experimentation Plan

Science.gov (United States)

2014-06-01

1472G. VICTORIA Class Submarine Human-in-the-Loop Experimentation Plan and Preliminary Results © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of...19 th International Command and Control Research and Technology Symposium Title: VICTORIA Class Submarine Human-in-the-Loop...TYPE 3. DATES COVERED 00-00-2014 to 00-00-2014 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE VICTORIA Class Submarine Human-in-the-Loop Experimentation Plan 5a. CONTRACT

Scientific Ocean Drilling to Assess Submarine Geohazards along European Margins

Science.gov (United States)

Ask, M. V.; Camerlenghi, A.; Kopf, A.; Morgan, J. K.; Ocean DrillingSeismic Hazard, P. E.

2008-12-01

Submarine geohazards are some of the most devastating natural events in terms of lives lost and economic impact. Earthquakes pose a big threat to society and infrastructure, but the understanding of their episodic generation is incomplete. Tsunamis are known for their potential of striking coastlines world-wide. Other geohazards originating below the sea surface are equally dangerous for undersea structures and the coastal population: submarine landslides and volcanic islands collapse with little warning and devastating consequences. The European scientific community has a strong focus on geohazards along European and nearby continental margins, especially given their high population densities, and long historic and prehistoric record of hazardous events. For example, the Mediterranean is surrounded by very densely-populated coastline and is the World's leading holiday destination, receiving up 30% of global tourism. In addition, its seafloor is criss-crossed by hydrocarbon pipelines and telecommunication cables. However, the governing processes and recurrence intervals of geohazards are still poorly understood. Examples include, but are not limited to, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions along the active tectonic margins of the Mediterranean and Sea of Marmara, landslides on both active and passive margins, and tsunamites and seismites in the sedimentary record that suggest a long history of similar events. The development of geophysical networks, drilling, sampling and long-term monitoring are crucial to the understanding of earthquake, landslide, and tsunami processes, and to mitigate the associated risks in densely populated and industrialized regions such as Europe. Scientific drilling, particularly in the submarine setting, offers a unique tool to obtain drill core samples, borehole measurements and long-term observations. Hence, it is a critical technology to investigate past, present, and possible future influences of hazardous processes in this area. The

Index of Submarine Medical Officer’s Qualification Theses 1944-1974

Science.gov (United States)

1976-04-01

USING HYPOTHERMIA AND HYPERBARIC CXYGENATI 1972-3011 0 A CASE REPO+ HYPOBARIC HYPOXIA ABOARD A SUBMERGED SUBMARINE 1972-0014 THE EFFECTS OF ACUTE HYPOXIA...G009 LEVEL. VENTILATORY DYNAMICS UNDER HYPERBARIC STATES.= SUBMARINE MEDICAL QUALIFICATION THESES U. So NAVAL SJBMARINE MEDICAL CENTER SUBMARINE BASE...CONNECTICUT. 23 OCT 62 StJRL ____________ 1962-0019 WOO3D W.- - ____ VENTILATORY DYNAMICS UNDER HYPERBARIC STATES.= SUBMARINE MEDICAL QUALIFICATION THESES

33 CFR 165.1302 - Bangor Naval Submarine Base, Bangor, WA.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Bangor Naval Submarine Base... Bangor Naval Submarine Base, Bangor, WA. (a) Location. The following is a security zone: The waters of... States Naval vessels. (ii) Vessels that are performing work at Naval Submarine Base Bangor pursuant to a...

Phase 1 Final Report: Titan Submarine

Science.gov (United States)

Oleson, Steven R.; Lorenz, Ralph D.; Paul, Michael V.

2015-01-01

The conceptual design of a submarine for Saturn's moon Titan was a funded NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) Phase 1 for 2014. The proposal stated the desire to investigate what science a submarine for Titan's liquid hydrocarbon seas might accomplish and what that submarine might look like. Focusing on a flagship class science system (100 kg), it was found that a submersible platform can accomplish extensive science both above and below the surface of the Kraken Mare. Submerged science includes mapping using side-looking sonar, imaging and spectroscopy of the lake, as well as sampling of the lake's bottom and shallow shoreline. While surfaced, the submarine will not only sense weather conditions (including the interaction between the liquid and atmosphere) but also image the shoreline, as much as 2 km inland. This imaging requirement pushed the landing date to Titan's next summer period (2047) to allow for lighted conditions, as well as direct-to-Earth communication, avoiding the need for a separate relay orbiter spacecraft. Submerged and surfaced investigation are key to understanding both the hydrological cycle of Titan as well as gather hints to how life may have begun on Earth using liquid, sediment, and chemical interactions. An estimated 25 Mb of data per day would be generated by the various science packages. Most of the science packages (electronics at least) can be safely kept inside the submarine pressure vessel and warmed by the isotope power system.The baseline 90-day mission would be to sail submerged and surfaced around and through Kraken Mare investigating the shoreline and inlets to evaluate the sedimentary interaction both on the surface and then below. Depths of Kraken have yet to be sensed (Ligeia to the north is thought to be 200 m (656 ft) deep), but a maximum depth of 1,000 m (3,281 ft) for Kraken Mare was assumed for the design). The sub would spend 20 d at the interface between Kraken Mare and Ligeia Mare for clues to the drainage of

Submarine films as narratives of masculinity

OpenAIRE

MacDonald, Alex

2002-01-01

The research for this thesis is on representations of masculinity in Anglo-American submarine films since 1943. The discussion will draw on relevant work on the representation of masculinity and popular cinema in film and cultural studies. In particular, the thesis will account for the notion of hegemony in relation to masculinity in the submarine film. Further, the notion of hegemonic masculinity will be addressed in terms of four key claims. These are as follows: that relations between grou...

Hydrothermal Carbonization of Seaweed For Advanced Biochar Production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prakoso Tirto

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Seaweed such as Eucheuma Cottonii is a potential source of biomaterialIts high moisture content makes it suitable for hydrothermal conversion process since it doesn’t need to utilize dry feedstock. The aim of this study is to convert the biomass of red seaweed Eucheuma Cottonii into alternative fuels and high value biomaterials using hydrothermal process. The hydrothermal process seaweed Eucheuma Cottonii produce two types of products, liquid product and char (solid. This research focus on the char product. The char from hydrothermal process was then activated using the tubular furnace. The yield for activated char is 7.5 % and results of SEM analysis of activated char showed the formation of allotropes carbon include carbon micro spheres, carbon micro fibres and graphene. These structures have encountered application in a wide range of technological fields, such as adsorption, catalysis, hydrogen storage or electronics.

Study on the hydrothermal treatment of Shenhua coal

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhicai Wang; Hengfu Shui; Zhanning Pei; Jinsheng Gao [Anhui University of Technology, Ma' anshan (China). School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

2008-04-15

In this paper, the hydrothermal treatment of Shenhua coal was carried out under 0.1 MPa (initial pressure) nitrogen and different temperature. Effects of hydrothermal treatment on the structure and the hydro-liquefaction activity of Shenhua coal were investigated by the ultimate and proximate analyses, the FTIR measurements and TG analyses of hydrothermally treated coals, and the characterizations of extraction and swelling properties, and the batch hydro-liquefaction of treated coal were also carried out. The results indicate that hydrothermal treatment above 200{sup o}C can increase the hydrogen content of treated coal and decrease the yield of volatiles and the content of ash, especially a large amount of CO and CH{sub 4} are found in gas products obtained by the hydrothermal treatment above 250{sup o}C. Hydrothermal treatment disrupts the weak covalent bond such as ether, ester and side-chain substituent by hydrolysis and pyrolysis, and changes the distribution of H-bond in coal. The swelling ratio and the Soxhlet extraction yield of treated coal decrease with the increase of hydrothermal treatment temperature. The conversion of liquefaction and the yield of CS{sub 2}/NMP mixed solvent extraction at ambient temperature are enhanced by hydrothermal treatment at 300{sup o}C. Therefore hydrogen donation reactions and the rupture of non-covalent bond and weak covalent bonds present in the process of hydrothermal treatment resulting in the changes of structure and reactivity of Shenhua coal. The results show that the hydro-liquefaction activity of Shenhua coal can be improved by hydrothermal pretreatment between 250{sup o}C and 300{sup o}C. 15 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs.

The Guaymas Basin hiking guide to hydrothermal mounds, chimneys and microbial mats: complex seafloor expressions of subsurface hydrothermal circulation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreas eTeske

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The hydrothermal mats, mounds and chimneys of the southern Guaymas Basin are the surface expression of complex subsurface hydrothermal circulation patterns. In this overview we document the most frequently visited features of this hydrothermal area with photographs, temperature measurements, and selected geochemical data; many of these distinct habitats await characterization of their microbial communities and activities. Microprofiler deployments on microbial mats and hydrothermal sediments show their steep geochemical and thermal gradients at millimeter-scale vertical resolution. Mapping these hydrothermal features and sampling locations within the southern Guaymas Basin suggest linkages to underlying shallow sills and heatflow gradients. Recognizing the inherent spatial limitations of much current Guaymas Basin sampling calls for a wider survey of the entire spreading region.

Modeling Submarine Lava Flow with ASPECT

Science.gov (United States)

Storvick, E. R.; Lu, H.; Choi, E.

2017-12-01

Submarine lava flow is not easily observed and experimented on due to limited accessibility and challenges posed by the fast solidification of lava and the associated drastic changes in rheology. However, recent advances in numerical modeling techniques might address some of these challenges and provide unprecedented insight into the mechanics of submarine lava flow and conditions determining its wide-ranging morphologies. In this study, we explore the applicability ASPECT, Advanced Solver for Problems in Earth's ConvecTion, to submarine lava flow. ASPECT is a parallel finite element code that solves problems of thermal convection in the Earth's mantle. We will assess ASPECT's capability to model submarine lava flow by observing models of lava flow morphology simulated with GALE, a long-term tectonics finite element analysis code, with models created using comparable settings and parameters in ASPECT. From these observations we will contrast the differing models in order to identify the benefits of each code. While doing so, we anticipate we will learn about the conditions required for end-members of lava flow morphology, for example, pillows and sheet flows. With ASPECT specifically we focus on 1) whether the lava rheology can be implemented; 2) how effective the AMR is in resolving morphologies of the solidified crust; 3) whether and under what conditions the end-members of the lava flow morphologies, pillows and sheets, can be reproduced.

Water column imaging on hydrothermal vent in Central Indian Ridge

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, J.; Park, Y.

2017-12-01

Water column imaging with Multibeam echosounder systems (MBES) is recently becoming of increasing interest for oceanographic studies. Especially gas bubbles and hot water exposed from hydrothermal vents make acoustic impedance anomalies in cold seawater, water column imaging is very useful for the researchers who want to detect some kinds of hydrothermal activity. We conducted a hydrothermal exploration program, called "INVENT17", using the MBES system, KONGBERG EM122 (12kHz, 1°×1°), mounted on R/V ISABU and we deployed other equipments including video guided hydraulic grab, tow-yo CTD and general CTD with MAPR (Miniature Autonomous Plume Recorder) in 2017. First, to evaluate its capabilities of detection of hydrothermal vent, the surveys using the MBES were conducted at the Solitaire Field, previously identified hydrothermal area of the Central Indian Ridge. The bathymetric data obtained from MBES provided information about detailed morphology of seafloor, but we were not able to achieve the information from the water column imaging data. But the clue of existence of active hydrothermal vent was detected through the values of ΔNTU, dEh/dt, and OPR gained from MAPR, the data means that the hydrothermal activity affects 100m from the seafloor. It could be the reason that we can't find the hydrothermal activity because the range resolution of water column imaging is pretty rough so that the size of 100m-scaled activity has low possibility to distinguish from seafloor. The other reason is there are no sufficient objects to cause strong scattering like as CO2 bubbles or droplets unlike in the mid-Okinawa Trough. And this suggests that can be a important standard to identify properties of hydrothermal vent sites depending on the presence of scattering objects in water mass. To justify this, we should perform more chemical analysis of hot water emanating from hydrothermal vent and collected several bottles of water sample to do that.

Preparation high photocatalytic activity of CdS/halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) nanocomposites with hydrothermal method

Science.gov (United States)

Xing, Weinan; Ni, Liang; Huo, Pengwei; Lu, Ziyang; Liu, Xinlin; Luo, Yingying; Yan, Yongsheng

2012-10-01

A novel nanocatalyst CdS/halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) was synthesized by hydrothermal method with direct growth of CdS nanoparticles on the surface of HNTs. The as-prepared photocatalysts had been characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-vis DRS), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and the thermo gravimetric analysis (TGA). The photocatalytic activity of the sample was evaluated by the degradation of tetracycline (TC) under visible light irradiation. Benefit from the excellent properties of CdS and HNTs, the photocatalyst exhibited good photocatalytic activity and stability. In order to find out the optimum synthesis condition to obtain the best photocatalytic activity, a series of experiments were performed with different CdS loading capacity, different sources of sulfide and different hydrothermal temperatures, etc. The best photodegradation rate could reach 93% in 60 min under visible light irradiation. Therefore, the combination of CdS nanoparticles with HNTs endowed this material with a potential use in environmental treatments in industries.

Organic sulfur metabolisms in hydrothermal environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Karyn L; Schulte, Mitchell D

2012-07-01

Sulfur is central to the metabolisms of many organisms that inhabit extreme environments. While biotic and abiotic cycling of organic sulfur compounds has been well documented in low-temperature anaerobic environments, cycling of organic sulfur in hydrothermal environments has received less attention. Recently published thermodynamic data have been used to estimate aqueous alkyl thiol and sulfide activities in deep-sea hydrothermal systems. Here we use geochemical mixing models to predict fluid compositions that result from mixing end-member hydrothermal fluid from the East Pacific Rise with bottom seawater. These fluid compositions are combined with estimates of methanethiol and dimethylsulfide activities to evaluate energy yields for potential organic sulfur-based metabolisms under hydrothermal conditions. Aerobic respiration has the highest energy yields (over -240 kJ/mol e⁻) at lower temperature; however, oxygen is unlikely to persist at high temperatures, restricting aerobic respiration to mesophilic communities. Nitrite reduction to N₂ has the highest energy yields at higher temperatures (greater than ∼40 °C). Nitrate and nitrite reduction to ammonium also yield significant energy (up to -70 kJ/mol e⁻). Much lower, but still feasible energy yields are calculated for sulfate reduction, disproportionation, and reduction with H₂. Organic compound family and the activity of methanethiol and dimethylsulfide were less important than metabolic strategy in determining overall energy yields. All metabolic strategies considered were exergonic within some portion of the mixing regime suggesting that organic sulfur-based metabolisms may be prevalent within deep-sea hydrothermal vent microbial communities. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

'Good Hunting': German submarine offensives and South African ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

By the latter half of 1942, the High Command of the German U-boats (BdU) realised that the 'sinking results' of the North Atlantic had decreased immensely. The successes of the Allied anti-submarine operations in the North Atlantic precluded the successful employment of the German submarines in said waters.

The Timber Mountain magmato-thermal event: An intense widespread culmination of magmatic and hydrothermal activity at the southwestern Nevada volcanic field

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jackson, Jr., Mac Roy [Univ. of Nevada, Reno, NV (United States)

1988-05-01

Eruption of the Rainier Mesa and Ammonia Tanks Members Timber Mountain Tuff at about 11.5 and 11.3 Ma, respectively, resulted in formation of the timber Mountain (TM) caldera; new K-Ar ages show that volcanism within and around the TM caldera continued for about 1 m.y. after collapse. Some TM age magmatic activity took place west and southeast of the TM caldera in the Beatty -- Bullfrog Hills and Shoshone Mountain areas, suggesting that volcanic activity at the TM caldera was an intense expression of an areally extensive magmatic system active from about 11.5 to 10Ma. Epithermal Au-Ag, Hg and fluorite mineralization and hydrothermal alteration are found in both within and surrounding the Timber Mountain -- Oasis Valley caldera complex. New K-Ar ages date this hydrothermal activity between about 13 and 10 Ma, largely between about 11.5 and 10 Ma, suggesting a genetic relation of hydrothermal activity to the TM magmatic system.

The Timber Mountain magmato-thermal event: An intense widespread culmination of magmatic and hydrothermal activity at the southwestern Nevada volcanic field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jackson, M.R. Jr.

1988-05-01

Eruption of the Rainier Mesa and Ammonia Tanks Members Timber Mountain Tuff at about 11.5 and 11.3 Ma, respectively, resulted in formation of the timber Mountain (TM) caldera; new K-Ar ages show that volcanism within and around the TM caldera continued for about 1 m.y. after collapse. Some TM age magmatic activity took place west and southeast of the TM caldera in the Beatty -- Bullfrog Hills and Shoshone Mountain areas, suggesting that volcanic activity at the TM caldera was an intense expression of an areally extensive magmatic system active from about 11.5 to 10Ma. Epithermal Au-Ag, Hg and fluorite mineralization and hydrothermal alteration are found in both within and surrounding the Timber Mountain -- Oasis Valley caldera complex. New K-Ar ages date this hydrothermal activity between about 13 and 10 Ma, largely between about 11.5 and 10 Ma, suggesting a genetic relation of hydrothermal activity to the TM magmatic system

Radon as an indicator of submarine groundwater discharge in coastal regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacob, Noble; Shivanna, K.; Suresh Babu, D.S.

2009-01-01

This article reviews the various available methodologies to estimate submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and demonstrates the utility of radon with a case study. An attempt has been made to identify the existence of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and semi-quantitatively estimate its rate in the coastal area of Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Natural 222 Rn (half-life = 3.8 days) was used as a tracer of SGD because of its conservative nature, short half-life, easiness in measurement and high abundance in groundwater. As in situ radon ( 222 Rn) monitoring study conducted in this region indicated comparatively higher 222 Rn activities (average 14.1±1.7 Bq/m 3 ) in the coastal waters revealing significant submarine groundwater discharge. The SGD may be a combination of fresh groundwater and recirculated seawater that is controlled by the hydraulic gradient in the adjacent aquifer and varying tidal conditions in the coastal waters. Using a transient 222 Rn mass balance model for the coastal waters, SGD rates were computed and the average value was found to be 10.9±6.1 cm/day. These estimates are comparable with those reported in the literature. In general, identification and estimation of submarine groundwater discharge is important in the Indian context because of the possibility of large amounts of groundwater loss through its long coastline, that can be judiciously exploited to cater to the present water requirements for drinking and irrigation purposes. (author)

Submarine tectonic relief off Enshunada. Enshunadaoki no hendo chikei

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Iwabuchi, Y; Sasahara, N; Hamamoto, F [Maritime Safety Agency, Tokyo (Japan); Yoshioka, S [10th Resional Maritime Safety Headquarters, Kagoshima (Japan); Kondo, T [Maritime Safety School, Kyoto (Japan)

1991-08-15

This paper reports on the results of investigations on the submarine relief structure off the Enshunada (a sea area which is on the south of the Tenryu River mouth and has about 50km east and west and about 100km north and south) using a bathymetric surveying ship equipped with a narrow multibeam echo sounder. The submarine relief structure of this sea area is clarified into the following topographical districts arranged north to south (each extends roughly in the northeast-southwest direction): the Enshu trough and Tenryu submarine canyon upper valley located in the center thereof, ridges represented by No.l and No.2 Tenryu knolls, the ridge and trough zone where minor ridges and troughes appear complicatedly and repeatedly, and the Nankai trough. The paper contains causes of formation of the Tenryu submarine canyon, the Ryuyo submarine canyon which is located in the northwestern slope of No.2 Tenryu knoll and has a distinct shape, oval-shaped domes scattered in the bottom of Nankai trough, etc. and also opinions on landslide topography seen in the ridge and trough zone. 13 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.

Alteration related to hydrothermal activity of the Nevado del Ruiz volcano (NRV), Colombia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forero, Jhon; Zuluaga, Carlos; Mojica, Jaime

2011-01-01

The hydrothermal activity in the NRV generates alteration characterized by mineral associations depending one number of physic-chemical factors of the hydrothermal system. Petrography of unaltered rocks was used to establish the mineral assemblage prior to rock-fluid interaction. XRD was used in altered rocks, where it was not possible to recognize the alteration products. the observed mineral assemblages indicate advanced and intermediate argillic alterations, this and the observation of very low modal proportion of sulphates, sulphides and native sulphur in some areas could point to a low sulphidation zone. However, the proximity to the volcano and the presence of acid thermal waters and steam pose an apparent contradiction with an expected high sulphidation zone which is explained by climatic conditions, where excess water has dissolved and leached sulfides, sulphur and sulphates close to the volcano. fault zones serve as conducts for fluid transport and have acid-sulphate mineral associations produced by atmospheric oxidation at the water table in a steam-heated environment of H 2 S released by deeper, boiling fluids or by the disproportionation of magmatic SO 2 to H 2 S and H 2 SO 4 during condensation of magmatic vapor plume at intermedia depths in magmatic hydrothermal environment in andesitic volcanic terrain characteristic of high sulphidation zones.

Ferrous iron- and ammonium-rich diffuse vents support habitat-specific communities in a shallow hydrothermal field off the Basiluzzo Islet (Aeolian Volcanic Archipelago).

Science.gov (United States)

Bortoluzzi, G; Romeo, T; La Cono, V; La Spada, G; Smedile, F; Esposito, V; Sabatino, G; Di Bella, M; Canese, S; Scotti, G; Bo, M; Giuliano, L; Jones, D; Golyshin, P N; Yakimov, M M; Andaloro, F

2017-09-01

Ammonium- and Fe(II)-rich fluid flows, known from deep-sea hydrothermal systems, have been extensively studied in the last decades and are considered as sites with high microbial diversity and activity. Their shallow-submarine counterparts, despite their easier accessibility, have so far been under-investigated, and as a consequence, much less is known about microbial communities inhabiting these ecosystems. A field of shallow expulsion of hydrothermal fluids has been discovered at depths of 170-400 meters off the base of the Basiluzzo Islet (Aeolian Volcanic Archipelago, Southern Tyrrhenian Sea). This area consists predominantly of both actively diffusing and inactive 1-3 meters-high structures in the form of vertical pinnacles, steeples and mounds covered by a thick orange to brown crust deposits hosting rich benthic fauna. Integrated morphological, mineralogical, and geochemical analyses revealed that, above all, these crusts are formed by ferrihydrite-type Fe 3+ oxyhydroxides. Two cruises in 2013 allowed us to monitor and sampled this novel ecosystem, certainly interesting in terms of shallow-water iron-rich site. The main objective of this work was to characterize the composition of extant communities of iron microbial mats in relation to the environmental setting and the observed patterns of macrofaunal colonization. We demonstrated that iron-rich deposits contain complex and stratified microbial communities with a high proportion of prokaryotes akin to ammonium- and iron-oxidizing chemoautotrophs, belonging to Thaumarchaeota, Nitrospira, and Zetaproteobacteria. Colonizers of iron-rich mounds, while composed of the common macrobenthic grazers, predators, filter-feeders, and tube-dwellers with no representatives of vent endemic fauna, differed from the surrounding populations. Thus, it is very likely that reduced electron donors (Fe 2+ and NH 4 + ) are important energy sources in supporting primary production in microbial mats, which form a habitat

Health and environmental risk assessment associated with a potential recovery of the Russian submarine K-27

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hosseini, A.; Amundsen, I.; Brown, J.E.; Dowdall, M.; Standring, W. [Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority/CERAD CoE (Norway); Bartnicki, J. [Norwegian Meteorological Institute/CERAD CoE (Norway); Karcher, M. [O.A.Sys - Ocean Atmosphere Systems GmbH (Germany); Lind, O.C.; Salbu, B. [Norwegian University of Life Sciences/CERAD CoE (Norway)

2014-07-01

The nuclear submarine K-27 is one of several objects with spent nuclear fuel (SNF) which has been dumped in the Arctic. It contained two liquid metal reactors (LMRs) of 70 MW maximum thermal power each and used Pb-Bi as the coolant. The reactors were loaded with 180 kg of U-235 at an enrichment of 90 %. In September 1981, the submarine was sunk in the shallow waters of Stepovoy Fjord at an estimated depth of 30 m. Concerns have been expressed by various parties regarding the issue of dumped nuclear waste in the Kara Sea and in particular the submarine K-27. To address these concerns and to provide a better basis for evaluating possible radiological impact (especially as a consequence of a potential recovery of the submarine), an environmental impact assessment has been undertaken. The study is based on construction of different hypothetical accident scenarios and evaluating possible associated consequences for human and the environment. In general, three main scenarios seem probable and thus appropriate for consideration. One is the 'zero- alternative', i.e. investigate the current and future impact assuming no interventions. The second considers an accidental scenario involving the raising of the submarine and the third an accidental scenario related to the transportation of the submarine to shore for defueling. With regards to the accidental scenarios related to raising and transportation of the submarine, two alternatives can be considered depending on where and how a hypothetical accident will take place and whether the subsequent releases occur under water or at the water surface. The issue of an uncontrolled chain reaction occurring as a result of a potential recovery of the submarine will be included in the assessment. The work includes application of state of the art 3D hydrodynamic and atmospheric dispersion models to investigate the transport, distribution and fate of relevant radionuclides following a hypothetical accident in aquatic and

Hydrothermal systems in small ocean planets.

Science.gov (United States)

Vance, Steve; Harnmeijer, Jelte; Kimura, Jun; Hussmann, Hauke; Demartin, Brian; Brown, J Michael

2007-12-01

We examine means for driving hydrothermal activity in extraterrestrial oceans on planets and satellites of less than one Earth mass, with implications for sustaining a low level of biological activity over geological timescales. Assuming ocean planets have olivine-dominated lithospheres, a model for cooling-induced thermal cracking shows how variation in planet size and internal thermal energy may drive variation in the dominant type of hydrothermal system-for example, high or low temperature system or chemically driven system. As radiogenic heating diminishes over time, progressive exposure of new rock continues to the current epoch. Where fluid-rock interactions propagate slowly into a deep brittle layer, thermal energy from serpentinization may be the primary cause of hydrothermal activity in small ocean planets. We show that the time-varying hydrostatic head of a tidally forced ice shell may drive hydrothermal fluid flow through the seafloor, which can generate moderate but potentially important heat through viscous interaction with the matrix of porous seafloor rock. Considering all presently known potential ocean planets-Mars, a number of icy satellites, Pluto, and other trans-neptunian objects-and applying Earth-like material properties and cooling rates, we find depths of circulation are more than an order of magnitude greater than in Earth. In Europa and Enceladus, tidal flexing may drive hydrothermal circulation and, in Europa, may generate heat on the same order as present-day radiogenic heat flux at Earth's surface. In all objects, progressive serpentinization generates heat on a globally averaged basis at a fraction of a percent of present-day radiogenic heating and hydrogen is produced at rates between 10(9) and 10(10) molecules cm(2) s(1).

Argentine hydrothermal panorama

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1976-12-01

An attempt is made to give a realistic review of Argentine thermal waters. The topics discussed are the characteristics of the hydrothermal resources, classification according to their mineral content, hydrothermal flora and fauna, uses of hydrothermal resources, hydrothermal regions of Argentina, and meteorology and climate. A tabulation is presented of the principal thermal waters. (JSR)

Model of a Nuclear Security Naval Agency for radiation control of the Industrial Complex of of Submarine Construction and Maintenance Ship with Nuclear Propulsion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lins Junior, Amilton de Sousa

2017-01-01

Due to the construction, by Brazilian Navy, of a Submarine Construction and Maintenance Ship with Nuclear Propulsion, where, among other activities, the commissioning and exchange of the fuel elements of the reactor in the future Nuclear Submarine, and of a Naval Base where the Nuclear Submarine and the Conventional Submarines, it is necessary the establishment of a Nuclear Security Naval Agency to monitor activities involving ionizing radiation sources and nuclear materials aimed at the radiological protection of exposed occupationally individuals (IOE), the general public and the environment. It should be noted that nuclear and radioactive material will be present only in a part of the yard called Radiological Complex. Therefore, the development of a structure for the control of the Radiological Complex is fundamental, considering that the future licensing process will be unprecedented in Brazil and will face several difficulties. This work presents a model of a structure for the radiological control of the industrial complex for the construction and maintenance of the submarine with nuclear propulsion, as well as the fundamental concepts of the activities, such as inspection, regulations and authorizations, to be carried out by the various component sectors of the Nuclear Security Naval Agency. (author)

Operational Planning for Theater Anti-Submarine Warfare

Science.gov (United States)

2017-03-01

or P-8 as a supplementary platform to a ship or sub and never assigned to search alone . This thesis allows the MPRA to search alone and has 10 a...Marina, I will truly miss sitting in class with you guys wondering what a basis is. Finally, to my dog, Dougie: thank you for not eating my homework...can have trouble searching and tracking one submarine, let alone multiple submarines in different regions or mission areas. B. LITERATURE REVIEW

Cultivation-Independent and Cultivation-Dependent Analysis of Microbes in the Shallow-Sea Hydrothermal System Off Kueishantao Island, Taiwan: Unmasking Heterotrophic Bacterial Diversity and Functional Capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Kai; Zhang, Yao; Lin, Dan; Han, Yu; Chen, Chen-Tung A; Wang, Deli; Lin, Yu-Shih; Sun, Jia; Zheng, Qiang; Jiao, Nianzhi

2018-01-01

Shallow-sea hydrothermal systems experience continuous fluctuations of physicochemical conditions due to seawater influx which generates variable habitats, affecting the phylogenetic composition and metabolic potential of microbial communities. Until recently, studies of submarine hydrothermal communities have focused primarily on chemolithoautotrophic organisms, however, there have been limited studies on heterotrophic bacteria. Here, fluorescence in situ hybridization, high throughput 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, and functional metagenomes were used to assess microbial communities from the shallow-sea hydrothermal system off Kueishantao Island, Taiwan. The results showed that the shallow-sea hydrothermal system harbored not only autotrophic bacteria but abundant heterotrophic bacteria. The potential for marker genes sulfur oxidation and carbon fixation were detected in the metagenome datasets, suggesting a role for sulfur and carbon cycling in the shallow-sea hydrothermal system. Furthermore, the presence of diverse genes that encode transporters, glycoside hydrolases, and peptidase indicates the genetic potential for heterotrophic utilization of organic substrates. A total of 408 cultivable heterotrophic bacteria were isolated, in which the taxonomic families typically associated with oligotrophy, copiotrophy, and phototrophy were frequently found. The cultivation-independent and -dependent analyses performed herein show that Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria represent the dominant heterotrophs in the investigated shallow-sea hydrothermal system. Genomic and physiological characterization of a novel strain P5 obtained in this study, belonging to the genus Rhodovulum within Alphaproteobacteria, provides an example of heterotrophic bacteria with major functional capacity presented in the metagenome datasets. Collectively, in addition to autotrophic bacteria, the shallow-sea hydrothermal system also harbors many heterotrophic bacteria with versatile

Contemporary sediment-transport processes in submarine canyons.

Science.gov (United States)

Puig, Pere; Palanques, Albert; Martín, Jacobo

2014-01-01

Submarine canyons are morphological incisions into continental margins that act as major conduits of sediment from shallow- to deep-sea regions. However, the exact mechanisms involved in sediment transfer within submarine canyons are still a subject of investigation. Several studies have provided direct information about contemporary sedimentary processes in submarine canyons that suggests different modes of transport and various triggering mechanisms. Storm-induced turbidity currents and enhanced off-shelf advection, hyperpycnal flows and failures of recently deposited fluvial sediments, dense shelf-water cascading, canyon-flank failures, and trawling-induced resuspension largely dominate present-day sediment transfer through canyons. Additionally, internal waves periodically resuspend ephemeral deposits within canyons and contribute to dispersing particles or retaining and accumulating them in specific regions. These transport processes commonly deposit sediments in the upper- and middle-canyon reaches for decades or centuries before being completely or partially flushed farther down-canyon by large sediment failures.

Durable terrestrial bedrock predicts submarine canyon formation

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Elliot; Finnegan, Noah J.; Mueller, Erich R.; Best, Rebecca J.

2017-01-01

Though submarine canyons are first-order topographic features of Earth, the processes responsible for their occurrence remain poorly understood. Potentially analogous studies of terrestrial rivers show that the flux and caliber of transported bedload are significant controls on bedrock incision. Here we hypothesize that coarse sediment load could exert a similar role in the formation of submarine canyons. We conducted a comprehensive empirical analysis of canyon occurrence along the West Coast of the contiguous United States which indicates that submarine canyon occurrence is best predicted by the occurrence of durable crystalline bedrock in adjacent terrestrial catchments. Canyon occurrence is also predicted by the flux of bed sediment to shore from terrestrial streams. Surprisingly, no significant correlation was observed between canyon occurrence and the slope or width of the continental shelf. These findings suggest that canyon incision is promoted by greater yields of durable terrestrial clasts to the shore.

Seawater bicarbonate removal during hydrothermal circulation

Science.gov (United States)

Proskurowski, G. K.; Seewald, J.; Sylva, S. P.; Reeves, E.; Lilley, M. D.

2013-12-01

High temperature fluids sampled at hydrothermal vents represent a complex alteration product of water-rock reactions on a multi-component mixture of source fluids. Sources to high-temperature hydrothermal samples include the 'original' seawater present in the recharge limb of circulation, magmatically influenced fluids added at depth as well as any seawater entrained during sampling. High-temperature hydrothermal fluids are typically enriched in magmatic volatiles, with CO2 the dominant species, characterized by concentrations of 10's-100's of mmol/kg (1, 2). Typically, the high concentration of CO2 relative to background seawater bicarbonate concentrations (~2.3 mmol/kg) obscures a full analysis of the fate of seawater bicarbonate during high-temperature hydrothermal circulation. Here we present data from a suite of samples collected over the past 15 years from high-temperature hydrothermal vents at 9N, Endeavour, Lau Basin, and the MAR that have endmember CO2 concentrations less than 10 mmol/kg. Using stable and radiocarbon isotope measurements these samples provide a unique opportunity to examine the balance between 'original' seawater bicarbonate and CO2 added from magmatic sources. Multiple lines of evidence from multiple hydrothermal settings consistently points to the removal of ~80% of the 'original' 2.3 mmol/kg seawater bicarbonate. Assuming that this removal occurs in the low-temperature, 'recharge' limb of hydrothermal circulation, this removal process is widely occurring and has important contributions to the global carbon cycle over geologic time. 1. Lilley MD, Butterfield DA, Lupton JE, & Olson EJ (2003) Magmatic events can produce rapid changes in hydrothermal vent chemistry. Nature 422(6934):878-881. 2. Seewald J, Cruse A, & Saccocia P (2003) Aqueous volatiles in hydrothermal fluids from the Main Endeavour Field, northern Juan de Fuca Ridge: temporal variability following earthquake activity. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 216(4):575-590.

A submarine landslide source for the devastating 1964 Chenega tsunami, southern Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Brothers, Daniel; Haeussler, Peter J.; Lee Liberty,; David Finlayson,; Geist, Eric L.; Labay, Keith A.; Michael Byerly,

2016-01-01

During the 1964 Great Alaska earthquake (Mw 9.2), several fjords, straits, and bays throughout southern Alaska experienced significant tsunami runup of localized, but unexplained origin. Dangerous Passage is a glacimarine fjord in western Prince William Sound, which experienced a tsunami that devastated the village of Chenega where 23 of 75 inhabitants were lost – the highest relative loss of any community during the earthquake. Previous studies suggested the source of the devastating tsunami was either from a local submarine landslide of unknown origin or from coseismic tectonic displacement. Here we present new observations from high-resolution multibeam bathymetry and seismic reflection surveys conducted in the waters adjacent to the village of Chenega. The seabed morphology and substrate architecture reveal a large submarine landslide complex in water depths of 120–360 m. Analysis of bathymetric change between 1957 and 2014 indicates the upper 20–50 m (∼0.7 km3) of glacimarine sediment was destabilized and evacuated from the steep face of a submerged moraine and an adjacent ∼21 km2 perched sedimentary basin. Once mobilized, landslide debris poured over the steep, 130 m-high face of a deeper moraine and then blanketed the terminal basin (∼465 m water depth) in 11 ± 5 m of sediment. These results, combined with inverse tsunami travel-time modeling, suggest that earthquake- triggered submarine landslides generated the tsunami that struck the village of Chenega roughly 4 min after shaking began. Unlike other tsunamigenic landslides observed in and around Prince William Sound in 1964, the failures in Dangerous Passage are not linked to an active submarine delta. The requisite environmental conditions needed to generate large submarine landslides in glacimarine fjords around the world may be more common than previously thought. 

Evolution and Submarine Landslide Potential of Monterey Canyon Head, Offshore Central California

Science.gov (United States)

Maier, K. L.; Johnson, S. Y.; Hart, P. E.; Hartwell, S. R.

2016-12-01

Monterey Canyon, offshore central California, incises the shelf from near the shoreline to 30 km seaward where axial water depths approach 2,000 m. It is one of the world's most studied submarine canyons, yet debate continues concerning its age, formation, and associated geologic hazards. To address these issues, the USGS, with partial support from the California Seafloor Mapping Program, collected hundreds of kilometers of high-resolution, mini-sparker, single-channel (2009 and 2011 surveys) and multichannel (2015 survey) seismic-reflection profiles near the canyon head. The seismic data were combined with multibeam bathymetry to generate a geologic map of the proximal canyon, which delineates numerous faults and compound submarine landslide headwall scarps (covering up to 4 km2) along canyon walls. Seismic-reflection data reveal a massive ( 100 km2 lateral extent) paleochannel cut-and-fill complex underlying the proximal canyon. These subsurface cut-and-fill deposits span both sides of the relatively narrow modern canyon head, crop out in canyon walls, and incise into Purisima Formation (late Miocene and Pliocene) bedrock to depths of up to 0.3 s two-way travel time ( 240 m) below the modern shelf. We propose that the paleochannel complex represents previous locations of a migrating canyon head, and attribute its origin to multiple alternating cycles of fluvial and submarine canyon erosion and deposition linked to fluctuating sea levels. Thus, the canyon head imaged in modern bathymetry is a relatively young feature, perhaps forming in the last 20,000 years of sea-level rise. The paleocanyon deposits are significantly less consolidated than bedrock in deeper canyon walls, and therefore, are probably more prone to submarine landsliding. Nearby mapped faults occur within the active, distributed, San Andreas fault system, and earthquake-generated strong ground motions are likely triggers for past and future submarine landslides and potential associated tsunamis.

Fracture propagation in gas pipelines - relevance to submarine lines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fearnehough, G D [British Gas Corp., Newcastle upon Tyne. Engineering Research Station

1976-09-01

This paper reviews the factors which control fracture propagation in pipes and suggests how they are influenced by submarine environments. If fracture arrest capability is required then these factors should be considered in terms of the design philosophy and the maximum tolerable length of fracture which can be repaired. The paper shows that brittle fracture characteristics of submarine pipelines are probably similar to land based lines and fracture arrest can only be guaranteed by appropriate material toughness specification. Resistance to ductile fracture propagation in submarine lines is enhanced by lower design stresses, thicker pipe, concrete coating and the effect of hydrostatic head on gas dynamics. However, additional factors due to submarine design can be deleterious viz: uncertainty about backfill integrity and a tendency of thicker steels to low fracture resistance arising from 'separation' formation. Attention is drawn to problems which may arise with transportation of gases rich in hydrocarbons and the use of mechanical methods of fracture arrest.

Submarine landslides on the north continental slope of the South China Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Weiwei; Wang, Dawei; Wu, Shiguo; Völker, David; Zeng, Hongliu; Cai, Guanqiang; Li, Qingping

2018-02-01

Recent and paleo-submarine landslides are widely distributed within strata in deep-water areas along continental slopes, uplifts, and carbonate platforms on the north continental margin of the South China Sea (SCS). In this paper, high-resolution 3D seismic data and multibeam data based on seismic sedimentology and geomorphology are employed to assist in identifying submarine landslides. In addition, deposition models are proposed that are based on specific geological structures and features, and which illustrate the local stress field over entire submarine landslides in deep-water areas of the SCS. The SCS is one of the largest fluvial sediment sinks in enclosed or semi-enclosed marginal seas worldwide. It therefore provides a set of preconditions for the formation of submarine landslides, including rapid sediment accumulation, formation of gas hydrates, and fluid overpressure. A new concept involving temporal and spatial analyses is tested to construct a relationship between submarine landslides and different time scale trigger mechanisms, and three mechanisms are discussed in the context of spatial scale and temporal frequency: evolution of slope gradient and overpressure, global environmental changes, and tectonic events. Submarine landslides that are triggered by tectonic events are the largest but occur less frequently, while submarine landslides triggered by the combination of slope gradient and over-pressure evolution are the smallest but most frequently occurring events. In summary, analysis shows that the formation of submarine landslides is a complex process involving the operation of different factors on various time scales.

Chemistry of a serpentinization-controlled hydrothermal system at the Lost City hydrothermal vent field

Science.gov (United States)

Ludwig, K. A.; Kelley, D. S.; Butterfield, D. A.; Nelson, B. K.; Karson, J. A.

2003-12-01

The Lost City Hydrothermal Field (LCHF), at 30° N near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, is an off-axis, low temperature, high-pH, ultramafic-hosted vent system. Within the field, carbonate chimneys tower up to 60 m above the seafloor, making them the tallest vent structures known. The chemistry of the vent structures and fluids at the LCHF is controlled by reactions between seawater and ultramafic rocks beneath the Atlantis massif. Mixing of warm alkaline vent fluids with seawater causes precipitation of calcium carbonate and growth of the edifaces, which range from tall, graceful pinnacles to fragile flanges and colloform deposits. Geochemical and petrological analyses of the carbonate rocks reveal distinct differences between the active and extinct structures. Actively venting chimneys and flanges are extremely porous, friable formations composed predominantly of aragonite and brucite. These structures provide important niches for well-developed microbial communities that thrive on and within the chimney walls. Some of the active chimneys may also contain the mineral ikaite, an unstable, hydrated form of calcium carbonate. TIMS and ICP-MS analyses of the carbonate chimneys show that the most active chimneys have low Sr isotope values and that they are low in trace metals (e.g., Mn, Ti, Pb). Active structures emit high-pH, low-Mg fluids at 40-90° C. The fluids also have low Sr values, indicating circulation of hydrothermal solutions through the serpentinite bedrock beneath the field. In contrast to the active structures, extinct chimneys are less porous, are well lithified, and they are composed predominantly of calcite that yields Sr isotopes near seawater values. Prolonged lower temperature seawater-hydrothermal fluid interaction within the chimneys results in the conversion of aragonite to calcite and in the enrichment of some trace metals (e.g., Mn, Ti, Co, Zn). It also promotes the incorporation of foraminifera within the outer, cemented walls of the carbonate

Metagenomic and PCR-based diversity surveys of [FeFe]-hydrogenases combined with isolation of alkaliphilic hydrogen-producing bacteria from the serpentinite-hosted Prony hydrothermal field, New Caledonia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nan Mei

2016-08-01

Full Text Available High amounts of hydrogen are emitted in the serpentinite-hosted hydrothermal field of the Prony Bay (PHF, New Caledonia, where high-pH (~11, low-temperature (<40°C and low-salinity fluids are discharged in both intertidal and shallow submarine environments. In this study, we investigated the diversity and distribution of potentially hydrogen-producing bacteria in Prony hyperalkaline springs by using metagenomic analyses and different PCR-amplified DNA sequencing methods. The retrieved sequences of hydA genes, encoding the catalytic subunit of [FeFe]-hydrogenases and, used as a molecular marker of hydrogen-producing bacteria, were mainly related to those of Firmicutes and clustered into two distinct groups depending on sampling locations. Intertidal samples were dominated by new hydA sequences related to uncultured Firmicutes retrieved from paddy soils, while submarine samples were dominated by diverse hydA sequences affiliated with anaerobic and/or thermophilic submarine Firmicutes pertaining to the orders Thermoanaerobacterales or Clostridiales. The novelty and diversity of these [FeFe]-hydrogenases may reflect the unique environmental conditions prevailing in the PHF (i.e. high-pH, low-salt, mesothermic fluids. In addition, novel alkaliphilic hydrogen-producing Firmicutes (Clostridiales and Bacillales were successfully isolated from both intertidal and submarine PHF chimney samples. Both molecular and cultivation-based data demonstrated the ability of Firmicutes originating from serpentinite-hosted environments to produce hydrogen by fermentation, potentially contributing to the molecular hydrogen balance in situ.

Metagenomic and PCR-Based Diversity Surveys of [FeFe]-Hydrogenases Combined with Isolation of Alkaliphilic Hydrogen-Producing Bacteria from the Serpentinite-Hosted Prony Hydrothermal Field, New Caledonia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mei, Nan; Postec, Anne; Monnin, Christophe; Pelletier, Bernard; Payri, Claude E; Ménez, Bénédicte; Frouin, Eléonore; Ollivier, Bernard; Erauso, Gaël; Quéméneur, Marianne

2016-01-01

High amounts of hydrogen are emitted in the serpentinite-hosted hydrothermal field of the Prony Bay (PHF, New Caledonia), where high-pH (~11), low-temperature (< 40°C), and low-salinity fluids are discharged in both intertidal and shallow submarine environments. In this study, we investigated the diversity and distribution of potentially hydrogen-producing bacteria in Prony hyperalkaline springs by using metagenomic analyses and different PCR-amplified DNA sequencing methods. The retrieved sequences of hydA genes, encoding the catalytic subunit of [FeFe]-hydrogenases and, used as a molecular marker of hydrogen-producing bacteria, were mainly related to those of Firmicutes and clustered into two distinct groups depending on sampling locations. Intertidal samples were dominated by new hydA sequences related to uncultured Firmicutes retrieved from paddy soils, while submarine samples were dominated by diverse hydA sequences affiliated with anaerobic and/or thermophilic submarine Firmicutes pertaining to the orders Thermoanaerobacterales or Clostridiales. The novelty and diversity of these [FeFe]-hydrogenases may reflect the unique environmental conditions prevailing in the PHF (i.e., high-pH, low-salt, mesothermic fluids). In addition, novel alkaliphilic hydrogen-producing Firmicutes (Clostridiales and Bacillales) were successfully isolated from both intertidal and submarine PHF chimney samples. Both molecular and cultivation-based data demonstrated the ability of Firmicutes originating from serpentinite-hosted environments to produce hydrogen by fermentation, potentially contributing to the molecular hydrogen balance in situ.

Autonomous long-term gamma-spectrometric monitoring of submarine groundwater discharge trends in Hawaii

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dulai, Henrietta; Waters, Ch.A.; Kennedy, Joseph; Kamenik, Jan; Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Rez; Babinec, James; Jolly, James; Williamson, Mario

2016-01-01

We developed a fully autonomous underwater gamma-spectrometer for long-term coastal submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) monitoring. The instrument represents a significant improvement over previous submarine gamma-spectrometers in that it is very robust, has high sensitivity allowing high temporal resolution, and is completely autonomous. Here we describe the technical parameters of the new instrument as well as data collected over its 9-month deployment in Kiholo Bay, HI, USA. We also present methods to convert the measured activities to SGD rates. In Kiholo Bay, the derived SGD matched previous estimates but in addition it revealed previously undocumented short- and long-term patterns in SGD. (author)

EFFECTS OF HEAT-FLOW AND HYDROTHERMAL FLUIDS FROM ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Volcanic intrusions and hydrothermal activity have modified the diagenetic minerals. In the Ulster Basin, UK, most of the authigenic mineralization in the Permo-Triassic sandstones pre-dated tertiary volcanic intrusions. The hydrothermal fluids and heat-flow from the volcanic intrusions did not affect quartz and feldspar ...

SCICEX: Submarine Arctic Science Program

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Submarine Arctic Science Program, SCICEX, is a federal interagency collaboration among the operational Navy, research agencies, and the marine research community...

Response to"Analysis of the Treatment, by the U.S. Department of Energy, of the FEP Hydrothermal Activity in the Yucca Mountain Performance Assessment" by Yuri Dublyansky

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Houseworth, J.E.; Hardin, E.

2008-11-17

This paper presents a rebuttal to Dublyansky (2007), which misrepresents technical issues associated with hydrothermal activity at the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository and their importance to the long-term performance of the repository. In this paper, questions associated with hydrothermal activity are reviewed and the justification for exclusion of hydrothermal activity from performance assessment is presented. The hypothesis that hydrothermal upwelling into the present-day unsaturated zone has occurred at Yucca Mountain is refuted by the unambiguous evidence that secondary minerals and fluid inclusions in the unsaturated zone formed in an unsaturated environment from downward percolating meteoric waters. The thermal history at Yucca Mountain, inferred from fluid inclusion and isotopic data, is explained in terms of the tectonic extensional environment and associated silicic magmatism. The waning of tectonic extension over millions of years has led to the present-day heat flux in the Yucca Mountain region that is below average for the Great Basin. The long time scales of tectonic processes are such that any effects of a resumption of extension or silicic magmatism on hydrothermal activity at Yucca Mountain over the 10,000-year regulatory period would be negligible. The conclusion that hydrothermal activity was incorrectly excluded from performance assessment as asserted in Dublyansky (2007) is contradicted by the available technical and regulatory information.

Evidence for recent hydrothermal activity in the Central Indian Basin

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Iyer, S.D.; ShyamPrasad, M.; Gupta, S.M.; Charan, S.N.

fracturing provide conditions conducive to hydrothermal discharge and accumulation of the resultant hydrothermal precipitates (Alt et al., 1987). Bonatti and Joensuu (1966) were among the first to report on the occurrence of spongy iron-oxides from a...-S fracture zones, traverse at 73”E, 76”3O’E and 79”E in the basin (Kamesh Raju, 1993). Many seamounts dot the floor of the CIB (Mukhopadhyay and Khadge, 1990; Kamesh Raju et al., 1993), some of them having caldera (Kodagali, 1991; Kodagali, pers. commun...

Meta-Analysis of Data from the Submarine Ventilation Doctrine Test Program

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Hoover, J

1998-01-01

.... The Submarine Ventilation Doctrine Test Program was developed to address submarine-specific issues regarding the use of ventilation systems to control smoke and heat movement, maintain habitability...

Size distributions and failure initiation of submarine and subaerial landslides

Science.gov (United States)

ten Brink, Uri S.; Barkan, R.; Andrews, B.D.; Chaytor, J.D.

2009-01-01

Landslides are often viewed together with other natural hazards, such as earthquakes and fires, as phenomena whose size distribution obeys an inverse power law. Inverse power law distributions are the result of additive avalanche processes, in which the final size cannot be predicted at the onset of the disturbance. Volume and area distributions of submarine landslides along the U.S. Atlantic continental slope follow a lognormal distribution and not an inverse power law. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we generated area distributions of submarine landslides that show a characteristic size and with few smaller and larger areas, which can be described well by a lognormal distribution. To generate these distributions we assumed that the area of slope failure depends on earthquake magnitude, i.e., that failure occurs simultaneously over the area affected by horizontal ground shaking, and does not cascade from nucleating points. Furthermore, the downslope movement of displaced sediments does not entrain significant amounts of additional material. Our simulations fit well the area distribution of landslide sources along the Atlantic continental margin, if we assume that the slope has been subjected to earthquakes of magnitude ??? 6.3. Regions of submarine landslides, whose area distributions obey inverse power laws, may be controlled by different generation mechanisms, such as the gradual development of fractures in the headwalls of cliffs. The observation of a large number of small subaerial landslides being triggered by a single earthquake is also compatible with the hypothesis that failure occurs simultaneously in many locations within the area affected by ground shaking. Unlike submarine landslides, which are found on large uniformly-dipping slopes, a single large landslide scarp cannot form on land because of the heterogeneous morphology and short slope distances of tectonically-active subaerial regions. However, for a given earthquake magnitude, the total area

Geologic evolution of the Lost City Hydrothermal Field

Science.gov (United States)

Denny, Alden R.; Kelley, Deborah S.; Früh-Green, Gretchen L.

2016-02-01

The Lost City Hydrothermal Field (LCHF) is a novel serpentinite-hosted vent field located on the Atlantis Massif southern wall. Results of 2 m resolution bathymetry, side scan, and video and still imagery, integrated with direct submersible observations provide the first high-resolution geologic map of the LCHF. These data form the foundation for an evolutionary model for the vent system over the past >120,000 years. The field is located on a down-dropped bench 70 m below the summit of the massif. The bench is capped by breccia and pelagic carbonate deposits underlain by variably deformed and altered serpentinite and gabbroic rocks. Hydrothermal activity is focused at the 60 m tall, 100 m across, massive carbonate edifice "Poseidon," which is venting 91°C fluid. Hydrothermal activity declines south and west of the Poseidon complex and dies off completely at distances greater than 200 m. East of Poseidon, the most recent stage of hydrothermal flow is characterized by egress of diffuse fluids from narrow fissures within a low-angle, anastomosing mylonite zone. South of the area of current hydrothermal activity, there is evidence of two discrete previously unrecognized relict fields. Active venting sites defined by carbonate-filled fissures that cut the carbonate cap rock at the summit of the massif mark the present-day northernmost extent of venting. These spatial relationships reflect multiple stages of field development, the northward migration of venting over time, and the likely development of a nascent field at the massif summit.

Displaying Uncertainty: A Comparison Between Submarine Subject Matter Experts

Science.gov (United States)

2007-03-01

known as the “submarine capital of the world” and is the home for many of the schools relating to the submarine service. The administering officer for...and Woods, D. D. (1988). Aiding Human Performance: I. Cognitive Analysis, Le Travail Humain 51(1), 39-64. Roth, E. M., Patterson, E. S., and Mumaw

Hydrothermal Alteration Promotes Humic Acid Formation in Sediments: A Case Study of the Central Indian Ocean Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Sarma, Nittala S.; Kiran, Rayaprolu; Rama Reddy, M.; Iyer, Sridhar D.; Peketi, A.; Borole, D. V.; Krishna, M. S.

2018-01-01

Anomalously high concentrations of humic-rich dissolved organic matter (DOM) in extant submarine hydrothermal vent plumes traveled far from source are increasingly being reported. This DOM, able to mobilize trace metals (e.g., Fe2+) has been hypothesized as originating from organic matter produced by thermogenic bacteria. To eliminate a possible abiogenic origin of this DOM, study is required of well-preserved organic compounds that can be attributed to thermogenic bacteria. The Central Indian Ocean Basin (CIOB) is part of a diffuse plate boundary and an intraplate deformation zone. Coarse fraction (>63 µ) characteristics, mineralogy, magnetic susceptibility, and geochemistry were examined in sediments of a core raised close to a north-south fracture zone near the Equator. Two horizons of distinctly brown-colored sediments were shown as hydrothermally altered from their charred fragments and geochemistry (CaCO3, Corg, Ti/Al, Al/(Al + Fe + Mn), Sr/Ba, Mg/Li, Mn micronodules, Fe/Mn). We examined whether humic substances were preserved in these sediments, and if so whether their carbon isotope distribution would support their hydrothermal origin. Alkali extraction of sediments afforded humic acids (HA) in yields up to 1.2% in the brown sediments. The remaining portions of the core had nil or low concentrations of HA. The carbon of hydrothermal HA is isotopically heavier (average δ13C, ˜ -16.3‰) compared to nonhydrothermal HA (-18.1‰), suggesting that they were probably formed from organic matter that remained after elimination of lighter carbon enriched functional groups during diagenesis. The results provide compelling evidence of HA formation from lipids originating from thermogenic bacteria.

History of Military Psychology at the U. S. Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory

Science.gov (United States)

1979-10-23

the first nuclear submarine, were gigantic increases in the environmental demands imposed upon the submarine crewmembers. Some of these changes had to...urgency for an empirical determination of the maximum duration a submarine could remain submerged before debilitative symptoms appeared in significant

Hydrothermal industrialization: direct heat development. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1982-05-01

A description of hydrothermal resources suitable for direct applications, their associated temperatures, geographic distribution and developable capacity are given. An overview of the hydrothermal direct-heat development infrastructure is presented. Development activity is highlighted by examining known and planned geothermal direct-use applications. Underlying assumptions and results for three studies conducted to determine direct-use market penetration of geothermal energy are discussed.

Dynamic behavior of Kilauea Volcano and its relation to hydrothermal systems and geothermal energy

Science.gov (United States)

Kauhikaua, Jim; Moore, R.B.; ,

1993-01-01

Exploitation of hydrothermal systems on active basaltic volcanoes poses some unique questions about the role of volcanism and hydrothermal system evolution. Volcanic activity creates and maintains hydrothermal systems while earthquakes create permeable fractures that, at least temporarily, enhance circulation. Magma and water, possibly hydrothermal water, can interact violently to produce explosive eruptions. Finally, we speculate on whether volcanic behavior can be affected by high rates of heat extraction.

Situation awareness measures for simulated submarine track management.

Science.gov (United States)

Loft, Shayne; Bowden, Vanessa; Braithwaite, Janelle; Morrell, Daniel B; Huf, Samuel; Durso, Francis T

2015-03-01

The aim of this study was to examine whether the Situation Present Assessment Method (SPAM) and the Situation Awareness Global Assessment Technique (SAGAT) predict incremental variance in performance on a simulated submarine track management task and to measure the potential disruptive effect of these situation awareness (SA) measures. Submarine track managers use various displays to localize and track contacts detected by own-ship sensors. The measurement of SA is crucial for designing effective submarine display interfaces and training programs. Participants monitored a tactical display and sonar bearing-history display to track the cumulative behaviors of contacts in relationship to own-ship position and landmarks. SPAM (or SAGAT) and the Air Traffic Workload Input Technique (ATWIT) were administered during each scenario, and the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) and Situation Awareness Rating Technique were administered postscenario. SPAM and SAGAT predicted variance in performance after controlling for subjective measures of SA and workload, and SA for past information was a stronger predictor than SA for current/future information. The NASA-TLX predicted performance on some tasks. Only SAGAT predicted variance in performance on all three tasks but marginally increased subjective workload. SPAM, SAGAT, and the NASA-TLX can predict unique variance in submarine track management performance. SAGAT marginally increased subjective workload, but this increase did not lead to any performance decrement. Defense researchers have identified SPAM as an alternative to SAGAT because it would not require field exercises involving submarines to be paused. SPAM was not disruptive, but it is potentially problematic that SPAM did not predict variance in all three performance tasks. © 2014, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Risk factors for dermatitis in submariners during a submerged patrol: an observational cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Flaxman, Amy; Allen, Elizabeth; Lindemann, Claudia; Yamaguchi, Yuko; O'Shea, Matthew K; Fallowfield, Joanne L; Lindsay, Michael; Gunner, Frances; Knox, Kyle; Wyllie, David H

2016-06-02

The aim of this pilot study was to determine risk factors, including Staphylococcus aureus nasal carriage, for dermatitis in submariners during a submarine patrol. 36 submariners undertaking a submerged 6-week patrol participated in the study. Severity of dermatitis and its impact was assessed using visual analogue scales and questionnaires at baseline and weekly throughout the patrol. S. aureus carriage levels in submariners were determined by nasal swabbing at baseline and shortly before disembarking the submarine. Occurrence of any skin or soft tissue infections (SSTI) were reported to the medical officer and swabs of the area were taken for subsequent analysis. S. aureus carriers were significantly more likely than non-carriers to have previously received treatment for a cutaneous abscess (39% vs 5%, OR=13 (95% CI 1.3 to 130)) with a trend to being submariners longer (p=0.051). Skin scores at baseline and on patrol were not significantly associated with carriage status. Higher dermatitis scores were observed in those who had been submariners longer (p=0.045). Smoking and allergies were not found to be linked to carriage status or skin health score in this cohort. This small pilot study investigates S. aureus carriage status and skin health in submariners. Length of submarine service but not S. aureus carriage was identified as a risk factor for worsening skin health in this small cohort during a 6-week patrol. This does not support S. aureus decolonisation to improve skin health in this population. Further investigation into causes of dermatitis in submariners is required. This data supports a better understanding of the potential impact of exposure to environmental factors that could affect skin health in submariners. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Go big or die out: Bifurcation and bimodality in submarine sediment flow behaviour

Science.gov (United States)

Talling, P.; Paull, C. K.; Lintern, G.; Gwiazda, R.; Cartigny, M.; Hughes Clarke, J. E.; Xu, J.; Clare, M. A.; Parsons, D. R.; Simmons, S.; Maier, K. L.; Gales, J. A.; Hage, S.; McGann, M.; Pope, E.; Rosenberger, K. J.; Stacey, C.; Barry, J.; Lundsten, E. M.; Anderson, K.; O'Reilly, T. C.; Chapplow, N.; Vendettuoli, D.

2017-12-01

Submarine flows of sediment (turbidity currents) flush globally significant volumes of sediment and organic carbon into deep-sea basins. These flows create the largest sediment accumulations on Earth, which hold valuable oil and gas reserves. These flows affect global carbon burial, how deep-sea ecosystems function, and pose a hazard to offshore infrastructure. Only river systems transport such large amounts of sediment across such long distances. However, there are remarkably few direct measurements from active submarine flows, which is a stark contrast to >1 million direct observations from rivers. Here we present unusually detailed information on frequency, power and runout distance of multiple submarine flows at two contrasting locations. The first data set comes from Monterey Canyon, offshore California, which is fed by littoral cells. The second site is a river-fed delta in Bute Inlet, British Columbia. In both cases, the timing and runout distance of submarine flows was documented using instruments on multiple moorings placed along the 50-km long flow pathway. A striking observation is that flow behaviour and runout is strongly bimodal in both locations. Flows tend to either dissipate rapidly, or runout through the entire mooring arrays. We thus test whether i) the character of short or long runout flows can be distinguished at the first mooring and ii) whether long and short runout flows have different triggers. It has been proposed that submarine flows have two modes of behaviour; either eroding and accelerating, or depositing and dissipating. These field data support such a view of bifurcation and bimodality in flow behaviour. However, some short runout flows resemble their longer runout cousins at the first mooring, and there is no clear relationship between flow trigger and runout. Thus, some flows reach a point where their character is no longer dependent on their initial trigger or initial structure, but on factors acting along the flow pathway.

Submarines, spacecraft and exhaled breath.

Science.gov (United States)

Pleil, Joachim D; Hansel, Armin

2012-03-01

Foreword The International Association of Breath Research (IABR) meetings are an eclectic gathering of researchers in the medical, environmental and instrumentation fields; our focus is on human health as assessed by the measurement and interpretation of trace chemicals in human exhaled breath. What may have escaped our notice is a complementary field of research that explores the creation and maintenance of artificial atmospheres practised by the submarine air monitoring and air purification (SAMAP) community. SAMAP is comprised of manufacturers, researchers and medical professionals dealing with the engineering and instrumentation to support human life in submarines and spacecraft (including shuttlecraft and manned rockets, high-altitude aircraft, and the International Space Station (ISS)). Here, the immediate concerns are short-term survival and long-term health in fairly confined environments where one cannot simply 'open the window' for fresh air. As such, one of the main concerns is air monitoring and the main sources of contamination are CO(2) and other constituents of human exhaled breath. Since the inaugural meeting in 1994 in Adelaide, Australia, SAMAP meetings have been held every two or three years alternating between the North American and European continents. The meetings are organized by Dr Wally Mazurek (a member of IABR) of the Defense Systems Technology Organization (DSTO) of Australia, and individual meetings are co-hosted by the navies of the countries in which they are held. An overriding focus at SAMAP is life support (oxygen availability and carbon dioxide removal). Certainly, other air constituents are also important; for example, the closed environment of a submarine or the ISS can build up contaminants from consumer products, cooking, refrigeration, accidental fires, propulsion and atmosphere maintenance. However, the most immediate concern is sustaining human metabolism: removing exhaled CO(2) and replacing metabolized O(2). Another

An Air Quality Assessment Onboard an Oberon Class Submarine: HMCS Okanagan

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Severs, Y

2000-01-01

... submarine to determine if the atmosphere complied with Air Purification Standard BR 1326. The objective of the study was to obtain information to assist in developing plans for future submarine air quality management...

An air quality assessment onboard an Oberon class submarine : HMCS Okanagan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Severs, Y.D.; Sabiston, B.H.

2000-09-01

The Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine (DCIEM) re-examined the air quality on an Oberon class submarine, the HMCS Okanagan, to determine if the atmosphere complied with Air Purification Standard BR 1326. The main objective of the assessment was to help in the development of future submarine air quality management. The information obtained from the Oberon class submarine could be readily applied to the Victoria class submarines. The assessment involved a trial aboard an Oberon under patrol conditions. The functional and detection capabilities of analytical air monitoring instruments were assessed for a 24-hour period to obtain data regarding the contaminants onboard the submarine. A profile of carbon dioxide accumulation and oxygen consumption was determined. This was followed by an assessment of the effectiveness of air purification such as carbon dioxide scrubbing, oxygen generation and snorting. Carbon monoxide was also monitored and carboxyhemoglobin was measured in both smokers and non-smokers. In order to determine if the sanitary or electrical systems, or engine exhaust posed any danger, ammonia, ozone and nitrous compounds were also measured. In addition, hydrogen, arsine and stibene were monitored to determine any possible danger from charging batteries. The health risks associated with aerosolized particles from cooking, smoking and exhaust gases were also measured. Results showed that all contaminants were within allowable limits. However, the study also confirmed that air purification measures on diesel submarines are minimal and poorly placed and that there is a lack of exhaust ventilation. Poor air exchange was worsened by compartmentalization and blackout curtains. Several recommendations were proposed to improve the management of air quality in Victoria class submarines. 18 refs., 2 tabs., 5 figs

An air quality assessment onboard an Oberon class submarine : HMCS Okanagan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Severs, Y.D.; Sabiston, B.H.

2000-09-01

The Defence and Civil Institute of Environmental Medicine (DCIEM) re-examined the air quality on an Oberon class submarine, the HMCS Okanagan, to determine if the atmosphere complied with Air Purification Standard BR 1326. The main objective of the assessment was to help in the development of future submarine air quality management. The information obtained from the Oberon class submarine could be readily applied to the Victoria class submarines. The assessment involved a trial aboard an Oberon under patrol conditions. The functional and detection capabilities of analytical air monitoring instruments were assessed for a 24-hour period to obtain data regarding the contaminants onboard the submarine. A profile of carbon dioxide accumulation and oxygen consumption was determined. This was followed by an assessment of the effectiveness of air purification such as carbon dioxide scrubbing, oxygen generation and snorting. Carbon monoxide was also monitored and carboxyhemoglobin was measured in both smokers and non-smokers. In order to determine if the sanitary or electrical systems, or engine exhaust posed any danger, ammonia, ozone and nitrous compounds were also measured. In addition, hydrogen, arsine and stibene were monitored to determine any possible danger from charging batteries. The health risks associated with aerosolized particles from cooking, smoking and exhaust gases were also measured. Results showed that all contaminants were within allowable limits. However, the study also confirmed that air purification measures on diesel submarines are minimal and poorly placed and that there is a lack of exhaust ventilation. Poor air exchange was worsened by compartmentalization and blackout curtains. Several recommendations were proposed to improve the management of air quality in Victoria class submarines. 18 refs., 2 tabs., 5 figs.

Exploration of submarine wake and powering performance using CFD method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huizhi, Y.; Hongcui, S.; Nan, Z.; Renyou, Y.; Liangmei, Y.

2005-01-01

In response to the needs of better design and less time, Computational Fluid Dynamic(CFD) methods have become an impartible part in the ship design, especially in the earlier design phases. In this paper FLUENT software was used to predict the wake character and powering performance of submarine at model scale. By an effective combination of the block topology, grid, turbulence model and validation, the simulation scheme was developed and applied to the predictions of multiple designs and optimizations of the earlier submarine design iterations. The incompressible RANS equations with different turbulence models were solved. To handle the block interface between the propeller and submarine stern, sliding girds in multiple blocks were employed, unstructural grids were used in the block around the propeller. Submarine with/without stator and/or propeller were studied. The flow feature, forces and powering performance at various conditions were calculated. The results were compared with experimental data, and a good agreement was obtained. (author)

Fuel-cell-propelled submarine-tanker-system study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Court, K.E.; Kumm, W.H.; O'Callaghan, J.E.

1982-06-01

This report provides a systems analysis of a commercial Arctic Ocean submarine tanker system to carry fossil energy to markets. The submarine is to be propelled by a modular Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cell system. The power level is 20 Megawatts. The DOE developed electric utility type fuel cell will be fueled with methanol. Oxidant will be provided from a liquid oxygen tank carried onboard. The twin screw submarine tanker design is sized at 165,000 deadweight tons and the study includes costs and an economic analysis of the transport system of 6 ships. The route will be under the polar icecap from a loading terminal located off Prudhoe Bay, Alaska to a transshipment facility postulated to be in a Norwegian fjord. The system throughput of the gas-fed methanol cargo will be 450,000 barrels per day. The total delivered cost of the methanol including well head purchase price of natural gas, methanol production, and shipping would be $25/bbl from Alaska to the US East Coast. Of this, the shipping cost is $6.80/bbl. All costs in 1981 dollars

Formation of submarine gas hydrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soloviev, V.; Ginsburg, G.D. (Reserch Institute of Geology and Mineral Resources of the Ocean ' ' VNII Okeangeologia' ' , St. Petersburg (Russian Federation))

1994-03-01

Submarine gas hydrates have been discoverd in the course of deep-sea drilling (DSDP and ODP) and bottom sampling in many offshore regions. This paper reports on expeditions carried out in the Black, Caspian and Okhotsk Seas. Gas hydrate accumulations were discovered and investigated in all these areas. The data and an analysis of the results of the deep-sea drilling programme suggest that the infiltration of gas-bearing fluids is a necessary condition for gas hydrate accumulation. This is confirmed by geological observations at three scale levels. Firstly, hydrates in cores are usually associated with comparatively coarse-grained, permeable sediments as well as voids and fractures. Secondly, hydrate accumulations are controlled by permeable geological structures, i.e. faults, diapirs, mud volcanos as well as layered sequences. Thirdly, in the worldwide scale, hydrate accumulations are characteristic of continental slopes and rises and intra-continental seas where submarine seepages also are widespread. Both biogenic and catagenic gas may occur, and the gas sources may be located at various distances from the accumulation. Gas hydrates presumably originate from water-dissolved gas. The possibility of a transition from dissolved gas into hydrate is confirmed by experimental data. Shallow gas hydrate accumulations associated with gas-bearing fluid plumes are the most convenient features for the study of submarine hydrate formation in general. These accumulations are known from the Black, Caspian and Okhotsk Seas, the Gulf of Mexico and off northern California. (au) (24 refs.)

Hydrothermal activity, functional diversity and chemoautotrophy are major drivers of seafloor carbon cycling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bell, J.B.; Woulds, C.; van Oevelen, D.

2017-01-01

Hydrothermal vents are highly dynamic ecosystems and are unusually energy rich in the deep-sea. Insitu hydrothermal-based productivity combined with sinking photosynthetic organic matter in a softsedimentsetting creates geochemically diverse environments, which remain poorly studied. Here,we use

Diffuse flow hydrothermal manganese mineralization along the active Mariana and southern Izu-Bonin arc system, western Pacific

Science.gov (United States)

Hein, James R.; Schulz, Marjorie S.; Dunham, Rachel E.; Stern, Robert J.; Bloomer, Sherman H.

2008-08-01

Abundant ferromanganese oxides were collected along 1200 km of the active Izu-Bonin-Mariana arc system. Chemical compositions and mineralogy show that samples were collected from two deposit types: Fe-Mn crusts of mixed hydrogenetic/hydrothermal origin and hydrothermal Mn oxide deposits; this paper addresses only the second type. Mn oxides cement volcaniclastic and biogenic sandstone and breccia layers (Mn sandstone) and form discrete dense stratabound layers along bedding planes and within beds (stratabound Mn). The Mn oxide was deposited within coarse-grained sediments from diffuse flow systems where precipitation occurred below the seafloor. Deposits were exposed at the seabed by faulting, mass wasting, and erosion. Scanning electron microscopy and microprobe analyses indicate the presence of both amorphous and crystalline 10 Å and 7 Å manganate minerals, the fundamental chemical difference being high water contents in the amorphous Mn oxides. Alternation of amorphous and crystalline laminae occurs in many samples, which likely resulted from initial rapid precipitation of amorphous Mn oxides from waxing pulses of hydrothermal fluids followed by precipitation of slow forming crystallites during waning stages. The chemical composition is characteristic of a hydrothermal origin including strong fractionation between Fe (mean 0.9 wt %) and Mn (mean 48 wt %) for the stratabound Mn, generally low trace metal contents, and very low rare earth element and platinum group element contents. However, Mo, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Co occur in high concentrations in some samples and may be good indicator elements for proximity to the heat source or to massive sulfide deposits. For the Mn sandstones, Fe (mean 8.4%) and Mn (12.4%) are not significantly fractionated because of high Fe contents in the volcaniclastic material. However, the proportion of hydrothermal Fe (nondetrital Fe) to total Fe is remarkably constant (49-58%) for all the sample groups, regardless of the degree of

Diffuse flow hydrothermal manganese mineralization along the active Mariana and southern Izu-Bonin arc system, western Pacific

Science.gov (United States)

Hein, J.R.; Schulz, M.S.; Dunham, R.E.; Stern, R.J.; Bloomer, S.H.

2008-01-01

Abundant ferromanganese oxides were collected along 1200 km of the active Izu-Bonin-Mariana arc system. Chemical compositions and mineralogy show that samples were collected from two deposit types: Fe-Mn crusts of mixed hydrogenetic/hydrothermal origin and hydrothermal Mn oxide deposits; this paper addresses only the second type. Mn oxides cement volcaniclastic and biogenic sandstone and breccia layers (Mn sandstone) and form discrete dense stratabound layers along bedding planes and within beds (stratabound Mn). The Mn oxide was deposited within coarse-grained sediments from diffuse flow systems where precipitation occurred below the seafloor. Deposits were exposed at the seabed by faulting, mass wasting, and erosion. Scanning electron microscopy and microprobe analyses indicate the presence of both amorphous and crystalline 10 ?? and 7 ?? manganate minerals, the fundamental chemical difference being high water contents in the amorphous Mn oxides. Alternation of amorphous and crystalline laminae occurs in many samples, which likely resulted from initial rapid precipitation of amorphous Mn oxides from waxing pulses of hydrothermal fluids followed by precipitation of slow forming crystallites during waning stages. The chemical composition is characteristic of a hydrothermal origin including strong fractionation between Fe (mean 0.9 wt %) and Mn (mean 48 wt %) for the stratabound Mn, generally low trace metal contents, and very low rare earth element and platinum group element contents. However, Mo, Cd, Zn, Cu, Ni, and Co occur in high concentrations in some samples and may be good indicator elements for proximity to the heat source or to massive sulfide deposits. For the Mn sandstones, Fe (mean-8.4%) and Mn (12.4%) are not significantly fractionated because of high Fe contents in the volcaniclastic material. However, the proportion of hydrothermal Fe (nondetrital Fe) to total Fe is remarkably constant (49-58%) for all the sample groups, regardless of the degree of

Monitoring El Hierro submarine volcanic eruption events with a submarine seismic array

Science.gov (United States)

Jurado, Maria Jose; Molino, Erik; Lopez, Carmen

2013-04-01

A submarine volcanic eruption took place near the southernmost emerged land of the El Hierro Island (Canary Islands, Spain), from October 2011 to February 2012. The Instituto Geografico Nacional (IGN) seismic stations network evidenced seismic unrest since July 2012 and was a reference also to follow the evolution of the seismic activity associated with the volcanic eruption. From the beginning of the eruption a geophone string was installed less than 2 km away from the new volcano, next to La Restinga village shore, to record seismic activity related to the volcanic activity, continuously and with special interest on high frequency events. The seismic array was endowed with 8, high frequency, 3 component, 250 Hz, geophone cable string with a separation of 6 m between them. The analysis of the dataset using spectral techniques allows the characterization of the different phases of the eruption and the study of its dynamics. The correlation of the data analysis results with the observed sea surface activity (ash and lava emission and degassing) and also with the seismic activity recorded by the IGN field seismic monitoring system, allows the identification of different stages suggesting the existence of different signal sources during the volcanic eruption and also the posteruptive record of the degassing activity. The study shows that the high frequency capability of the geophone array allow the study of important features that cannot be registered by the standard seismic stations. The accumulative spectral amplitude show features related to eruptive changes.

Key factors influencing rates of heterotrophic sulfate reduction in active seafloor hydrothermal massive sulfide deposits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kiana Laieikawai Frank

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Hydrothermal vents are thermally and geochemically dynamic habitats, and the organisms therein are subject to steep gradients in temperature and chemistry. To date, the influence of these environmental dynamics on microbial sulfate reduction has not been well constrained. Here, via multivariate experiments, we evaluate the effects of key environmental variables (temperature, pH, H2S, SO42-, DOC on sulfate reduction rates and metabolic energy yields in material recovered from a hydrothermal flange from the Grotto edifice in the Main Endeavor Field, Juan de Fuca Ridge. Sulfate reduction was measured in batch reactions across a range of physico-chemical conditions. Temperature and pH were the strongest stimuli, and maximum sulfate reduction rates were observed at 50 °C and pH 6, suggesting that the in situ community of sulfate-reducing organisms in Grotto flanges may be most active in a slightly acidic and moderate thermal/chemical regime. At pH 4, sulfate reduction rates increased with sulfide concentrations most likely due to the mitigation of metal toxicity. While substrate concentrations also influenced sulfate reduction rates, energy-rich conditions muted the effect of metabolic energetics on sulfate reduction rates. We posit that variability in sulfate reduction rates reflect the response of the active microbial consortia to environmental constraints on in situ microbial physiology, toxicity, and the type and extent of energy limitation. These experiments help to constrain models of the spatial contribution of heterotrophic sulfate reduction within the complex gradients inherent to seafloor hydrothermal deposits.

Environmental assessment of submarine power cables

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Isus, Daniel; Martinez, Juan D. [Grupo General Cable Sistemas, S.A., 08560-Manlleu, Barcelona (Spain); Arteche, Amaya; Del Rio, Carmen; Madina, Virginia [Tecnalia Research and Innovation, 20009 San Sebastian (Spain)

2011-03-15

Extensive analyses conducted by the European Community revealed that offshore wind energy have relatively benign effects on the marine environment by comparison to other forms of electric power generation [1]. However, the materials employed in offshore wind power farms suffer major changes to be confined to the marine environment at extreme conditions: saline medium, hydrostatic pressure... which can produce an important corrosion effect. This phenomenon can affect on the one hand, to the material from the structural viewpoint and on the other hand, to the marine environment. In this sense, to better understand the environmental impacts of generating electricity from offshore wind energy, this study evaluated the life cycle assessment for some new designs of submarine power cables developed by General Cable. To achieve this goal, three approaches have been carried out: leaching tests, eco-toxicity tests and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies. All of them are aimed to obtaining quantitative data for environmental assessment of selected submarine cables. LCA is a method used to assess environmental aspects and potential impacts of a product or activity. LCA does not include financial and social factors, which means that the results of an LCA cannot exclusively form the basis for assessment of a product's sustainability. Leaching tests results allowed to conclude that pH of seawater did not significantly changed by the presence of submarine three-core cables. Although, it was slightly higher in case of broken cable, pH values were nearly equals. Concerning to the heavy metals which could migrate to the aquatic medium, there were significant differences in both scenarios. The leaching of zinc is the major environmental concern during undersea operation of undamaged cables whereas the fully sectioned three-core cable produced the migration of significant quantities of copper and iron apart from the zinc migrated from the galvanized steel. Thus, the tar

Environmental assessment of submarine power cables

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isus, Daniel; Martinez, Juan D.; Arteche, Amaya; Del Rio, Carmen; Madina, Virginia

2011-03-01

Extensive analyses conducted by the European Community revealed that offshore wind energy have relatively benign effects on the marine environment by comparison to other forms of electric power generation [1]. However, the materials employed in offshore wind power farms suffer major changes to be confined to the marine environment at extreme conditions: saline medium, hydrostatic pressure... which can produce an important corrosion effect. This phenomenon can affect on the one hand, to the material from the structural viewpoint and on the other hand, to the marine environment. In this sense, to better understand the environmental impacts of generating electricity from offshore wind energy, this study evaluated the life cycle assessment for some new designs of submarine power cables developed by General Cable. To achieve this goal, three approaches have been carried out: leaching tests, eco-toxicity tests and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodologies. All of them are aimed to obtaining quantitative data for environmental assessment of selected submarine cables. LCA is a method used to assess environmental aspects and potential impacts of a product or activity. LCA does not include financial and social factors, which means that the results of an LCA cannot exclusively form the basis for assessment of a product's sustainability. Leaching tests results allowed to conclude that pH of seawater did not significantly changed by the presence of submarine three-core cables. Although, it was slightly higher in case of broken cable, pH values were nearly equals. Concerning to the heavy metals which could migrate to the aquatic medium, there were significant differences in both scenarios. The leaching of zinc is the major environmental concern during undersea operation of undamaged cables whereas the fully sectioned three-core cable produced the migration of significant quantities of copper and iron apart from the zinc migrated from the galvanized steel. Thus, the tar

Submarine canyons off Madras Coast

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Setty, M.G.A.P.

Submarine canyons off the coast of Madras, Tamil Nadu, India were studied during cruise of @iINS Kistna@@ as part of the IIOE programme They consist of hill-like projections and V-shaped valleys Their other features are also reported...

The missing link between submarine volcano and promising geothermal potential in Jinshan, Northern Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, S. C.; Hutchings, L.; Chang, C. C.; Lee, C. S.

2017-12-01

The Tatun volcanic group (TVG) and the Keelung submarine volcano (KSV) are active volcanoes and surrounding three nuclear plant sites in north Taiwan. The famous Jinshan-Wanli hot springs locates between TVG and KSV, moreover, the geochemical anomalies of acidic boiling springs on the seacoast infer that the origin is from magmatic fluids, sea water and meteoric water mixture, strongly implying that mantle fluids ascends into the shallow crust. The evidence for a magma chamber, submarine volcano, and boiling springs have a close spatial relationship. Based on UNECE specifications to Geothermal Energy Resources (2016), the Jinshan-Wanli geothermal area could be classified as Known Geothermal Energy Source for geothermal direct use and Potential Geothermal Energy Source for conventional geothermal system. High resolution reservoir exploration and modeling in Jinshan-Wanli geothermal area is developing for drilling risk mitigation. The geothermal team of National Taiwan Ocean University and local experts are cooperating for further exploration drilling and geothermal source evaluation. Keywords: geothermal resource evaluation, Jinshan-Wanli geothermal area, submarine volcano

Synthesis of ZnO nanorod–nanosheet composite via facile hydrothermal method and their photocatalytic activities under visible-light irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tan, Wai Kian [Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580 (Japan); Abdul Razak, Khairunisak; Lockman, Zainovia [School of Materials and Mineral Resources, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Engineering Campus, 14300 Nibong Tebal, Pulau Pinang (Malaysia); Kawamura, Go; Muto, Hiroyuki [Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580 (Japan); Matsuda, Atsunori, E-mail: matsuda@ee.tut.ac.jp [Department of Electrical and Electronic Information Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580 (Japan)

2014-03-15

ZnO composite films consisting of ZnO nanorods and nanosheets were prepared by low-temperature hydrothermal processing at 80 °C on seeded glass substrates. The seed layer was coated on glass substrates by sol–gel dip-coating and pre-heated at 300 °C for 10 min prior to hydrothermal growth. The size of the grain formed after pre-heat treatment was ∼40 nm. A preferred orientation seed layer at the c-axis was obtained, which promoted vertical growth of the ZnO nanorod arrays and formation of the ZnO nanosheets. X-ray diffraction patterns and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM) images confirmed that the ZnO nanorods and nanosheets consist of single crystalline and polycrystalline structures, respectively. Room temperature photoluminescence spectra of the ZnO nanorod–nanosheet composite films exhibited band-edge ultraviolet (UV) and visible emission (blue and green) indicating the formation of ZnO crystals with good crystallinity and are supported by Raman scattering results. The formation of one-dimensional (1D) ZnO nanorod arrays and two-dimensional (2D) ZnO nanosheet films using seeded substrates in a single low-temperature hydrothermal step would be beneficial for realization of device applications that utilize substrates with limited temperature stability. The ZnO nanorods and nanosheets composite structure demonstrated higher photocatalytic activity during degradation of aqueous methylene blue under visible-light irradiation. -- Graphical abstract: Schematic illustration of ZnO nanorod–nanosheet composite structure formation by hydrothermal at low-temperature of 80 °C against time. Highlights: • Novel simultaneous formation of ZnO nanorods and nanosheets composite structure. • Facile single hydrothermal step formation at low-temperature. • Photoluminescence showed ultraviolet and visible emission. • Feasible application on substrates with low temperature stability. • Improved photocatalytic activity under visible

Extreme hydrothermal conditions at an active plate-bounding fault

Science.gov (United States)

Sutherland, Rupert; Townend, John; Toy, Virginia; Upton, Phaedra; Coussens, Jamie; Allen, Michael; Baratin, Laura-May; Barth, Nicolas; Becroft, Leeza; Boese, Carolin; Boles, Austin; Boulton, Carolyn; Broderick, Neil G. R.; Janku-Capova, Lucie; Carpenter, Brett M.; Célérier, Bernard; Chamberlain, Calum; Cooper, Alan; Coutts, Ashley; Cox, Simon; Craw, Lisa; Doan, Mai-Linh; Eccles, Jennifer; Faulkner, Dan; Grieve, Jason; Grochowski, Julia; Gulley, Anton; Hartog, Arthur; Howarth, Jamie; Jacobs, Katrina; Jeppson, Tamara; Kato, Naoki; Keys, Steven; Kirilova, Martina; Kometani, Yusuke; Langridge, Rob; Lin, Weiren; Little, Timothy; Lukacs, Adrienn; Mallyon, Deirdre; Mariani, Elisabetta; Massiot, Cécile; Mathewson, Loren; Melosh, Ben; Menzies, Catriona; Moore, Jo; Morales, Luiz; Morgan, Chance; Mori, Hiroshi; Niemeijer, Andre; Nishikawa, Osamu; Prior, David; Sauer, Katrina; Savage, Martha; Schleicher, Anja; Schmitt, Douglas R.; Shigematsu, Norio; Taylor-Offord, Sam; Teagle, Damon; Tobin, Harold; Valdez, Robert; Weaver, Konrad; Wiersberg, Thomas; Williams, Jack; Woodman, Nick; Zimmer, Martin

2017-06-01

Temperature and fluid pressure conditions control rock deformation and mineralization on geological faults, and hence the distribution of earthquakes. Typical intraplate continental crust has hydrostatic fluid pressure and a near-surface thermal gradient of 31 ± 15 degrees Celsius per kilometre. At temperatures above 300-450 degrees Celsius, usually found at depths greater than 10-15 kilometres, the intra-crystalline plasticity of quartz and feldspar relieves stress by aseismic creep and earthquakes are infrequent. Hydrothermal conditions control the stability of mineral phases and hence frictional-mechanical processes associated with earthquake rupture cycles, but there are few temperature and fluid pressure data from active plate-bounding faults. Here we report results from a borehole drilled into the upper part of the Alpine Fault, which is late in its cycle of stress accumulation and expected to rupture in a magnitude 8 earthquake in the coming decades. The borehole (depth 893 metres) revealed a pore fluid pressure gradient exceeding 9 ± 1 per cent above hydrostatic levels and an average geothermal gradient of 125 ± 55 degrees Celsius per kilometre within the hanging wall of the fault. These extreme hydrothermal conditions result from rapid fault movement, which transports rock and heat from depth, and topographically driven fluid movement that concentrates heat into valleys. Shear heating may occur within the fault but is not required to explain our observations. Our data and models show that highly anomalous fluid pressure and temperature gradients in the upper part of the seismogenic zone can be created by positive feedbacks between processes of fault slip, rock fracturing and alteration, and landscape development at plate-bounding faults.

Extreme hydrothermal conditions at an active plate-bounding fault.

Science.gov (United States)

Sutherland, Rupert; Townend, John; Toy, Virginia; Upton, Phaedra; Coussens, Jamie; Allen, Michael; Baratin, Laura-May; Barth, Nicolas; Becroft, Leeza; Boese, Carolin; Boles, Austin; Boulton, Carolyn; Broderick, Neil G R; Janku-Capova, Lucie; Carpenter, Brett M; Célérier, Bernard; Chamberlain, Calum; Cooper, Alan; Coutts, Ashley; Cox, Simon; Craw, Lisa; Doan, Mai-Linh; Eccles, Jennifer; Faulkner, Dan; Grieve, Jason; Grochowski, Julia; Gulley, Anton; Hartog, Arthur; Howarth, Jamie; Jacobs, Katrina; Jeppson, Tamara; Kato, Naoki; Keys, Steven; Kirilova, Martina; Kometani, Yusuke; Langridge, Rob; Lin, Weiren; Little, Timothy; Lukacs, Adrienn; Mallyon, Deirdre; Mariani, Elisabetta; Massiot, Cécile; Mathewson, Loren; Melosh, Ben; Menzies, Catriona; Moore, Jo; Morales, Luiz; Morgan, Chance; Mori, Hiroshi; Niemeijer, Andre; Nishikawa, Osamu; Prior, David; Sauer, Katrina; Savage, Martha; Schleicher, Anja; Schmitt, Douglas R; Shigematsu, Norio; Taylor-Offord, Sam; Teagle, Damon; Tobin, Harold; Valdez, Robert; Weaver, Konrad; Wiersberg, Thomas; Williams, Jack; Woodman, Nick; Zimmer, Martin

2017-06-01

Temperature and fluid pressure conditions control rock deformation and mineralization on geological faults, and hence the distribution of earthquakes. Typical intraplate continental crust has hydrostatic fluid pressure and a near-surface thermal gradient of 31 ± 15 degrees Celsius per kilometre. At temperatures above 300-450 degrees Celsius, usually found at depths greater than 10-15 kilometres, the intra-crystalline plasticity of quartz and feldspar relieves stress by aseismic creep and earthquakes are infrequent. Hydrothermal conditions control the stability of mineral phases and hence frictional-mechanical processes associated with earthquake rupture cycles, but there are few temperature and fluid pressure data from active plate-bounding faults. Here we report results from a borehole drilled into the upper part of the Alpine Fault, which is late in its cycle of stress accumulation and expected to rupture in a magnitude 8 earthquake in the coming decades. The borehole (depth 893 metres) revealed a pore fluid pressure gradient exceeding 9 ± 1 per cent above hydrostatic levels and an average geothermal gradient of 125 ± 55 degrees Celsius per kilometre within the hanging wall of the fault. These extreme hydrothermal conditions result from rapid fault movement, which transports rock and heat from depth, and topographically driven fluid movement that concentrates heat into valleys. Shear heating may occur within the fault but is not required to explain our observations. Our data and models show that highly anomalous fluid pressure and temperature gradients in the upper part of the seismogenic zone can be created by positive feedbacks between processes of fault slip, rock fracturing and alteration, and landscape development at plate-bounding faults.

Airborne Radar Search for Diesel Submarines

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Pilnick, Steven E; Landa, Jose

2005-01-01

.... In this research, a detection rate model is developed to analyze the effectiveness of airborne radar search for a diesel submarine assumed to be intermittently operating with periscopes or masts...

Mineralogy and geological significance of hydrothermal deposits from the Okinawa Trough

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xia; Zhai, Shikui; Yu, Zenghui; Wang, Shujie; Cai, Zongwei

2018-04-01

The study of hydrothermal deposits in the Okinawa Trough can help us to uncover the hydrothermal mineralization characteristics in the back-arc basin during the early expanding stage. Mineralogy and geological significance of hydrothermal deposits from both the middle and southern trough are studied in this paper. First of all, using optical microscope to confirm the mineral compositions, characteristics of crystal shape, paragenetic relationship and minerals crystallization order. Then the minerals chemical composition were analyzed in virtue of electron microprobe. On these basis, the paragenetic sequence and the mineralization characteristics of the hydrothermal deposits were discussed. The results show that the hydrothermal deposit from the mid-Okinawa Trough belongs to Zn-Cu-rich type, consisting dominantly of sulfide minerals such as sphalerite, chalcopyrite, pyrite, etc. The minerals crystallization order is first generation pyrite(PyI)-sphalerite-chalcopyrite-galena-second generation pyrite(PyII)-amorphous silica. While the deposit from the southern Okinawa Trough is Ba-Zn-Pb-rich type mainly composing of barite, sphalerite, galena, etc. The minerals crystallization order is barite-pyrite-sphalerite-tetrahedrite-galena-chalcopyrite-amorphous silica. Hydrothermal fluid temperature in the mid-Okinawa Trough undergoes a process from high to low, which is high up to 350 °C in the early stage, but decreasing gradually with the evolution of hydrothermal fluid. On the contrary, the hydrothermal activity in the southern Okinawa Trough is low temperature dominated, but the mineralization environment is unstable and the fluid temperature changes drastically during the period of hydrothermal activity.

Environmental monitoring of El Hierro Island submarine volcano, by combining low and high resolution satellite imagery

Science.gov (United States)

Eugenio, F.; Martin, J.; Marcello, J.; Fraile-Nuez, E.

2014-06-01

El Hierro Island, located at the Canary Islands Archipelago in the Atlantic coast of North Africa, has been rocked by thousands of tremors and earthquakes since July 2011. Finally, an underwater volcanic eruption started 300 m below sea level on October 10, 2011. Since then, regular multidisciplinary monitoring has been carried out in order to quantify the environmental impacts caused by the submarine eruption. Thanks to this natural tracer release, multisensorial satellite imagery obtained from MODIS and MERIS sensors have been processed to monitor the volcano activity and to provide information on the concentration of biological, chemical and physical marine parameters. Specifically, low resolution satellite estimations of optimal diffuse attenuation coefficient (Kd) and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration under these abnormal conditions have been assessed. These remote sensing data have played a fundamental role during field campaigns guiding the oceanographic vessel to the appropriate sampling areas. In addition, to analyze El Hierro submarine volcano area, WorldView-2 high resolution satellite spectral bands were atmospherically and deglinted processed prior to obtain a high-resolution optimal diffuse attenuation coefficient model. This novel algorithm was developed using a matchup data set with MERIS and MODIS data, in situ transmittances measurements and a seawater radiative transfer model. Multisensor and multitemporal imagery processed from satellite remote sensing sensors have demonstrated to be a powerful tool for monitoring the submarine volcanic activities, such as discolored seawater, floating material and volcanic plume, having shown the capabilities to improve the understanding of submarine volcanic processes.

New infrastructure at Alboran island (Western Mediterranean): a submarine and on-land Geophysical Observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Pazos, Antonio; Martín Davila, José; Buforn, Elisa; Jesús García Fernández, Maria; Bullón, Mercedes; Gárate, Jorge

2010-05-01

The Eurasian-African plate boundary crosses the called "Ibero-Maghrebian" region from San Vicente Cape (SW Portugal) to Tunisia including the South of Iberia, Alboran Sea, and northern of Morocco and Algeria. The low convergence rate at this plate boundary produces a continuous moderate seismic activity of low magnitude and shallow depth, where the occurrence of large earthquakes is separated by long time intervals. In this region, there are also intermediate and very deep earthquakes. Since more than hundred years ago San Fernando Naval Observatory (ROA), in collaboration with other Institutes, has deployed different geophysical and geodetic equipment in the Southern Spain - North-western Africa area in order to study this broad deformation. Currently a Broad Band seismic net (Western Mediterranean, WM net), a permanent geodetic GPS net and a Geomagnetic Observatory have been installed by ROA in this area. To complement the available data, since past October a permanent marine-on land geophysical observatory is being installed by ROA in Alboran Island and surrounding marine zones. Till now the following facilities has been installed: • Submarine: 2 km submarine fibre optics cable (power and data transmission); Broad Band Seismometer (CMG-3T, buried); Accelerometer (Guralp 3 channels), buried); Differential Pressure Gauge (DPG); Thermometer. • On land: Permanent geodetic GPS station; Automatic meteorological station; Data acquisition system for submarine equipment; Satellite Data Transmission system. Data are already being transmitted in real time to ROA headquarters via satellite Intranet. The marine part, currently installed in a 50 m depth platform, has been designed to be enlarged by extending the cable to greater depths and/or installing additional submarine equipment, such a way in short an ADCP profiler will be installed. In this work we aim to show the present status, scientific possibilities and the next future plans of this submarine-on land

Metal concentration and structural changes in Corallina elongata (Corallinales, Rhodophyta) from hydrothermal vents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Couto, Ruben P.; Neto, Ana I.; Rodrigues, Armindo S.

2010-01-01

Shallow-water hydrothermal activity is widely present at Azores archipelago. Organisms in such environments present great potential as sentinels of the effects derived from chronically exposure to increased temperature, metal concentrations and reduced pH. This study aimed to evaluate metal concentration in Corallina elongata collected at locations exposed and not exposed to shallow-water hydrothermal activity and evaluate changes in its calcareous structure. Elemental concentration was determined and morphometric analysis was performed by scanning electron microscopy. Thicker cell walls and a bleached appearance were observed on C. elongata specimens from the hydrothermally active location, as well as increased concentrations of elements associated to volcanic activity. This study reports on metal accumulation and morphometric changes in the calcareous structure of C. elongata from a hydrothermally active location, adding new data for further research on such habitats and communities, providing an insight on how coralline algae might be affected by ocean acidification.

Observations of nearshore groundwater discharge: Kahekili Beach Park submarine springs, Maui, Hawaii

Science.gov (United States)

Swarzenski, Peter W.; Dulai, H.; Kroeger, K.D.; Smith, C.G.; Dimova, N.; Storlazzi, C. D.; Prouty, N.G.; Gingerich, S.B.; Glenn, C. R.

2016-01-01

Study regionThe study region encompasses the nearshore, coastal waters off west Maui, Hawaii. Here abundant groundwater—that carries with it a strong land-based fingerprint—discharges into the coastal waters and over a coral reef.Study focusCoastal groundwater discharge is a ubiquitous hydrologic feature that has been shown to impact nearshore ecosystems and material budgets. A unique combined geochemical tracer and oceanographic time-series study addressed rates and oceanic forcings of submarine groundwater discharge at a submarine spring site off west Maui, Hawaii.New hydrological insights for the regionEstimates of submarine groundwater discharge were derived for a primary vent site and surrounding coastal waters off west Maui, Hawaii using an excess 222Rn (t1/2 = 3.8 d) mass balance model. Such estimates were complemented with a novel thoron (220Rn,t1/2 = 56 s) groundwater discharge tracer application, as well as oceanographic time series and thermal infrared imagery analyses. In combination, this suite of techniques provides new insight into the connectivity of the coastal aquifer with the near-shore ocean and examines the physical drivers of submarine groundwater discharge. Lastly, submarine groundwater discharge derived constituent concentrations were tabulated and compared to surrounding seawater concentrations. Such work has implications for the management of coastal aquifers and downstream nearshore ecosystems that respond to sustained constituent loadings via this submarine route.

Indian, Japanese, And U.S. Responses To Chinese Submarine Modernization

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-01

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA THESIS Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited INDIAN, JAPANESE ...DATES COVERED Master’s thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE INDIAN, JAPANESE , AND U.S. RESPONSES TO CHINESE SUBMARINE MODERNIZATION 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6...is unlimited INDIAN, JAPANESE , AND U.S. RESPONSES TO CHINESE SUBMARINE MODERNIZATION David E. Kiser Lieutenant Commander, United States

The hydrothermal evolution of the Kawerau geothermal system, New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Milicich, S. D.; Chambefort, I.; Wilson, C. J. N.; Charlier, B. L. A.; Tepley, F. J.

2018-03-01

Hydrothermal alteration zoning and processes provide insights into the evolution of heat source(s) and fluid compositions associated with geothermal systems. Traditional petrological techniques, combined with hydrothermal alteration studies, stable isotope analyses and geochronology can resolve the nature of the fluids involved in hydrothermal processes and their changes through time. We report here new findings along with previous unpublished works on alteration patterns, fluid inclusion measurements and stable isotope data to provide insights into the thermal and chemical evolution of the Kawerau geothermal system, New Zealand. These data indicate the presence of two hydrothermal events that can be coupled with chronological data. The earlier period of hydrothermal activity was initiated at 400 ka, with the heat driving the hydrothermal system inferred to be from the magmatic system that gave rise to rhyolite lavas and sills of the Caxton Formation. Isotopic data fingerprint fluids attributed to this event as meteoric, indicating that the magma primarily served as a heat source driving fluid circulation, and was not releasing magmatic fluids in sufficient quantity to affect the rock mineralogy and thus inferred fluid compositions. The modern Kawerau system was initiated at 16 ka with hydrothermal eruptions linked to shallow intrusion of magma at the onset of activity that gave rise to the Putauaki andesite cone. Likely associated with this later event was a pulse of magmatic CO2, resulting in large-scale deposition of hydrothermal calcite enriched in 18O. Meteoric water-dominated fluids subsequently overwhelmed the magmatic fluids associated with this 18O-rich signature, and both the fluid inclusion microthermometry and stable isotope data reflect a change to the present-day fluid chemistry of low salinity, meteoric-dominated waters.

Soil gas radon and volcanic activity at El Hierro (Canary Islands) before and after the 2011-2012 submarine eruption

Science.gov (United States)

Barrancos, J.; Padilla, G.; Hernandez Perez, P. A.; Padron, E.; Perez, N.; Melian Rodriguez, G.; Nolasco, D.; Dionis, S.; Rodriguez, F.; Calvo, D.; Hernandez, I.

2012-12-01

El Hierro is the youngest and southernmost island of the Canarian archipelago and represents the summit of a volcanic shield elevating from the surrounding seafloor at depth of 4000 m to up to 1501 m above sea level. The island is believed to be near the present hotspot location in the Canaries with the oldest subaerial rocks dated at 1.12 Ma. The subaerial parts of the El Hierro rift zones (NE, NW and S Ridges) are characterized by tightly aligned dyke complexes with clusters of cinder cones as their surface expressions. Since July 16, 2011, an anomalous seismicity at El Hierro Island was recorded by IGN seismic network. Volcanic tremor started at 05:15 hours on October 10, followed on the afternoon of October 12 by a green discolouration of seawater, strong bubbling and degassing indicating the initial stage of submarine volcanic eruption at approximately 2 km off the coast of La Restinga, El Hierro. Soil gas 222Rn and 220Rn activities were continuously measured during the period of the recent volcanic unrest occurred at El Hierro, at two different geochemical stations, HIE02 and HIE03. Significant increases in soil 222Rn activity and 222Rn/220Rn ratio from the soil were observed at both stations prior the submarine eruption off the coast of El Hierro, showing the highest increases before the eruption onset and the occurrence of the strongest seismic event (M=4.6). A statistical analysis showed that the long-term trend of the filtered data corresponded closely to the seismic energy released during the volcanic unrest. The observed increases of 222Rn are related to the rock fracturing processes (seismic activity) and the magmatic CO2 outflow increase, as observed in HIE03 station. Under these results, we find that continuous soil radon studies are important for evaluating the volcanic activity of El Hierro and they demonstrate the potential of applying continuous monitoring of soil radon to improve and optimize the detection of early warning signals of future

Spontaneous and Widespread Electricity Generation in Natural Deep-Sea Hydrothermal Fields.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamamoto, Masahiro; Nakamura, Ryuhei; Kasaya, Takafumi; Kumagai, Hidenori; Suzuki, Katsuhiko; Takai, Ken

2017-05-15

Deep-sea hydrothermal vents discharge abundant reductive energy into oxidative seawater. Herein, we demonstrated that in situ measurements of redox potentials on the surfaces of active hydrothermal mineral deposits were more negative than the surrounding seawater potential, driving electrical current generation. We also demonstrated that negative potentials in the surface of minerals were widespread in the hydrothermal fields, regardless of the proximity to hydrothermal fluid discharges. Lab experiments verified that the negative potential of the mineral surface was induced by a distant electron transfer from the hydrothermal fluid through the metallic and catalytic properties of minerals. These results indicate that electric current is spontaneously and widely generated in natural mineral deposits in deep-sea hydrothermal fields. Our discovery provides important insights into the microbial communities that are supported by extracellular electron transfer and the prebiotic chemical and metabolic evolution of the ocean hydrothermal systems. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

A high-temperature hydrothermal deposit on the East Pacific Rise near 70N

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boulegue, J.; Stouff, P.; Perseil, E.A.; Bernat, M.; Dupre, B.; Francheteau, J.

1984-01-01

A SEABEAM survey of the East Pacific Rise (EPR) led to the selection of several sites having structural characteristics favorable for hydrothermal activity. Dredging of such an area located at 7 0 N on the EPR resulted in the recovery of sulfides, oxides and fresh basalt. Chemical analyses and isotopic compositions showed that the recovered pyrites were probably precipitated directly from hot vent hydrothermal waters. Chemical analyses and isotopic composition of manganese-iron oxides indicated that they too were of hydrothermal origin. 210 Pb/Pb measurements yielded ages of 90 +- 10 years for the deposits. This site may still be undergoing hydrothermal activity. (orig.)

Hydrothermal fabrication of N-doped (BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3}: Structural and morphological influence on the visible light photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dong, Fan, E-mail: dfctbu@126.com [Chongqing Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Functional Organic Molecules, College of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Chongqing Technology and Business University, Chongqing 400067 (China); Wang, Rui; Li, Xinwei [Chongqing Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Functional Organic Molecules, College of Environmental and Biological Engineering, Chongqing Technology and Business University, Chongqing 400067 (China); Ho, Wing-Kei [Department of Science and Environmental Studies, The Centre for Education in Environmental Sustainability, The Hong Kong Institute of Education, Hong Kong (China)

2014-11-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Persimmon-like, flower-like N-doped (BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3} superstructures were prepared. • The superstructures were fabricated by one-step hydrothermal method. • The hydrothermal temperature controlled the morphological structure. • N-doped (BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3} superstructure showed enhanced photocatalytic activity. • The high activity can be ascribed to doped nitrogen and hierarchical structure. - Abstract: Various 3D N-doped (BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3} (N-BOC) hierarchical superstructures self-assembled with 2D nanosheets were fabricated by one-step hydrothermal treatment of bismuth citrate and urea. The as-obtained samples were characterized by XRD, XPS, FT-IR, SEM, N{sub 2} adsorption–desorption isotherms and UV–vis DRS. The hydrothermal temperature plays a crucial role in tuning the crystal and morphological structure of the samples. Adjusting the reaction temperature to 150, 180 and 210 °C, we obtained N-doped (BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3} samples with corresponding attractive persimmon-like, flower-like and nanoflakes nano/microstructures. The photocatalytic activities of the samples were evaluated by removal of NO under visible and solar light irradiation. The results revealed that the N-doped (BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3} hierarchical superstructures showed enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity compared to pure (BiO){sub 2}CO{sub 3} and TiO{sub 2}-based visible light photocatalysts. The outstanding photocatalytic performance of N-BOC samples can be ascribed to the doped nitrogen and the special hierarchical structure. The present work could provide new perspectives in controlling the morphological structure and photocatalytic activity of photocatalyst for better environmental pollution control.

Metal concentration and structural changes in Corallina elongata (Corallinales, Rhodophyta) from hydrothermal vents.

Science.gov (United States)

Couto, Ruben P; Neto, Ana I; Rodrigues, Armindo S

2010-04-01

Shallow-water hydrothermal activity is widely present at Azores archipelago. Organisms in such environments present great potential as sentinels of the effects derived from chronically exposure to increased temperature, metal concentrations and reduced pH. This study aimed to evaluate metal concentration in Corallina elongata collected at locations exposed and not exposed to shallow-water hydrothermal activity and evaluate changes in its calcareous structure. Elemental concentration was determined and morphometric analysis was performed by scanning electron microscopy. Thicker cell walls and a bleached appearance were observed on C. elongata specimens from the hydrothermally active location, as well as increased concentrations of elements associated to volcanic activity. This study reports on metal accumulation and morphometric changes in the calcareous structure of C. elongata from a hydrothermally active location, adding new data for further research on such habitats and communities, providing an insight on how coralline algae might be affected by ocean acidification. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrothermal activity and subsoil complexity: implication for degassing processes at Solfatara crater, Campi Flegrei caldera

Science.gov (United States)

Montanaro, Cristian; Mayer, Klaus; Isaia, Roberto; Gresse, Marceau; Scheu, Bettina; Yilmaz, Tim I.; Vandemeulebrouck, Jean; Ricci, Tullio; Dingwell, Donald B.

2017-12-01

The Solfatara area and its fumaroles are the main surface expression of the vigorous hydrothermal activity within the active Campi Flegrei caldera system. At depth, a range of volcanic and structural processes dictate the actual state of the hydrothermal system below the crater. The presence of a large variety of volcanic products at shallow depth (including pyroclastic fallout ash beds, pyroclastic density current deposits, breccias, and lavas), and the existence of a maar-related fault system appears to exert major controls on the degassing and alteration behavior. Adding further to the complexity of this environment, variations in permeability and porosity, due to subsoil lithology and alteration effects, may further influence fluid flow towards the surface. Here, we report results from a field campaign conducted in July 2015 that was designed to characterize the in situ physical (temperature, humidity) and mechanical (permeability, strength, stiffness) properties of the Solfatara crater subsoil. The survey also included a mapping of the surficial hydrothermal features and their distributions. Finally, laboratory measurements (porosity, granulometry) of selected samples were performed. Our results enable the discrimination of four main subsoils around the crater: (1) the Fangaia domain located in a topographic low in the southwestern sector, (2) the silica flat domain on the western altered side, (3) the new crust domain in the central area, and (4) the crusted hummocks domain that dominates the north, east, and south parts. These domains are surrounded by encrusted areas, reworked material, and vegetated soil. The distribution of these heterogeneous subsoils suggests that their formation is mostly related to (i) the presence of the Fangaia domain within the crater and (ii) a system of ring faults bordering it. The subsoils show an alternation between very high and very low permeabilities, a fact which seems to affect both the temperature distribution and

Detecting frontal ablation processes from direct observations of submarine terminus morphology

Science.gov (United States)

Fried, M.; Carroll, D.; Catania, G. A.; Sutherland, D. A.; Stearns, L. A.; Bartholomaus, T. C.; Shroyer, E.; Nash, J. D.

2017-12-01

Tidewater glacier termini couple glacier and ocean systems. Subglacial discharge emerging from the terminus produces buoyant plumes that modulate submarine melting, calving, fjord circulation and, in turn, changes in ice dynamics from back-stress perturbations. However, the absence of critical observational data at the ice-ocean interface limits plume and, by extension, melt models from incorporating realistic submarine terminus face morphologies and assessing their impact on terminus behavior at tidewater glaciers. Here we present a comprehensive inventory and characterization of submarine terminus face shapes from a side-looking, multibeam echo sounding campaign across Kangerdlugssuaq Sermerssua glacier, central-west Greenland. We combine these observations with in-situ measurements of ocean stratification and remotely sensed subglacial discharge, terminus positions, ice velocity, and ice surface datasets to infer the spectrum of processes sculpting the submarine terminus face. Subglacial discharge outlet locations are confirmed through observations of sediment plumes, localized melt-driven undercutting of the terminus face, and bathymetry of the adjacent seafloor. From our analysis, we differentiate terminus morphologies resulting from submarine melt and calving and assess the contribution of each process to the net frontal ablation budget. Finally, we constrain a plume model using direct observations of the submarine terminus face and conduit geometry. Plume model simulations demonstrate that the majority of discharge outlets are fed by small discharge fluxes, suggestive of a distributed subglacial hydrologic system. Outlets with the largest, concentrated discharge fluxes are morphologically unique and strongly control seasonal terminus position. At these locations, we show that the spatiotemporal pattern of terminus retreat is well correlated with time periods when local melt rate exceeds ice velocity.

A local area network and information management system for a submarine overhaul facility

OpenAIRE

Bushmire, Jeffrey D

1990-01-01

A preliminary design of a local area network for a submarine overhaul facility is developed using System Engineering concepts. SOFLAN, the Submarine Overhaul Facility Local Area Network, is necessary to provide more timely and accurate information to submarine overhaul managers in order to decrease the overhaul time period and become more competitive. The network is a microcomputer based system following the Ethernet and IEEE 802.3 standards with a server .. client architecture. SOFLAN serves...

Hydrothermal fluid flow within a tectonically active rift-ridge transform junction: Tjörnes Fracture Zone, Iceland

Science.gov (United States)

Lupi, M.; Geiger, S.; Graham, C. M.

2010-05-01

We investigate the regional fluid flow dynamics in a highly faulted transform area, the Tjörnes Fracture Zone in northern Iceland which is characterized by steep geothermal gradients, hydrothermal activity, and strong seismicity. We simulate fluid flow within the Tjörnes Fracture Zone using a high-resolution model that was based on the available geological and geophysical data and has the aim to represent the complex geological structures and the thermodynamical processes that drive the regional fluid flow in a physically realistic way. Our results show that convective heat flow and mixing of cold and saline seawater with deep hydrothermal fluids controls the large-scale fluid flow. The distribution of faults has a strong influence on the local hydrodynamics by focusing flow around clusters of faults. This explains the nature of isolated upflow zones of hot hydrothermal fluids which are observed in the Tjörnes Fracture Zone. An important emergent characteristic of the regional fluid flow in the Tjörnes Fracture Zone are two separate flow systems: one in the sedimentary basins, comprising more vigorous convection, and one in the crystalline basement, which is dominated by conduction. These two flow systems yield fundamental insight into the connection between regional hydrothermal fluid flow and seismicity because they form the basis of a toggle switch mechanism that is thought to have caused the hydrogeochemical anomalies recorded at Húsavik before and after the 5.8 M earthquake in September 2002.

A submarine volcanic eruption leads to a novel microbial habitat.

Science.gov (United States)

Danovaro, Roberto; Canals, Miquel; Tangherlini, Michael; Dell'Anno, Antonio; Gambi, Cristina; Lastras, Galderic; Amblas, David; Sanchez-Vidal, Anna; Frigola, Jaime; Calafat, Antoni M; Pedrosa-Pàmies, Rut; Rivera, Jesus; Rayo, Xavier; Corinaldesi, Cinzia

2017-04-24

Submarine volcanic eruptions are major catastrophic events that allow investigation of the colonization mechanisms of newly formed seabed. We explored the seafloor after the eruption of the Tagoro submarine volcano off El Hierro Island, Canary Archipelago. Near the summit of the volcanic cone, at about 130 m depth, we found massive mats of long, white filaments that we named Venus's hair. Microscopic and molecular analyses revealed that these filaments are made of bacterial trichomes enveloped within a sheath and colonized by epibiotic bacteria. Metagenomic analyses of the filaments identified a new genus and species of the order Thiotrichales, Thiolava veneris. Venus's hair shows an unprecedented array of metabolic pathways, spanning from the exploitation of organic and inorganic carbon released by volcanic degassing to the uptake of sulfur and nitrogen compounds. This unique metabolic plasticity provides key competitive advantages for the colonization of the new habitat created by the submarine eruption. A specialized and highly diverse food web thrives on the complex three-dimensional habitat formed by these microorganisms, providing evidence that Venus's hair can drive the restart of biological systems after submarine volcanic eruptions.

Measurement of submarine groundwater discharge using diverse methods in Coleroon Estuary, Tamil Nadu, India

Science.gov (United States)

Prakash, R.; Srinivasamoorthy, K.; Gopinath, S.; Saravanan, K.

2018-03-01

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is described as submarine inflow of fresh and brackish groundwater from land into the sea. The release of sewages from point and non-point source pollutants from industries, agricultural and domestic activities gets discharged through groundwater to ocean creating natural disparity like decreasing flora fauna and phytoplankton blooms. Hence, to quantify fluxes of SGD in coastal regions is important. Quantification of SGD was attempted in Coleroon estuary, India, using three dissimilar methods like water budget, Darcy law and manual seepage meter. Three seepage meters were installed at two prominent litho units (alluvium and fluvio marine) at a distance of (0-14.7 km) away from Bay of Bengal. The water budget and Darcy law-quantified submarine seepage at a rate of 6.9 × 106 and 3.2 × 103 to 308.3 × 103 m3 year-1, respectively, and the seepage meter quantified seepage rate of 0.7024 m h-1 at an average. Larger seepage variations were isolated from three different techniques and the seepage rates were found to be influenced by hydrogeological characteristics of the litho units and distance from the coast.

Reconstruction of Ancestral Hydrothermal Systems on Mount Rainier Using Hydrothermally Altered Rocks in Holocene Debris Flows and Tephras

Science.gov (United States)

John, D. A.; Breit, G. N.; Sisson, T. W.; Vallance, J. W.; Rye, R. O.

2005-12-01

Mount Rainier is the result of episodic stages of edifice growth during periods of high eruptive activity and edifice destruction during periods of relative magmatic quiescence over the past 500 kyr. Edifice destruction occurred both by slow erosion and by catastrophic collapses, some of which were strongly influenced by hydrothermal alteration. Several large-volume Holocene debris-flow deposits contain abundant clasts of hydrothermally altered rocks, most notably the 4-km3 clay-rich Osceola Mudflow which formed by collapse of the northeast side and upper 1000+ m of the edifice about 5600 ya and flowed >120 km downstream into Puget Sound. Mineral assemblages and stable isotope data of hydrothermal alteration products in Holocene debris-flow deposits indicate formation in distinct hydrothermal environments, including magmatic-hydrothermal, steam-heated (including a large fumarolic component), magmatic steam (including a possible fumarolic component), and supergene. The Osceola Mudflow and phreatic components of coeval tephras contain the highest-temperature and inferred most deeply formed alteration minerals; assemblages include magmatic-hydrothermal quartz-alunite, quartz-topaz, quartz-pyrophyllite and quartz-illite (all +pyrite), in addition to steam-heated opal-alunite-kaolinite and abundant smectite-pyrite. In contrast, the Paradise lahar, which formed by a collapse of the surficial upper south side of the edifice, contains only steam-heated assemblages including those formed largely above the water table from condensation of fumarolic vapor (opal-alunite-jarosite). Younger debris-flow deposits on the west side of the volcano (Round Pass lahar and Electron Mudflow) contain only smectite-pyrite alteration, whereas an early 20th century rock avalanche on Tahoma Glacier also contains magmatic-hydrothermal alteration that is exposed in the avalanche headwall of Sunset Amphitheater. Mineralogy and isotopic composition of the alteration phases, geologic and

Exceptional discovery of a shallow-water hydrothermal site in the SW area of Basiluzzo islet (Aeolian archipelago, South Tyrrhenian Sea: An environment to preserve.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentina Esposito

Full Text Available The geological, biological and geochemical features of a particular field of hydrothermal vents, discovered in the Panarea Volcanic Complex during a research survey carried out in 2015, are described for the first time. The site, located at 70-80 m depth off the South-western coast of the islet of Basiluzzo, was named Smoking Land for the presence of a large number of wide and high active chimneys and was characterized in terms of dissolved benthic fluxes, associated macrofauna and megafauna communities and preliminary mineralogy and geochemistry of chimney structures. On the whole field, a total of 39 chimneys, different in size and shape, were closely observed and described; 14 of them showed emission of low temperature hydrothermal fluids of marine origin characterized by acidified chemical conditions. The CTD and benthic chamber measurements highlighted that the Smoking Land is able to form a sea water bottom layer characterized by variable acidity and high DIC and trace elements concentrations; these characteristics weaken moving away from the chimney mouths. The SEM-EDS analysis of the collected solid samples revealed a chimney structure principally composed by amorphous and low crystalline Fe-oxyhydroxides of hydrothermal origins. The ROV explorations revealed a wide coverage of red algae (Peyssonnelia spp. colonized by the green algae Flabiella petiolata and by suspension feeders, mainly sponges, but also bryozoans, and tubicolous polychaetes. Although novent-exclusive species were identified, the benthic communities found in association to the chimneys included more taxa than those observed in the surrounding no-vent rocky areas. These first findings evidence a submarine dynamic habitat where geological, chemical and biological processes are intimately connected, making the Smoking Land an important site in terms of marine heritage that should be safeguarded and protected.

Exceptional discovery of a shallow-water hydrothermal site in the SW area of Basiluzzo islet (Aeolian archipelago, South Tyrrhenian Sea): An environment to preserve

Science.gov (United States)

Andaloro, Franco; Canese, Simonepietro; Bo, Marzia; Di Bella, Marcella; Italiano, Francesco; Sabatino, Giuseppe; Battaglia, Pietro; Consoli, Pierpaolo; Giordano, Patrizia; Spagnoli, Federico; La Cono, Violetta; Yakimov, Michail M.; Scotti, Gianfranco; Romeo, Teresa

2018-01-01

The geological, biological and geochemical features of a particular field of hydrothermal vents, discovered in the Panarea Volcanic Complex during a research survey carried out in 2015, are described for the first time. The site, located at 70–80 m depth off the South-western coast of the islet of Basiluzzo, was named Smoking Land for the presence of a large number of wide and high active chimneys and was characterized in terms of dissolved benthic fluxes, associated macrofauna and megafauna communities and preliminary mineralogy and geochemistry of chimney structures. On the whole field, a total of 39 chimneys, different in size and shape, were closely observed and described; 14 of them showed emission of low temperature hydrothermal fluids of marine origin characterized by acidified chemical conditions. The CTD and benthic chamber measurements highlighted that the Smoking Land is able to form a sea water bottom layer characterized by variable acidity and high DIC and trace elements concentrations; these characteristics weaken moving away from the chimney mouths. The SEM-EDS analysis of the collected solid samples revealed a chimney structure principally composed by amorphous and low crystalline Fe-oxyhydroxides of hydrothermal origins. The ROV explorations revealed a wide coverage of red algae (Peyssonnelia spp.) colonized by the green algae Flabiella petiolata and by suspension feeders, mainly sponges, but also bryozoans, and tubicolous polychaetes. Although novent-exclusive species were identified, the benthic communities found in association to the chimneys included more taxa than those observed in the surrounding no-vent rocky areas. These first findings evidence a submarine dynamic habitat where geological, chemical and biological processes are intimately connected, making the Smoking Land an important site in terms of marine heritage that should be safeguarded and protected. PMID:29300784

Morphodynamic Model of Submarine Canyon Incision by Sandblasting

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, L.; Parker, G.; Izumi, N.; Cartigny, M.; Li, T.; Wang, G.

2017-12-01

Submarine canyons are carved by turbidity currents under the deep sea. As opposed to subaerial canyons, the relevant processes are not easy to observe directly. Turbidity currents are bottom-hugging sediment gravity flows of that can incise or deposit on the seafloor to create submarine canyons or fans. The triggers of turbidity currents can be storms, edge waves, internal waves, canyon wall sapping, delta failure, breaching and hyperpycnal flows. The formation and evolution mechanisms of submarine canyons are similar to those of subaerial canyons, but have substantial differences. For example, sandblasting, rather than wear due to colliding gravel clasts is more likely to be the mechanism of bedrock incision. Submarine canyons incise downward, and often develop meander bends and levees within the canyon, so defining "fairways". Here we propose a simple model for canyon incision. The starting point of our model is the Macro Roughness Saltation Abrasion Alluviation model of Zhang et al. [2015], designed for bedrock incision by gravel clasts in mixed bedrock-alluvial rivers. We adapt this formulation to consider sandblasting as a means of wear. We use a layer-averaged model for turbidity current dynamics. The current contains a mixture of mud, which helps drive the flow but which does not cause incision, and sand, which is the agent of incision. We show that the model can successfully model channel downcutting, and indeed illustrate the early formation of net incisional cyclic steps, i.e. upstream-migrating undulations on the bed associated with transcritical (in the Froude sense) flow. These steps can be expected to abet the process of incision.

Hybrid Intelligent Control for Submarine Stabilization

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minghui Wang

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract While sailing near the sea surface, submarines will often undergo rolling motion caused by wave disturbance. Fierce rolling motion seriously affects their normal operation and even threatens their security. We propose a new control method for roll stabilization. This paper studies hybrid intelligent control combining a fuzzy control, a neural network and extension control technology. Every control strategy can achieve the ideal control effect within the scope of its effective control. The neuro-fuzzy control strategy is used to improve the robustness of the controller. The speed control strategy and the course control strategy are conducted to extend the control range. The paper also proposes the design of the controller and carries out the simulation experiment in different sea conditions. The simulation results show that the control method proposed can indeed effectively improve the control performance of submarine stabilization.

The use of nuclear powered submarines for oceanographic research in ICE covered regions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sambrotto, Raymond; Chayes, Dale

2000-01-01

Nuclear powered submarines offer a variety of advantages as platforms for oceanographic research. Their speed and ability to remain submerged for extended periods greatly extends their spatial coverage and isolates them from surface ocean conditions as compared to conventional ships. These advantages are particularly obvious in ice covered oceans that remain among the least explored regions on the globe. Scientific research in these regions has been limited to selected seasons and places where ice conditions are favorable for available observational platforms. However, much broader scientific observations are needed to assess such impacts as pollutants and possible climate variations on polar regions. To overcome some of the observational limitations of surface ships in the Arctic, the U.S. Navy made available nuclear powered submarines for civilian oceanographic research during the Scientific Ice Expedition (Scicex) program from 1993 to 1999. Together, these cruises sampled along more than 85,000 km of track throughout the international waters of the Arctic Ocean during selected periods from March to October. This sampling forms the basis of the present analysis of the limitations and capabilities of nuclear submarines as observational platforms for scientific research. Scientific observations were made in four general disciplines: ocean physics; biology and chemistry; sea ice; and marine geology and geophysics. Sampling of ocean biology and chemistry was most constrained because the water samples typically required in such studies were limited to the operating depths of the submarine. However, the surface 250 m contains all of the biological production, as well as informative chemical tracers for the flow of Atlantic and Pacific water masses. Measurements of ocean physics were less constrained because in addition to the on-board measurements, expendable probes are available to sample water depths inaccessible to the submarine. The submarine proved to be an

Observations of nearshore groundwater discharge: Kahekili Beach Park submarine springs, Maui, Hawaii

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P.W. Swarzenski

2017-06-01

New hydrological insights for the region: Estimates of submarine groundwater discharge were derived for a primary vent site and surrounding coastal waters off west Maui, Hawaii using an excess 222Rn (t1/2 = 3.8 d mass balance model. Such estimates were complemented with a novel thoron (220Rn, t1/2 = 56 s groundwater discharge tracer application, as well as oceanographic time series and thermal infrared imagery analyses. In combination, this suite of techniques provides new insight into the connectivity of the coastal aquifer with the near-shore ocean and examines the physical drivers of submarine groundwater discharge. Lastly, submarine groundwater discharge derived constituent concentrations were tabulated and compared to surrounding seawater concentrations. Such work has implications for the management of coastal aquifers and downstream nearshore ecosystems that respond to sustained constituent loadings via this submarine route.

Effect of Topography on Subglacial Discharge and Submarine Melting During Tidewater Glacier Retreat

Science.gov (United States)

Amundson, J. M.; Carroll, D.

2018-01-01

To first order, subglacial discharge depends on climate, which determines precipitation fluxes and glacier mass balance, and the rate of glacier volume change. For tidewater glaciers, large and rapid changes in glacier volume can occur independent of climate change due to strong glacier dynamic feedbacks. Using an idealized tidewater glacier model, we show that these feedbacks produce secular variations in subglacial discharge that are influenced by subglacial topography. Retreat along retrograde bed slopes (into deep water) results in rapid surface lowering and coincident increases in subglacial discharge. Consequently, submarine melting of glacier termini, which depends on subglacial discharge and ocean thermal forcing, also increases during retreat into deep water. Both subglacial discharge and submarine melting subsequently decrease as glacier termini retreat out of deep water and approach new steady state equilibria. In our simulations, subglacial discharge reached peaks that were 6-17% higher than preretreat values, with the highest values occurring during retreat from narrow sills, and submarine melting increased by 14% for unstratified fjords and 51% for highly stratified fjords. Our results therefore indicate that submarine melting acts in concert with iceberg calving to cause tidewater glacier termini to be unstable on retrograde beds. The full impact of submarine melting on tidewater glacier stability remains uncertain, however, due to poor understanding of the coupling between submarine melting and iceberg calving.

Norwegian monitoring (1990-2015) of the marine environment around the sunken nuclear submarine Komsomolets.

Science.gov (United States)

Gwynn, Justin P; Heldal, Hilde Elise; Flo, Janita K; Sværen, Ingrid; Gäfvert, Torbjörn; Haanes, Hallvard; Føyn, Lars; Rudjord, Anne Liv

2018-02-01

Norway has monitored the marine environment around the sunken Russian nuclear submarine Komsomolets since 1990. This study presents an overview of 25 years of Norwegian monitoring data (1990-2015). Komsomolets sank in 1989 at a depth of 1680 m in the Norwegian Sea while carrying two nuclear torpedoes in its armament. Subsequent Soviet and Russian expeditions to Komsomolets have shown that releases from the reactor have occurred and that the submarine has suffered considerable damage to its hulls. Norwegian monitoring detected 134 Cs in surface sediments around Komsomolets in 1993 and 1994 and elevated activity concentrations of 137 Cs in bottom seawater between 1991 and 1993. Since then and up to 2015, no increased activity concentrations of radionuclides above values typical for the Norwegian Sea have been observed in any environmental sample collected by Norwegian monitoring. In 2013 and 2015, Norwegian monitoring was carried out using an acoustic transponder on the sampling gear that allowed samples to be collected at precise locations, ∼20 m from the hull of Komsomolets. The observed 238 Pu/ 239,240 Pu activity ratios and 240 Pu/ 239 Pu atom ratios in surface sediments sampled close to Komsomolets in 2013 did not indicate any releases of Pu isotopes from reactor or the torpedo warheads. Rather, these values probably reflect the overprinting of global fallout ratios with fluxes of these Pu isotopes from long-range transport of authorised discharges from nuclear reprocessing facilities in Northern Europe. However, due to the depth at which Komsomolets lies, the collection of seawater and sediment samples in the immediate area around the submarine using traditional sampling techniques from surface vessels is not possible, even with the use of acoustic transponders. Further monitoring is required in order to have a clear understanding of the current status of Komsomolets as a potential source of radioactive contamination to the Norwegian marine environment

Submarine landslide: A case study from the southwestern of Taiwan offshore

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Y. H.; Dong, J. J.

2016-12-01

Based on the new multibeam bathymetric data and seismic reflection profiles of the southwestern Taiwan, more and more submarine landslides developed there have been being discovered nowadays. Palm Ridge, located between the boundary of the active and passive margins, is the place where a deformation front passes through. And previous studies suspected that there were old submarine landslides developed here. To learn whether there are old submarine landslides here, a further study is conducted with the collection and analysis of new high-resolution swath-bathymetry and seismic data. Firstly, based on the swath-bathymetry, the topography range of the landslide is mapped and interpreted with the three dimensional model. Then, according to the profile of the mapping, the extending of the sliding surface is predicted. And referred on the properties of soil in adjacent region, the engineering geologic models of the landslide before and after failure are proposed. Thirdly, through a detailed analysis of the seismic data of Taiwan in the past three decades, a magnitude of 7.7 MW is selected as the lower bound of earthquake for the analysis of the trigger of the submarine landslide. And based on the record of earthquakes with 8 MW in the world, some other earthquake magnitudes are also considered in this study. After applying them into STABL 5M, the failure process of the landslide is modeled with its possible deposited ranges being reached. Finally, the sub-bottom and seismic data are used to verify the rationality of the above results. Preliminary result shows that there were at least three landslides occurred in Palm Ridge. The first landslide is largest which covers the approximate range of the study area. The second one is developed in the margin area of the first one, which is resulted by the occurrence of the first one. The third event is caused by the further collapse of the first one due to the loose of its inner structure.

Effect of Hydrothermal Alteration on Rock Properties in Active Geothermal Setting

Science.gov (United States)

Mikisek, P.; Bignall, G.; Sepulveda, F.; Sass, I.

2012-04-01

Hydrothermal alteration records the physical-chemical changes of rock and mineral phases caused by the interaction of hot fluids and wall rock, which can impact effective permeability, porosity, thermal parameters, rock strength and other rock properties. In this project, an experimental approach has been used to investigate the effects of hydrothermal alteration on rock properties. A rock property database of contrastingly altered rock types and intensities has been established. The database details horizontal and vertical permeability, porosity, density, thermal conductivity and thermal heat capacity for ~300 drill core samples from wells THM12, THM13, THM14, THM17, THM18, THM22 and TH18 in the Wairakei-Tauhara geothermal system (New Zealand), which has been compared with observed hydrothermal alteration type, rank and intensity obtained from XRD analysis and optical microscopy. Samples were selected from clay-altered tuff and intercalated siltstones of the Huka Falls Formation, which acts as a cap rock at Wairakei-Tauhara, and tuffaceous sandstones of the Waiora Formation, which is a primary reservoir-hosting unit for lateral and vertical fluid flows in the geothermal system. The Huka Falls Formation exhibits argillic-type alteration of varying intensity, while underlying Waiora Formations exhibits argillic- and propylithic-type alteration. We plan to use a tempered triaxial test cell at hydrothermal temperatures (up to 200°C) and pressures typical of geothermal conditions, to simulate hot (thermal) fluid percolation through the rock matrix of an inferred "reservoir". Compressibility data will be obtained under a range of operating (simulation reservoir) conditions, in a series of multiple week to month-long experiments that will monitor change in permeability and rock strength accompanying advancing hydrothermal alteration intensity caused by the hot brine interacting with the rock matrix. We suggest, our work will provide new baseline information concerning

Non-traditional Stable Isotope Systematics of Seafloor Hydrothermal Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Rouxel, O. J.

2009-05-01

Seafloor hydrothermal activity at mid-ocean ridges is one of the fundamental processes controlling the chemistry of the oceans and the altered oceanic crust. Past studies have demonstrated the complexity and diversity of seafloor hydrothermal systems and have highlighted the importance of subsurface environments in controlling the composition of hydrothermal fluids and mineralization types. Traditionally, the behavior of metals in seafloor hydrothermal systems have been investigated by integrating results from laboratory studies, theoretical models, mineralogy and fluid and mineral chemistry. Isotope ratios of various metals and metalloids, such as Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Cd and Sb have recently provided new approaches for the study of seafloor hydrothermal systems. Despite these initial investigations, the cause of the isotopic variability of these elements remains poorly constrained. We have little understanding of the isotope variations between vent types (black or white smokers) as well as the influence of source rock composition (basalt, felsic or ultrabasic rocks) and alteration types. Here, I will review and present new results of metal isotope systematics of seafloor hydrothermal systems, in particular: (1) determination of empirical isotope fractionation factors for Zn, Fe and Cu-isotopes through isotopic analysis of mono-mineralic sulfide grains lining the internal chimney wall in contact with hydrothermal fluid; (2) comparison of Fe- and Cu-isotope signatures of vent fluids from mid- oceanic and back-arc hydrothermal fields, spanning wide ranges of pH, temperature, metal concentrations and contributions of magmatic fluids enriched in SO2. Ultimately, the use of complementary non-traditional stable isotope systems may help identify and constrain the complex interactions between fluids,minerals, and organisms in seafloor hydrothermal systems.

Volcanism, Iron, and Phytoplankton in the Heard and McDonald Islands Region, Southern Indian Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Coffin, M. F.; Arculus, R. J.; Bowie, A. R.; Chase, Z.; Robertson, R.; Trull, T. W.; Heobi in2016 v01 Shipboard Party, T.

2016-12-01

Phytoplankton supply approximately half of the oxygen in Earth's atmosphere, and iron supply limits the growth of phytoplankton in the anemic Southern Ocean. Situated entirely within the Indian Ocean sector of the Southern Ocean are Australia's only active subaerial volcanoes, Heard and McDonald islands (HIMI) on the central Kerguelen Plateau, a large igneous province. Widespread fields of submarine volcanoes, some of which may be active, extend for distances of up to several hundred kilometers from the islands. The predominantly eastward-flowing Antarctic Circumpolar Current sweeps across the central Kerguelen Plateau, and extensive blooms of phytoplankton are observed on the Plateau down-current of HIMI. The goal of RV Investigator voyage IN2016_V01, conducted in January/February 2016, is to test the hypothesis that hydrothermal fluids, which cool active submarine volcanoes in the HIMI region, ascend from the seafloor and fertilise surface waters with iron, thereby enhancing biological productivity beginning with phytoplankton. Significant initial shipboard results include: Documentation, for the first time, of the role of active HIMI and nearby submarine volcanoes in supplying iron to the Southern Ocean. Nearshore waters had elevated dissolved iron levels. Although biomass was not correspondingly elevated, fluorescence induction data indicated highly productive resident phytoplankton. Discovery of >200 acoustic plumes emanating from the seafloor and ascending up to tens of meters into the water column near HIMI. Deep tow camera footage shows bubbles rising from the seafloor in an acoustic plume field north of Heard Island. Mapping 1,000 km2 of uncharted seafloor around HIMI. Submarine volcanic edifices punctuate the adjacent seafloor, and yielded iron-rich rocks similar to those found on HIMI, respectively. Acoustic plumes emanating from some of these features suggest active seafloor hydrothermal systems.

Hydrothermal carbonization and torrefaction of grape pomace: a comparative evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

Pala, Mehmet; Kantarli, Ismail Cem; Buyukisik, Hasan Baha; Yanik, Jale

2014-06-01

Grape pomace was treated by hydrothermal carbonization (sub-critical water, 175-275°C) and torrefaction (nitrogen atmosphere, 250 and 300°C), with mass yield of solid product (char) ranging between 47% and 78%, and energy densification ratio to 1.42-1.15 of the original feedstock. The chars were characterised with respect to their fuel properties, morphological and structural properties and combustion characteristics. The hydrothermal carbonization produced the char with greater energy density than torrefaction. The chars from torrefaction were found to be more aromatic in nature than that from hydrothermal carbonization. Hydrothermal carbonization process produced the char having high combustion reactivity. Most interesting was the finding that aqueous phase from hydrothermal carbonization had antioxidant activity. The results obtained in this study showed that HTC appears to be promising process for a winery waste having high moisture content. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dive and Explore: An Interactive Web Visualization that Simulates Making an ROV Dive to an Active Submarine Volcano

Science.gov (United States)

Weiland, C.; Chadwick, W. W.

2004-12-01

Several years ago we created an exciting and engaging multimedia exhibit for the Hatfield Marine Science Center that lets visitors simulate making a dive to the seafloor with the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) named ROPOS. The exhibit immerses the user in an interactive experience that is naturally fun but also educational. The public display is located at the Hatfield Marine Science Visitor Center in Newport, Oregon. We are now completing a revision to the project that will make this engaging virtual exploration accessible to a much larger audience. With minor modifications we will be able to put the exhibit onto the world wide web so that any person with internet access can view and learn about exciting volcanic and hydrothermal activity at Axial Seamount on the Juan de Fuca Ridge. The modifications address some cosmetic and logistic ISSUES confronted in the museum environment, but will mainly involve compressing video clips so they can be delivered more efficiently over the internet. The web version, like the museum version, will allow users to choose from 1 of 3 different dives sites in the caldera of Axial Volcano. The dives are based on real seafloor settings at Axial seamount, an active submarine volcano on the Juan de Fuca Ridge (NE Pacific) that is also the location of a seafloor observatory called NeMO. Once a dive is chosen, then the user watches ROPOS being deployed and then arrives into a 3-D computer-generated seafloor environment that is based on the real world but is easier to visualize and navigate. Once on the bottom, the user is placed within a 360 degree panorama and can look in all directions by manipulating the computer mouse. By clicking on markers embedded in the scene, the user can then either move to other panorama locations via movies that travel through the 3-D virtual environment, or they can play video clips from actual ROPOS dives specifically related to that scene. Audio accompanying the video clips informs the user where they are

Shape-Dependent Photocatalytic Activity of Hydrothermally Synthesized Cadmium Sulfide Nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Kundu, Joyjit; Khilari, Santimoy; Pradhan, Debabrata

2017-03-22

The effective surface area of the nanostructured materials is known to play a prime role in catalysis. Here we demonstrate that the shape of the nanostructured materials plays an equally important role in their catalytic activity. Hierarchical CdS microstructures with different morphologies such as microspheres assembled of nanoplates, nanorods, nanoparticles, and nanobelts are synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method by tuning the volume ratio of solvents, i.e., water or ethylenediamine (en). With an optimum solvent ratio of 3:1 water:en, the roles of other synthesis parameters such as precursor's ratio, temperature, and precursor combinations are also explored and reported here. Four selected CdS microstructures are used as photocatalysts for the degradation of methylene blue and photoelectrochemical water splitting for hydrogen generation. In spite of smaller effective surface area of CdS nanoneedles/nanorods than that of CdS nanowires network, the former exhibits higher catalytic activity under visible light irradiation which is ascribed to the reduced charge recombination as confirmed from the photoluminescence study.

Airborne Radar Search for Diesel Submarines (ARSDS)

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Pilnick, Steven E; Landa, Jose

2005-01-01

.... In this research, a detection rate model is developed to analyze the effectiveness of an airborne radar search for a diesel submarine assumed to be intermittently operating with periscopes or masts...

Design of a small nuclear reactor for extending the operational envelope of the Victoria Class Submarine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cole, C.J.P.

2003-01-01

The purpose of this research is to conceptually design a small, inherently safe, quasi-homogeneous nuclear reactor that will provide enough power to maintain the hotel load of the Victoria Class Submarine and extend her operational envelope. This research is in its early stages. The purpose of this paper is to outline the background of the research, present results found to date, and indicate the direction of the research over the next two years. The Canadian Forces has recently acquired four U.K. built Upholder Class submarines to replace the ageing Oberon Class submarines purchased in the early 1960's. The Upholders, like the Oberons, are diesel-electric powered. The Upholders were renamed the Victoria Class upon commissioning in Canada. Submarines are strategic military weapons that have several roles including: intelligence gathering, inflicting surprise attacks, controlling shipping lanes and covert operations. For each of these roles the submarine must remain undetected. To remain undetected, it is imperative that the submarine remains submerged. To remain submerged and continue to function, a submarine requires an air-independent power generation system, such as a nuclear reactor. (author)

Effect of water activity on rates of serpentinization of olivine.

Science.gov (United States)

Lamadrid, Hector M; Rimstidt, J Donald; Schwarzenbach, Esther M; Klein, Frieder; Ulrich, Sarah; Dolocan, Andrei; Bodnar, Robert J

2017-07-14

The hydrothermal alteration of mantle rocks (referred to as serpentinization) occurs in submarine environments extending from mid-ocean ridges to subduction zones. Serpentinization affects the physical and chemical properties of oceanic lithosphere, represents one of the major mechanisms driving mass exchange between the mantle and the Earth's surface, and is central to current origin of life hypotheses as well as the search for microbial life on the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn. In spite of increasing interest in the serpentinization process by researchers in diverse fields, the rates of serpentinization and the controlling factors are poorly understood. Here we use a novel in situ experimental method involving olivine micro-reactors and show that the rate of serpentinization is strongly controlled by the salinity (water activity) of the reacting fluid and demonstrate that the rate of serpentinization of olivine slows down as salinity increases and H 2 O activity decreases.

Effect of water activity on rates of serpentinization of olivine

Science.gov (United States)

Lamadrid, Hector M.; Rimstidt, J. Donald; Schwarzenbach, Esther M.; Klein, Frieder; Ulrich, Sarah; Dolocan, Andrei; Bodnar, Robert J.

2017-07-01

The hydrothermal alteration of mantle rocks (referred to as serpentinization) occurs in submarine environments extending from mid-ocean ridges to subduction zones. Serpentinization affects the physical and chemical properties of oceanic lithosphere, represents one of the major mechanisms driving mass exchange between the mantle and the Earth's surface, and is central to current origin of life hypotheses as well as the search for microbial life on the icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn. In spite of increasing interest in the serpentinization process by researchers in diverse fields, the rates of serpentinization and the controlling factors are poorly understood. Here we use a novel in situ experimental method involving olivine micro-reactors and show that the rate of serpentinization is strongly controlled by the salinity (water activity) of the reacting fluid and demonstrate that the rate of serpentinization of olivine slows down as salinity increases and H2O activity decreases.

PAUT-based defect detection method for submarine pressure hulls

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Min-jae Jung

2018-03-01

Full Text Available A submarine has a pressure hull that can withstand high hydraulic pressure and therefore, requires the use of highly advanced shipbuilding technology. When producing a pressure hull, periodic inspection, repair, and maintenance are conducted to maintain its soundness. Of the maintenance methods, Non-Destructive Testing (NDT is the most effective, because it does not damage the target but sustains its original form and function while inspecting internal and external defects. The NDT process to detect defects in the welded parts of the submarine is applied through Magnetic particle Testing (MT to detect surface defects and Ultrasonic Testing (UT and Radiography Testing (RT to detect internal defects. In comparison with RT, UT encounters difficulties in distinguishing the types of defects, can yield different results depending on the skills of the inspector, and stores no inspection record. At the same time, the use of RT gives rise to issues related to worker safety due to radiation exposure. RT is also difficult to apply from the perspectives of the manufacturing of the submarine and economic feasibility. Therefore, in this study, the Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT method was applied to propose an inspection method that can address the above disadvantages by designing a probe to enhance the precision of detection of hull defects and the reliability of calculations of defect size. Keywords: Submarine pressure hull, Non-destructive testing, Phased array ultrasonic testing

Cold-water coral banks and submarine landslides: a review

Science.gov (United States)

de Mol, Ben; Huvenne, Veerle; Canals, Miquel

2009-06-01

This paper aims to review the relation between cold-water coral bank development and submarine landslides. Both are common features on continental margins, but so far it has not been reviewed which effect—if at all—they may have upon each other. Indirect and direct relations between coral banks and landslides are evaluated here, based on four case studies: the Magellan Mound Province in the Porcupine Seabight, where fossil coral banks appear partly on top of a buried slide deposit; the Sula Ridge Reef Complex and the Storegga landslide both off mid-Norway; and the Mauritania coral bank province, associated with the Mauritanian Slide Complex. For each of these locations, positive and negative relationships between both features are discussed, based on available datasets. Locally submarine landslides might directly favour coral bank development by creating substratum where corals can settle on, enhancing turbulence due to abrupt seabed morphological variations and, in some cases, causing fluid seepage. In turn, some of these processes may contribute to increased food availability and lower sedimentation rates. Landslides can also affect coral bank development by direct erosion of the coral banks, and by the instantaneous increase of turbidity, which may smother the corals. On the other hand, coral banks might have a stabilising function and delay or stop the headwall retrogradation of submarine landslides. Although local relationships can be deduced from these case studies, no general and direct relationship exists between submarine landslides and cold-water coral banks.

Submarine paleoseismology based on turbidite records.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldfinger, Chris

2011-01-01

Many of the largest earthquakes are generated at subduction zones or other plate boundary fault systems near enough to the coast that marine environments may record evidence of them. During and shortly after large earthquakes in the coastal and marine environments, a spectrum of evidence may be left behind, mirroring onshore paleoseismic evidence. Shaking or displacement of the seafloor can trigger processes such as turbidity currents, submarine landslides, tsunami (which may be recorded both onshore and offshore), and soft-sediment deformation. Marine sites may also share evidence of fault scarps, colluvial wedges, offset features, and liquefaction or fluid expulsion with their onshore counterparts. This article reviews the use of submarine turbidite deposits for paleoseismology, focuses on the dating and correlation techniques used to establish stratigraphic continuity of marine deposits, and outlines criteria for distinguishing earthquake deposits and the strategies used to acquire suitable samples and data for marine paleoseismology.

Japan-U. S. seminar on magmatic contributions to hydrothermal systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muffler, L. (U. S. Geological Survey, CA (United States)); Hedenquist, J. (Geological Survey of Japan, Tsukuba (Japan)); Kesler, S. (University of Michigan, MI (United States)); Izawa, E. (Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan). Faculty of Engineering)

1992-08-31

A multidisciplinary Seminar on Magmatic Contributions to Hydrothermal Systems'' was held at Ebino and Kagoshima at Kyushu, November, 1991. The principal purpose of the Ebino/Kagoshima Seminar was to bring together a small group of individuals which have been conducting active research on magmatic contributions to hydrothermal systems. The Seminar focussed on the porphyry and epithermal ore environments because of the potential to relate these environments to active volcanic and geothermal systems. Disciplines included valcanology, volcanic gas geochemistry, water geochemistry, isotope geochemistry, geochemical modeling, experimental geochemistry, igneous petrology, geothermal geology, economic geology, fluid-inclusion study, geophysics, and physical modeling. This paper summarizes the outline and significance of the Seminar. It was pointed out that understanding magmatic contributions to hydrothermal systems would require augmented experimental investigations, numerical modeling, field studies, and drilling.

Acute Exposure to Low-to-Moderate Carbon Dioxide Levels and Submariner Decision Making.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodeheffer, Christopher D; Chabal, Sarah; Clarke, John M; Fothergill, David M

2018-06-01

Submarines routinely operate with higher levels of ambient carbon dioxide (CO2) (i.e., 2000 - 5000 ppm) than what is typically considered normal (i.e., 400 - 600 ppm). Although significant cognitive impairments are rarely reported at these elevated CO2 levels, recent studies using the Strategic Management Simulation (SMS) test have found impairments in decision-making performance during acute CO2 exposure at levels as low as 1000 ppm. This is a potential concern for submarine operations, as personnel regularly make mission-critical decisions that affect the safety and efficiency of the vessel and its crew while exposed to similar levels of CO2. The objective of this study was to determine if submariner decision-making performance is impacted by acute exposure to levels of CO2 routinely present in the submarine atmosphere during sea patrols. Using a subject-blinded balanced design, 36 submarine-qualified sailors were randomly assigned to receive 1 of 3 CO2 exposure conditions (600, 2500, or 15,000 ppm). After a 45-min atmospheric acclimation period, participants completed an 80-min computer-administered SMS test as a measure of decision making. There were no significant differences for any of the nine SMS measures of decision making between the CO2 exposure conditions. In contrast to recent research demonstrating cognitive deficits on the SMS test in students and professional-grade office workers, we were unable to replicate this effect in a submariner population-even with acute CO2 exposures more than an order of magnitude greater than those used in previous studies that demonstrated such effects.Rodeheffer CD, Chabal S, Clarke JM, Fothergill DM. Acute exposure to low-to-moderate carbon dioxide levels and submariner decision making. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(6):520-525.

The Mesozoic-Cenozoic igneous intrusions and related sediment-dominated hydrothermal activities in the South Yellow Sea Basin, the Western Pacific continental margin

Science.gov (United States)

Yumao, Pang; Xunhua, Zhang; Guolin, Xiao; Luning, Shang; Xingwei, Guo; Zhenhe, Wen

2018-04-01

Various igneous complexes were identified in multi-channel seismic reflection profiles from the South Yellow Sea Basin. It is not rare that magmatic intrusions in sedimentary basins cause strong thermal perturbations and hydrothermal activities. Some intrusion-related hydrothermal vent complexes have been identified and they are considered to originate from the deep sedimentary contact aureole around igneous intrusions and terminate in upper vents structures, and are linked by a vertical conduit system. The upper vent complexes are usually eye-shaped, dome-shaped, fault-related, crater-shaped or pock-shaped in seismic profiles. A schematic model was proposed to illustrate the structures of different types of hydrothermal vent complexes. A conceptual conduit model composed of an upper pipe-like part and a lower branching part was also derived. Hydrothermal vent complexes mainly developed during the Middle-Late Cretaceous, which is coeval with, or shortly after the intrusion. The back-arc basin evolution of the area which is related to the subduction of the Paleo-Pacific plate during the Mesozoic-Cenozoic may be the principal factor for voluminous igneous complexes and vent complexes in this area. It is significant to study the characteristics of igneous complexes and related hydrothermal vent complexes, which will have implications for the future study of this area.

Geomicrobiological exploration and characterization of novel deep-sea hydrothermal activities accompanying with extremely acidic white smokers and elemental sulfur chimneys at the TOTO caldera in the Mariana Volcanic Arc

Science.gov (United States)

Takai, K.; Nakagawa, T.; Suzuki, Y.; Hirayama, H.; Kosaka, A.; Tsunogai, U.; Gamo, T.; Nealson, K. H.; Horikoshi, K.

2004-12-01

Novel hydrothermal activities accompanying effluent white smokers and elemental sulfur chimney structures at the northeast lava dome of the TOTO caldera depression in the Mariana Volcanic Arc were explored by the manned submersible Shinkai 6500 and characterized by geochemical and microbiological surveys. The white smoker hydrothermal fluids were observed in the potential hydrothermal activity center of the field and represented a maximal temperature of 172 degree C and a lowest pH of 1.59, that was the lowest pH of the hydrothermal fluid ever recorded. The chimney structures consisting all of elemental sulfur (sulfur chimney) were also peculiar to the TOTO caldera hydrothermal field in the world. The geochemical characterization strongly suggested that the TOTO caldera hydrothermal field was a novel system driven by subseafloor mixing between the oxygenated seawater and the superheated volcanic gasses. Microbial community structures in a sulfur chimney structure and its formation hydrothermal fluid with a high concentration of hydrogen sulfide (15 mM) were investigated by culture-dependent and _|independent analyses. Ribosomal rRNA gene clone analysis and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis revealed that epsilon-Proteobacteria, specifically classified into Group G and Group B, dominated the microbial communities in the sulfur chimney structure and formed a dense microbial mat covering the sulfur chimney surface. Archaeal phylotypes were consistently minor components in the communities and related to the genera Thermococcus, Pyrodictium, Aeropyrum, and the uncultivated archaeal group of Deep-sea Hydrothermal Vent Euryarchaeotal Group. Cultivation analysis suggested that the microbial components inhabiting in the sulfur chimney structure might be entrained by hydrothermal fluids from the potential subsurface habitats

Radionuclides in hydrothermal systems as indicators of repository conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wollenberg, H.A.; Flexser, S.; Smith, A.R.

1990-11-01

Hydrothermal systems in tuffaceous and older sedimentary rocks contain evidence of the interaction of radionuclides in fluids with rock matrix minerals and with materials lining fractures, in settings somewhat analogous to the candidate repository site at Yucca Mountain, NV. Earlier studies encompassed the occurrences of U and Th in a ''fossil'' hydrothermal system in tuffaceous rock of the San Juan Mountains volcanic field, CO. More recent and ongoing studies examine active hydrothermal systems in calderas at Long Valley, CA and Valles, NM. At the Nevada Test Site, occurrences of U and Th in fractured and unfractured rhyolitic tuff that was heated to simulate the introduction of radioactive waste are also under investigation. Observations to date suggest that U is mobile in hydrothermal systems, but that localized reducing environments provided by Fe-rich minerals and/or carbonaceous material concentrate U and thus attenuate its migration. 11 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

Topology Model of the Flow around a Submarine Hull Form

Science.gov (United States)

2015-12-01

UNCLASSIFIED Topology Model of the Flow around a Submarine Hull Form S.-K. Lee Maritime Division Defence Science and Technology Group DST-Group–TR...3177 ABSTRACT A topology model constructed from surface-streamer visualisation describes the flow around a generic conventional submarine hull form at...pure yaw angles of 0 ◦, 10 ◦ and 18 ◦. The model is used to develop equations for sway-force and yaw-moment coefficients which relate to the hull - form

ENIQ-qualified visual examinations by means of a remote controlled submarine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tsvetkov, Elenko; Heinsius, Jan [AREVA GmbH, Erlangen (Germany)

2015-07-15

Remote visual examination is one of the most important methods for non- destructive in-service inspections of primary components in nuclear power plants. It features two main advantages: the short examination duration and the fast interpretation of results. AREVA offers operators of nuclear power plants the ''SUSI 420 HD'' SUbmarine System for Inspections to perform ENIQ-qualified visual examinations during outages without working on the critical path and causing any delay in the time schedule. The system is a remotely operated manipulator equipped with a high definition camera. With a weight of only 25 kg, there is no need for a crane to put the submarine into water. More-over, nor the use of the refueling machine neither the auxiliary bridge is required. In this way the visual examination can be performed in parallel to other activities which are on the critical path. The article takes a closer look at the essential parameters: illumination, examination distance, viewing angle, scanning speed, positioning accuracy and sizing of indications. It describes how the system can fulfill these parameters through some adaptations.

Microwave-Hydrothermal Synthesis of SnO2-CNTs Hybrid Nanocomposites with Visible Light Photocatalytic Activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Shuisheng; Dai, Weili

2017-03-03

SnO2 nanoparticles coated on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were prepared via a simple microwave-hydrothermal route. The as-obtained SnO2-CNTs composites were characterized using X-ray powder diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The photocatalytic activity of as-prepared SnO2-CNTs for degradation of Rhodamine B under visible light irradiation was investigated. The results show that SnO2-CNTs nanocomposites have a higher photocatalytic activity than pure SnO2 due to the rapid transferring of electrons and the effective separation of holes and electrons on SnO2-CNTs.

Representing distributed cognition in complex systems: how a submarine returns to periscope depth.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanton, Neville A

2014-01-01

This paper presents the Event Analysis of Systemic Teamwork (EAST) method as a means of modelling distributed cognition in systems. The method comprises three network models (i.e. task, social and information) and their combination. This method was applied to the interactions between the sound room and control room in a submarine, following the activities of returning the submarine to periscope depth. This paper demonstrates three main developments in EAST. First, building the network models directly, without reference to the intervening methods. Second, the application of analysis metrics to all three networks. Third, the combination of the aforementioned networks in different ways to gain a broader understanding of the distributed cognition. Analyses have shown that EAST can be used to gain both qualitative and quantitative insights into distributed cognition. Future research should focus on the analyses of network resilience and modelling alternative versions of a system.

Broaching the Ship: Rethinking Submarines as a Signaling Tool in Naval Diplomacy

Science.gov (United States)

2015-03-01

Bateman , “Perils of the Deep: the Dangers of Submarine Proliferation in the Seas of East Asia,” Asian Security 7, no. 1 (Spring 2011), 64. 89 Brent...Science. London: Routledge, 2012. Bateman , Sam. “Perils of the Deep: The Dangers of Submarine Proliferation in the Seas of East Asia.” Asian Security

Information Assurance as a System of Systems in the Submarine Force

Science.gov (United States)

2013-09-01

Shell SSL Secure Socket Layer SSN Submerged Ship Nuclear STDA Submarine Tactical Display Auxiliary SUBLAN Submarine Local Area Network...Internet Protocol TLS T Transport Layer Security TS-SCI Top Secret-Special Compartment Information TYCOM Type Commander USB Universal...administrators or users. Layer 4 and 5: This is the layer that deals with providing a protected connection via a Secure Socket Layer ( SSL ) and Transport Layer

Hydrothermal impacts on trace element and isotope ocean biogeochemistry.

Science.gov (United States)

German, C R; Casciotti, K A; Dutay, J-C; Heimbürger, L E; Jenkins, W J; Measures, C I; Mills, R A; Obata, H; Schlitzer, R; Tagliabue, A; Turner, D R; Whitby, H

2016-11-28

Hydrothermal activity occurs in all ocean basins, releasing high concentrations of key trace elements and isotopes (TEIs) into the oceans. Importantly, the calculated rate of entrainment of the entire ocean volume through turbulently mixing buoyant hydrothermal plumes is so vigorous as to be comparable to that of deep-ocean thermohaline circulation. Consequently, biogeochemical processes active within deep-ocean hydrothermal plumes have long been known to have the potential to impact global-scale biogeochemical cycles. More recently, new results from GEOTRACES have revealed that plumes rich in dissolved Fe, an important micronutrient that is limiting to productivity in some areas, are widespread above mid-ocean ridges and extend out into the deep-ocean interior. While Fe is only one element among the full suite of TEIs of interest to GEOTRACES, these preliminary results are important because they illustrate how inputs from seafloor venting might impact the global biogeochemical budgets of many other TEIs. To determine the global impact of seafloor venting, however, requires two key questions to be addressed: (i) What processes are active close to vent sites that regulate the initial high-temperature hydrothermal fluxes for the full suite of TEIs that are dispersed through non-buoyant hydrothermal plumes? (ii) How do those processes vary, globally, in response to changing geologic settings at the seafloor and/or the geochemistry of the overlying ocean water? In this paper, we review key findings from recent work in this realm, highlight a series of key hypotheses arising from that research and propose a series of new GEOTRACES modelling, section and process studies that could be implemented, nationally and internationally, to address these issues.This article is part of the themed issue 'Biological and climatic impacts of ocean trace element chemistry'. © 2015 The Authors.

Hydrothermal plume anomalies over the southwest Indian ridge: magmatic control

Science.gov (United States)

Yue, X.; Li, H.; Tao, C.; Ren, J.; Zhou, J.; Chen, J.; Chen, S.; Wang, Y.

2017-12-01

Here we firstly reported the extensive survey results of the hydrothermal activity along the ultra-slow spreading southwest Indian ridge (SWIR). The study area is located at segment 27, between the Indomed and Gallieni transform faults, SWIR. The seismic crustal thickness reaches 9.5km in this segment (Li et al., 2015), which is much thicker than normal crustal. The anomaly thickened crust could be affected by the Crozet hotspot or highly focused melt delivery from the mantle. The Duanqiao hydrothermal field was reported at the ridge valley of the segment by Tao et al (2009). The Deep-towed Hydrothermal Detection System (DHDS) was used to collect information related with hydrothermal activity, like temperature, turbidity, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) and seabed types. There are 15 survey lines at the interval of 2 to 3 km which are occupied about 1300 km2 in segment 27. After processing the raw data, including wiping out random noise points, 5-points moving average processing and subtracting the ambient, we got anomalous Nephelometric Turbidity Units values (ΔNTU). And dE/dt was used to identify the ORP anomalous as the raw data is easily influenced by electrode potentials drifting (Baker et al., 2016). According to the results of water column turbidity and ORP distributions, we confirmed three hydrothermal anomaly fields named A1, A2 and A3. The three fields are all located in the western part of the segment. The A1 field lies on the ridge valley, west side of Duanqiao field. The A2 and A3 field lie on the northern and southern of the ridge valley, respectively. We propose that recent magmatic activity probably focus on the western part of segment 27.And the extensive distribution of hydrothermal plume in the segment is the result of the discrete magma intrusion. References Baker E T, et al. How many vent fields? New estimates of vent field populations on ocean ridges from precise mapping of hydrothermal discharge locations. EPSL, 2016, 449:186-196. Li J

A Nuclear Submarine in the South Atlantic: The Framing of Threats and Deterrence

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mônica Herz

Full Text Available Abstract In this article, we analyse one aspect of Brazilian nuclear policy during the tenure of the Workers Party (2003–2016: the development of a nuclear-propelled submarine. We propose that the project of building a nuclear-propelled submarine has become possible partly because of the mobilisation of a set of arguments for the construction of the South Atlantic as a strategic area, framed in terms of security and development. On the other hand, we contend that the need for a nuclear-propelled submarine is framed through the mobilisation of a specific notion of deterrence. In other words, we claim that the notions of ‘strategic area’, ‘general deterrence’, ‘conventional deterrence’, and ‘deterrence by denial’ can help us analyse the fundamental aspects involved in the framing of the South Atlantic as a security concern, justifying the nuclear-propelled submarine project.

Complexing and hydrothermal ore deposition

CERN Document Server

Helgeson, Harold C

1964-01-01

Complexing and Hydrothermal Ore Deposition provides a synthesis of fact, theory, and interpretative speculation on hydrothermal ore-forming solutions. This book summarizes information and theory of the internal chemistry of aqueous electrolyte solutions accumulated in previous years. The scope of the discussion is limited to those aspects of particular interest to the geologist working on the problem of hydrothermal ore genesis. Wherever feasible, fundamental principles are reviewed. Portions of this text are devoted to calculations of specific hydrothermal equilibriums in multicompone

In-service inspection of the vessels of nuclear submarine reactors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saglio, R.; Mercier L'Abbe, G.

1977-02-01

Description is given of a machine of automatic inspection of the reactor vessels of nuclear submarines, that was developed by the French Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). A focused ultrasound testing method is used. The equipment such described meets the safety requirements prescribed for the primary circuits of nuclear submarine boiler plants. The sensitivity and resolution power of the apparatus allow such high precision to be obtained as rupture mechanics gains a credibility that could not have been obtained with using conventional apparatus [fr

Anaerobic digestion of post-hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater for improved energy efficiency of hydrothermal bioenergy processes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Yan; Schideman, Lance; Zheng, Mingxia; Martin-Ryals, Ana; Li, Peng; Tommaso, Giovana; Zhang, Yuanhui

2015-01-01

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is a promising process for converting wet biomass and organic wastes into bio-crude oil. It also produces an aqueous product referred to as post-hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater (PHWW) containing up to 40% of the original feedstock carbon, which reduces the overall energy efficiency of the HTL process. This study investigated the feasibility of using anaerobic digestion (AD) to treat PHWW, with the aid of activated carbon. Results showed that successful AD occurred at relatively low concentrations of PHWW (≤ 6.7%), producing a biogas yield of 0.5 ml/mg CODremoved, and ∼53% energy recovery efficiency. Higher concentrations of PHWW (≥13.3%) had an inhibitory effect on the AD process, as indicated by delayed, slower, or no biogas production. Activated carbon was shown to effectively mitigate this inhibitory effect by enhancing biogas production and allowing digestion to proceed at higher PHWW concentrations (up to 33.3%), likely due to sequestering toxic organic compounds. The addition of activated carbon also increased the net energy recovery efficiency of AD with a relatively high concentration of PHWW (33.3%), taking into account the energy for producing activated carbon. These results suggest that AD is a feasible approach to treat PHWW, and to improve the energy efficiency of the HTL processes.

Risks and consequences of a hypothetical radiological accident on nuclear powered submarine traversing Suez canal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salama, Mohamed

2008-01-01

Full text: Egypt has unique problem in Suez Canal, although there are, a number of radioactive Cargos traveling through the Canal which includes new and spent reactor fuel and about 100 metric tons of uranium hexafluoride each year, under the regulatory control of the Egyptian Atomic Energy Authority, there is, still a major problem concerning the passage of a number of nuclear powered vessels and submarines passing through the canal several times each year. The passage of these vessels and submarines has a political situation and not under the regulatory control of the Egyptian regulatory body. In spite of all precautions that are taken, in the nuclear powered vessels and submarines from the point of view of the rugged design of the reactor plant, multiple safety systems and operation with exceptional consideration for safety. Although of all of these a potential for a serious accident may does arise, even though, its probability is minimal. The Government of Egypt has established a national radiological emergency plan in order to cope with any radiological accidents, which may arise inside the country. Suez Canal lies in the north east of Egypt, and passes through a zone of considerable business, agriculture and industrial activities. The zone consists of three populated provinces, Port Said, Ismailia and Suez. According to Suez Canal authority regulations it is not allowed for these vessels and submarines to be landed in port. The motivation of the present paper was undertaken to discuss a hypothetical nuclear reactor accident aboard a nuclear powered submarine occurred during its passage in the Suez Canal. Such an accident will produce a radioactive cloud containing a number of radioactive materials. In such type of accidents contamination and causality zones, could extend to several kilometers. The different phases of the accident are going to be discussed and analyzed. The emergency actions taken during the accident phases are going to be presented. The

Exercise Aboard Attack Submarines: Rationale and New Options

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Watenpaugh, Donald

2004-01-01

.... However, most submariners do not exercise during deployment for a variety of reasons, including lack of space, time limitations, equipment limitations, lack of entertainment or recreational value...

Operating Below Crush Depth: The Formation, Evolution, and Collapse of the Imperial Japanese Navy Submarine Force in World War II

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-10

Subamrine, Medium) LCDR Lieutenant Commander LT Lieutenant NM Nautical Mile RADM Rear Admiral ST Sen- Taka (Submarine, High Speed) STo Sen-Toku...Special Submarine) STS Sen- Taka -Sho (Submarine, High Speed(Victory)) USS United States Ship VADM Vice Admiral 1 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION On...Kirai-Sen meaning Mine-Layer, KT for Kai-Toku-Chu meaning Medium, Special Submarine, ST for Sen- Taka meaning Submarine, High speed, STo for Sen Toku

The sinking of the Soviet Mike class nuclear powered submarine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

The purpose of this preliminary study is to assess the quantities of the longer-lived or persistent radioactive materials, or source terms, that have been lost at sea with the sinking of the Soviet MIKE class submarine off Bear Island on 7 April 1989. The report arrives at an assessment of the amount of radioactivity and compares this to the quantities of radioactive materials dumped by the UK from 1953 to 1982 at which time sea dumping of radioactive wastes was suspended by international resolve. This comparison can be used to assess the relative significance of the sinking of this submarine. The study does not extrapolate the estimated radioactive source terms to an environmental or radiological significance of the sinking, although it is concluded that unless the submarine is recovered intact from the ocean floor, the by far greater part of the radioactive materials on board will disperse to the marine environment at some future time, if they are not doing so already. (author)

Coastal submarine springs in Lebanon and Syria: Geological, geochemical, and radio-isotopic study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Charideh, A.

2004-10-01

The coastal karst aquifer system (upper Cretaceous) and the submarine springs in the Syrian coast have been studies using chemical and isotopic methods in order to determine the hydraulic connections between the groundwater and the submarine springs. Results show that the groundwater and submarine springs are having the same slope on the σ 18 O/σ 2 H plot indicate the same hydrological origin for both. In addition this relation is very close to the local meteoric water line (LMWL) reflecting a rapid infiltration of rainfall to recharge coastal aquifer. The calculated percentage of freshwater in the two locations (Bassieh and Tartous) range from 20 to 96%. The estimation rate of the permanent submarine springs (BS1, BS2 and TS2, TS3) is 11m 3 /s or 350 million m 3 /y. The maximum residence time of the groundwater in the Cenomanian/Turonian aquifer was estimated at around 8 years, using the piston-flow model.(author)

Losses in armoured three-phase submarine cables

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ebdrup, Thomas; Silva, Filipe Miguel Faria da; Bak, Claus Leth

2014-01-01

The number of offshore wind farms will keep increasing in the future as a part of the shift towards a CO2 free energy production. The energy harvested from the wind farm must be brought to shore, which is often done by using a three-phase armoured submarine power cable. The use of an armour...... increases the losses in armoured cables compared to unarmoured cables. In this paper a thorough state of the art analysis is conducted on armour losses in three-phase armoured submarine power cables. The analysis shows that the IEC 60287-1-1 standard overestimates the armour losses which lead...... to the installation of cables with excessive phase conductor cross section. This paper also presents an example of the potential economic benefits of having a better knowledge of the losses introduced by the armour....

Submarine Groundwater Discharge in the Coastal Zone

Science.gov (United States)

Bakti, Hendra

2018-02-01

Indonesia is one of the archipelagic countries that has the longest coastline in the world. Because it is located in the tropics, in general it has a very high rainfall. Each island has a different morphology which is composed of a variety of rocks with different hydrogeological properties. This natural condition allows for the presence of groundwater in different amount in each island. The difference in groundwater hydraulics gradients in aquifer continuous to the sea has triggered the discharge of groundwater to offshore known as submarine groundwater discharge (SGD). Its presence can be as seepage or submarine springs with components derived from land and sea and a mixture between them. The understanding of SGD phenomenon is very important because it can be useful as a source of clean water in coastal areas, affecting marine health, and improving marine environment.

Hydrate-bearing Submarine Landslides in the Orca Basin, Gulf of Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Sawyer, D.; Mason, A.; Cook, A.; Portnov, A.; Hillman, J.

2017-12-01

The co-occurrence of submarine landslides and hydrate-bearing sediment suggests that hydrates may play a role in landslide triggering and/or the mobility and dynamic characteristics of the submarine landslide. In turn, the removal of large sections of seafloor perturbs the hydrate stability field by removing overburden pressure and disturbing the temperature field. These potential hydrate-landslide feedbacks are not well understood. Here we combine three-dimensional seismic and petrophysical logs to characterize the deposits of submarine landslides that failed from hydrate-bearing sediments in the Orca Basin in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The Orca Basin contains a regionally mappable bottom simulating reflector, hydrate saturations within sands and muds, as well as numerous landslides. In addition, the Orca Basin features a well-known 123 km2 anoxic hypersaline brine pool that is actively being fed by outcropping salt. Lying at the bottom of the brine pool are deposits of submarine landslides. Slope instability in the Orca Basin is likely associated with near-seafloor salt tectonics. The most prominent landslide scar observable on the seafloor has a correlative deposit that now lies at the bottom of the brine pool 11.6 km away. The headwall is amphitheater-shaped with an average height of 80 meters and with only a minor amount of rubble remaining near the headwall. A total of 8.7 km3 of material was removed and deposited between the lower slopes of the basin and the base of the brine pool. Around the perimeter of the landslide headwall, two industry wells were drilled and well logs show elevated resistivity that are likely caused by gas hydrate. The slide deposits have a chaotic seismic facies with large entrained blocks and the headwall area does not retain much original material, which together suggests a relatively mobile style of landslide and therefore may have generated a wave upon impacting the brine pool. Such a slide-induced wave may have sloshed

The characters of emergency rescue and the measures to prevent accidents for nuclear-powered submarine

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Yuexing

1999-01-01

The characteristics of emergency rescue and the measures for preventing and decreasing accidents in nuclear-powered submarine have been presented. The breakdown of equipment and human factors are the main reasons which lead to accidents. Four preventive measures are suggested: enhancing capabilities to take precautions against fire, seriously controlling the environmental factors which affect the health of the submariners, reinforcing the constitutions of the submariners, and working out emergency planning against serious accidents in advance

The timing of sediment transport down Monterey Submarine Canyon, offshore California

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stevens, Thomas; Paull, C.K.; Ussler, W., III

2014-01-01

luminescence (OSL) ages of quartz sand deposits and accelerator mass spectrometry 14C ages measured on benthic foraminifera to examine the timing of sediment transport through the axial channel of Monterey Submarine Canyon and Fan, offshore California. The OSL ages date the timing of sediment entry...... dates with water depth provides evidence of mixing and temporary storage of sediment as it moves through the canyon system. The ages also indicate that the frequency of sediment transport events decreases with distance down the canyon channel system. The amalgamated sands near the canyon head yield OSL......While submarine canyons are the major conduits through which sediments are transported from the continents out into the deep sea, the time it takes for sediment to pass down through a submarine canyon system is poorly constrained. Here we report on the first study to couple optically stimulated...

Hydrothermal activity on the summit of Loihi Seamount, Hawaii

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sakai, H; Tsubota, H; Nakai, T; Ishibashi, J; Akagi, T; Gamo, T; Tilbrook, B; Igarashi, G; Kodera, M; Shitashima, K

1987-01-01

Loihi Seamount is located about 30km southeast of the Island of Hawaii; it rises from the sea floor at a depth of 4000m and reaches a maximum elevation of 1000m blow sea level. Oceanographic studies including CTD survey of warm sites and bottom photography confirmed several hydrothermal fields on the summit of the seamount. The summit is covered with hydrothermal plumes which are extremely rich in methane, helium, carbon dioxide, iron and manganese; the maximum concentration of helium is 91.8 n1/1, the highest so far reported for open-ocean water. The /sup 3/He//sup 4/He ratio of helium injected into seawater is 14 times the atmospheric level. The 3He/heat and CO/sub 2//heat ratios in the plumes are one to two orders of magnitude greater than those at oceanic spreading centers, implying a more primitive source region for hotspot volcanism. The plumes also show negative pH anomalies up to half a pH unit from ambient owing to the high injection rate of CO/sub 2/. (4 figs, 3 photos, 1 tab, 31 refs)

Hydrothermal liquefaction of biomass

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Toor, Saqib; Rosendahl, Lasse; Rudolf, Andreas

2011-01-01

This article reviews the hydrothermal liquefaction of biomass with the aim of describing the current status of the technology. Hydrothermal liquefaction is a medium-temperature, high-pressure thermochemical process, which produces a liquid product, often called bio-oil or bi-crude. During...... the hydrothermal liquefaction process, the macromolecules of the biomass are first hydrolyzed and/or degraded into smaller molecules. Many of the produced molecules are unstable and reactive and can recombine into larger ones. During this process, a substantial part of the oxygen in the biomass is removed...... by dehydration or decarboxylation. The chemical properties of bio-oil are highly dependent of the biomass substrate composition. Biomass constitutes of various components such as protein; carbohydrates, lignin and fat, and each of them produce distinct spectra of compounds during hydrothermal liquefaction...

NDT in submarines construction-HY 80

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russo, C.A.; Talmadge, J.

1988-01-01

In submarines construction, provided that metallurgic characteristics have been established, the NDT methods and equipments as well as the application ways should be taken into account. It is then fundamental purpose of this work to emphasize all that coming from conventional context in the field of use of already known nondestructive techniques

They Have Not Yet Begun to Fight: Women in the United States Navy Submarine Fleet

Science.gov (United States)

2016-03-11

submarine duty could lead to sexual problems aboard ship and marital problems at home .”22 Some argue that wives do not trust women at sea with...enforces the argument that women are here to stay in submarines. While political and military experts continue to debate the roles of women in submarines...ACSC/Meyer, J/FY16 AIR COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE AIR UNIVERSITY They Have Not Yet Begun to Fight: Women in the United States

Fuel properties and combustion kinetics of hydrochar prepared by hydrothermal carbonization of bamboo.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Wei; Wang, Hui; Zhang, Meng; Zhu, Jiayu; Zhou, Jie; Wu, Shengji

2016-04-01

Hydrothermal carbonization, an environmental friendly treatment method was employed to pretreat bamboo for hydrochar preparation in the present study. Hydrothermal carbonization could elevate the fuel properties and combustion behavior of bamboo. The combustion kinetic parameters of raw bamboo and hydrochars were calculated by a simple Arrhenius equation based on the thermogravimetric curves. Two distinct zones were observed for raw bamboo and hydrochars. The activation energies of raw bamboo in zone 1 and zone 2 were 109.5kJ/mol and 46.6kJ/mol, respectively, in the heating rate of 20°C/min. The activation energy of hydrochar in zone 1 increased at the hydrothermal carbonization temperature under 220°C and then decreased at higher hydrothermal carbonization temperature, due to the decomposition of relative reactive compounds in bamboo, and destruction of cellulose and hemicellulose structures, respectively. The activation energies of hydrochars in zone 2 were among 52.3-57.5kJ/mol, lower than that of lignin extracted from bamboo. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nuclear submarine utilization. Financial deadlock and search for its output

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dovgusha, V.V.; Tikhonov, M.N.

1995-01-01

Program of nuclear submarine utilization in the Russian Federation is described. The program provides for complete solution of all problems, connected with nuclear submarine utilization, including reconstruction of ship-repair and ship-cutting plants, metal fabrication plants, construction of points of temporary radioactive waste storages, new burials, as well as required social support of personnel, working under unhealthy conditions. The program is based on guaranteed and sufficient financing from extra-budgetary sources, as well as on new technologies, enabling to utilize all written off ships during 10-15 years

Disseminated sulphides in basalts from the northern central Indian ridge: Implications on late-stage hydrothermal activity

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Banerjee, R.; Ray, D.

interplay between oceanic crust fractur- ing due to tectonically active megamullions and subsequent hydrothermal alteration, accounting for the formation of dis- seminated sulphides at the NCIR. In a novel attempt, this study examines the mineralogy... of samples. Instead, the dark greyish coloured altered basalts, frequently fractured and often with a greenish tint, dominate the assemblage. Specks of sulphides are un- evenly distributed in these altered basalts as disseminated grains or fine stringers...

Subjective Symptomology and Postural Control During Simulation of a Survival Environmemt Aboard a Disabled Submarine

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Cymerman, Allen

2000-01-01

Subjective symptoms and postural control were assessed in 7 submariners during 5 days exposure to a simulated disabled submarine environment (DISSUB) (4C, 2.5% carbon dioxide, 16.75% oxygen, 85% humidity...

The role of magmas in the formation of hydrothermal ore deposits

Science.gov (United States)

Hedenquist, Jeffrey W.; Lowenstern, Jacob B.

1994-01-01

Magmatic fluids, both vapour and hypersaline liquid, are a primary source of many components in hydrothermal ore deposits formed in volcanic arcs. These components, including metals and their ligands, become concentrated in magmas in various ways from various sources, including subducted oceanic crust. Leaching of rocks also contributes components to the hydrothermal fluid—a process enhanced where acid magmatic vapours are absorbed by deeply circulating meteoric waters. Advances in understanding the hydrothermal systems that formed these ore deposits have come from the study of their active equivalents, represented at the surface by hot springs and volcanic fumaroles.

Collection of Arctic Ocean Data from US Navy Submarines on the New SCICEX Program

Science.gov (United States)

Smethie, W. M.; Sambrotto, R.; Boyd, T.; Richter-Menge, J.; Corbett, J.

2011-12-01

The SCICEX submarine Arctic science program originated in the 1990s when six dedicated science cruises were conducted in the Arctic Ocean aboard US Navy Sturgeon class submarines. After the cold war era Sturgeon class submarines were retired, several Science Accommodation cruises, for which a few days for scientific measurements were added to planned submarine transits through the Arctic Ocean, were carried out when opportunities arose. Renewed interest in conducting further Science Accommodation cruises on a regular basis to better document and understand how the Arctic Ocean responds to climate change resulted in publication of a scientific plan in 2010 (http://www.arctic.gov/publications/scicex_plan.pdf). In the spring of 2011 testing of data collection and water sampling methods aboard newer Virginia and Seawolf class submarines on transit from a Navy ice camp in the Beaufort Sea, was conducted in order to develop protocols and evaluate techniques. Ice draft measurements were also taken in the vicinity of the ice camp and near the North Pole to evaluate new data collection systems. This evaluation will include a comparison of the ice draft data with a comprehensive set of in situ ice thickness measurements taken near the ice camp. Under-ice submarine-launched eXpendable Condutivity Temperature Depth (XCTD) probes were deployed from the USS Connecticut (SSN-22), a Seawolf class submarine, and the resulting profiles compared to CTD casts from the APLIS ice station and historical profiles. Water samples were collected through the hull for measurements of tritium, helium isotopes, oxygen isotopes, chlorofluorocarbons, sulfur hexafluoride, nutrients, dissolved organic carbon, bacterioplankton, phytoplankton and particulates levels. These samples were returned to Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and were in the process of being measured at the time this abstract was written. Measurements completed at this time indicate good samples can be collected for CFC-12

Event-driven sediment flux in Hueneme and Mugu submarine canyons, southern California

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, J. P.; Swarzenski, P.W.; Noble, M.; Li, A.-C.

2010-01-01

Vertical sediment fluxes and their dominant controlling processes in Hueneme and Mugu submarine canyons off south-central California were assessed using data from sediment traps and current meters on two moorings that were deployed for 6 months during the winter of 2007. The maxima of total particulate flux, which reached as high as 300+ g/m2/day in Hueneme Canyon, were recorded during winter storm events when high waves and river floods often coincided. During these winter storms, wave-induced resuspension of shelf sediment was a major source for the elevated sediment fluxes. Canyon rim morphology, rather than physical proximity to an adjacent river mouth, appeared to control the magnitude of sediment fluxes in these two submarine canyon systems. Episodic turbidity currents and internal bores enhanced sediment fluxes, particularly in the lower sediment traps positioned 30 m above the canyon floor. Lower excess 210Pb activities measured in the sediment samples collected during periods of peak total particulate flux further substantiate that reworked shelf-, rather than newly introduced river-borne, sediments supply most of the material entering these canyons during storms.

Nanocrystalline GaSbO{sub 4} with high surface area prepared via a facile hydrothermal method and its photocatalytic activity study

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fu Yanghe; Xue Hun; Qin Meng; Liu Ping; Fu Xianzhi [Research Institute of Photocatalysis, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis - State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350002 (China); Li Zhaohui, E-mail: zhaohuili1969@yahoo.com [Research Institute of Photocatalysis, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Photocatalysis - State Key Laboratory Breeding Base, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350002 (China)

2012-05-05

Graphical abstract: Nanocrystalline GaSbO{sub 4} prepared via a facile hydrothermal method possesses large specific surface area and exhibits photocatalytic activity for the degradations of salicylic acid and acetone. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Facile hydrothermal method to nanocrystalline GaSbO{sub 4} with large surface area. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer GaSbO{sub 4} shows photocatalytic activity for the degradations of salicylic acid and acetone. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The photocatalytic mechanism of GaSbO{sub 4} was proposed based on the ESR result. - Abstract: Nanocrystalline GaSbO{sub 4} with small particle size and large BET specific area was successfully prepared via a facile hydrothermal method from Sb{sub 2}O{sub 5}. The influence of the reaction pH on the formation of the final product was investigated. The obtained sample was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N{sub 2}-sorption BET surface area, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The photocatalytic activity for the degradations of salicylic acid and acetone over nanocrystalline GaSbO{sub 4} under UV irradiations was for the first time revealed. Based on the electron spin resonance (ESR) result, the reactive species involved in the photocatalytic reaction over nanocrytalline GaSbO{sub 4} are determined to be HO{center_dot} and O{sub 2}{sup -}{center_dot}. The photocatalytic mechanism of GaSbO{sub 4} was proposed.

German Submarine Offensives and South African Countermeasures

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Evert

Scientia Militaria vol 44, no 1, 2016, pp 168-189. doi: 10.5787/44-1-1166 ..... report the presence of a body of German submarines moving south towards Cape Town. Despite ...... London: Arms and Armour Press, 1989, 100–101; Keegan op.

Temporal changes in fluid chemistry and energy profiles in the vulcano island hydrothermal system.

Science.gov (United States)

Rogers, Karyn L; Amend, Jan P; Gurrieri, Sergio

2007-12-01

In June 2003, the geochemical composition of geothermal fluids was determined at 9 sites in the Vulcano hydrothermal system, including sediment seeps, geothermal wells, and submarine vents. Compositional data were combined with standard state reaction properties to determine the overall Gibbs free energy (DeltaG(r) ) for 120 potential lithotrophic and heterotrophic reactions. Lithotrophic reactions in the H-O-N-S-C-Fe system were considered, and exergonic reactions yielded up to 120 kJ per mole of electrons transferred. The potential for heterotrophy was characterized by energy yields from the complete oxidation of 6 carboxylic acids- formic, acetic, propanoic, lactic, pyruvic, and succinic-with the following redox pairs: O(2)/H(2)O, SO(4) (2)/H(2)S, NO(3) ()/NH(4) (+), S(0)/H(2)S, and Fe(3)O(4)/Fe(2+). Heterotrophic reactions yielded 6-111 kJ/mol e(). Energy yields from both lithotrophic and heterotrophic reactions were highly dependent on the terminal electron acceptor (TEA); reactions with O(2) yielded the most energy, followed by those with NO(3) (), Fe(III), SO(4) (2), and S(0). When only reactions with complete TEA reduction were included, the exergonic lithotrophic reactions followed a similar electron tower. Spatial variability in DeltaG(r) was significant for iron redox reactions, owing largely to the wide range in Fe(2+) and H(+) concentrations. Energy yields were compared to those obtained for samples collected in June 2001. The temporal variations in geochemical composition and energy yields observed in the Vulcano hydrothermal system between 2001 and 2003 were moderate. The largest differences in DeltaG(r) over the 2 years were from iron redox reactions, due to temporal changes in the Fe(2+) and H(+) concentrations. The observed variations in fluid composition across the Vulcano hydrothermal system have the potential to influence not only microbial diversity but also the metabolic strategies of the resident microbial communities.

A Helicopter submarine Search Game

Science.gov (United States)

1988-09-01

Figure 3. Graphical representation of Baston and Bostock ................. 10 Figure 4. Dips and Speed Circle...dimen.ional helicopter submarine gaines studied by Meinardi [Ref. 7] and more recently by Baston and Bostock [Ref. 8]. Meinardi solves a discr,-te form of...the game while Baston and Bostock solve the continuous case. Bes.ides Danskin’s game, not much work has been done on the two dimensional case except

Optical properties and photocatalytic activities of spherical ZnO and flower-like ZnO structures synthesized by facile hydrothermal method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fang, Yongling [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164 (China); Li, Zhongyu, E-mail: zhongyuli@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164 (China); Changzhou Expansion New Stuff Technology Limited Company, Changzhou 213122 (China); Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology, Jilin 132022 (China); Xu, Song [Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Catalytic Materials and Technology, School of Petrochemical Engineering, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164 (China); Han, Dandan; Lu, Dayong [Jilin Institute of Chemical Technology, Jilin 132022 (China)

2013-10-25

Highlights: •Spherical ZnO and flower-like ZnO were prepared via a facile hydrothermal method. •The as-prepared ZnO showed high photocatalytic activity over MO degradation. •The as-prepared ZnO were well crystallized and exhibited good optical properties. -- Abstract: Spherical ZnO and flower-like ZnO were prepared by facile hydrothermal method at 180 °C and 160 °C, respectively. The as-prepared samples were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) spectra. The optical properties of as-prepared sample, such as photoluminescence (PL) spectra and Raman spectra were studied. The photocatalytic activities of the as-prepared ZnO particles were investigated by degrading the methyl orange (MO) under UV light irradiation. The photocatalytic studies showed that the organic pollutants have been almost completely degraded and mineralized after irradiation of the UV light. These results indicated that the as-prepared ZnO particles exhibited good optical properties and high photocatalytic activities.

Health Risks Among Submarine Personnel in the U.S. Navy, 1974-1979

Science.gov (United States)

1986-12-11

observed dif- ferences in hospitalization rates ( Lilienfeld , 1980). T- tests were used to assess statistical significance of the descriptive variables...the direct method of adjustment ( Lilienfeld , 1980). The standard population was the sum of the two groups. Age-adjusted rates for submariners and...must undergo stringent psychological and medical screening prior to assignment aboard a nuclear submarine because of the relatively long periods of

Relativistic Archimedes law for fast moving bodies and the general-relativistic resolution of the 'submarine paradox'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matsas, George E. A.

2003-01-01

We investigate and solve in the context of general relativity the apparent paradox which appears when bodies floating in a background fluid are set in relativistic motion. Suppose some macroscopic body, say, a submarine designed to lie just in equilibrium when it rests (totally) immersed in a certain background fluid. The puzzle arises when different observers are asked to describe what is expected to happen when the submarine is given some high velocity parallel to the direction of the fluid surface. On the one hand, according to observers at rest with the fluid, the submarine would contract and, thus, sink as a consequence of the density increase. On the other hand, mariners at rest with the submarine using an analogous reasoning for the fluid elements would reach the opposite conclusion. The general relativistic extension of the Archimedes law for moving bodies shows that the submarine sinks. As an extra bonus, this problem suggests a new gedankenexperiment for the generalized second law of thermodynamics

Asymmetrical hydrothermal system below Merapi volcano imaged by geophysical data.

Science.gov (United States)

Byrdina, Svetlana; Friedel, Sven; Budi-Santoso, Agus; Suryanto, Wiwit; Suhari, Aldjarishy; Vandemeulebrouck, Jean; Rizal, Mohhamed H.; Grandis, Hendra

2017-04-01

A high-resolution image of the hydrothermal system of Merapi volcano is obtained using electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), self-potential, and CO2 flux mappings. The ERT inversions identify two distinct low-resistivity bodies, at the base of the south flank and in the summit area, that represent likely two parts of an interconnected hydrothermal system. In the summit area, the extension of the hydrothermal system is clearly limited by the main geological structures which are actual and ancient craters. A sharp resistivity contrast at ancient crater rim Pasar-Bubar separates a conductive hydrothermal system (20 - 50 Ωm) from the resistive andesite lava flows and pyroclastic deposits (2000 - 50 000 Ωm). High diffuse CO2 degassing (with a median value of 400g m -2 d -1) is observed in a narrow vicinity of the active crater rim and close to the Pasar-Bubar. The existence of preferential fluid circulation along this ancient crater rim is also evidenced by self-potential data. The total CO2 degassing across the accessible summit area with a surface of 1.4 · 10 5 m 2 is around 20 td -1. Before the 2010 eruption, Toutain et al. (2009) estimated a higher value of the total diffuse degassing from the summit area (about 200 - 230 td -1). This drop in the diffuse degassing can be related to the decrease in the magmatic activity, to the change of the summit morphology or to a combination of these factors. On the south flank of Merapi, the resistivity model shows spectacular stratification. While surficial recent andesite lava flows are characterized by resistivity exceeding 100 000 Ωm, resistivity as low as 10 Ωm has been encountered at a depth of 200 m at the base of the south flank and was interpreted as a presence of the hydrothermal system. We suggest that a sandwich-like structure of stratified pyroclastic deposits on the flanks of Merapi screen and separate the flow of hydrothermal fluids with the degassing occurring mostly through the fractured crater rims

Hydrothermal Growth of Polyscale Crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Byrappa, Kullaiah

In this chapter, the importance of the hydrothermal technique for growth of polyscale crystals is discussed with reference to its efficiency in synthesizing high-quality crystals of various sizes for modern technological applications. The historical development of the hydrothermal technique is briefly discussed, to show its evolution over time. Also some of the important types of apparatus used in routine hydrothermal research, including the continuous production of nanosize crystals, are discussed. The latest trends in the hydrothermal growth of crystals, such as thermodynamic modeling and understanding of the solution chemistry, are elucidated with appropriate examples. The growth of some selected bulk, fine, and nanosized crystals of current technological significance, such as quartz, aluminum and gallium berlinites, calcite, gemstones, rare-earth vanadates, electroceramic titanates, and carbon polymorphs, is discussed in detail. Future trends in the hydrothermal technique, required to meet the challenges of fast-growing demand for materials in various technological fields, are described. At the end of this chapter, an Appendix 18.A containing a more or less complete list of the characteristic families of crystals synthesized by the hydrothermal technique is given with the solvent and pressure-temperature (PT) conditions used in their synthesis.

Decompression illness in goats following simulated submarine escape: 1993-2006.

Science.gov (United States)

Seddon, F M; Thacker, J C; Fisher, A S; Jurd, K M; White, M G; Loveman, G A M

2014-01-01

The United Kingdom Ministry of Defence commissioned work to define the relationship between the internal pressure of a distressed submarine (DISSUB), the depth from which escape is made and the risk of decompression illness (DCI). The program of work used an animal model (goat) to define these risks and this paper reports the incidence and type of DCI observed. A total of 748 pressure exposures comprising saturation only, escape only or saturation followed by escape were conducted in the submarine escape simulator between 1993 and 2006. The DCI following saturation exposures was predominantly limb pain, whereas following escape exposures the DCI predominantly involved the central nervous system and was fast in onset. There was no strong relationship between the risk of DCI and the range of escape depths investigated. The risk of DCI incurred from escape following saturation was greater than that obtained by combining the risks for the independent saturation only, and escape only, exposures. The output from this program of work has led to improved advice on the safety of submarine escape.

Estimations of radiation characteristics of spent fuel in reactors of nuclear submarines and the ice-breaker Lenin dumped near Novaya Zemlya

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rubtsov, P.M.; Ruzhanskij, P.A.

1996-01-01

Calculations of radionuclide composition and radiation characteristics of actinides and fission products for the reactor spent nuclear fuel of the nuclear submarines and the ice-breaker Lenin dumped near Novaya Zemlya are calculated on the basis of the actual data on the regimes of operation of the above reactors. It is determined that the maximum total activity in 1995 in all reactor sections of the nuclear submarines is concentrated in the fuel (M = 261.9 kg, W = 2.75 GW x day) of the left reactor of the nuclear submarine APL-285 and constitutes 51.9 Ci for actinides and 1.68 x 10 4 Ci for fission products. The corresponding values for the dumped fuel (M = 856 kg, W = 14.2 GW x day) of the ice-breaker Lenin are equal to 3.9 x 10 3 and 5.22 x 10 4 Ci

Metallogenic hydrothermal solution system of post volcanic magma in Xiangshan ore field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Hengli; Shao Fei; Zou Maoqin

2009-01-01

This paper has systematically described uranium metallogenic characteristics of Xiangshan ore field.Sources of metallogenic materials are discussed in different temporal and spatial scale. Combining with background analysis of metallogenic tectonic-magmatic-geodynamics, formation and evolution of metallogenic hydrothermal solution system in Xiangshan volcanic basin are studied. Metallogenic hydrothermal solution system in Xiangshan ore field is considered as the objective product of systematic evolution of hydrothermal solution in post volcanic magma constrained by regional tectonic environment. In time scale, metallogenic hydrothermal solution system developed for about 50 Ma, but its active spaces varied in different time domains. So temporal and spatial distribution of uranium mineralization is constrained. Further exploration for the ore field is also suggested in this paper. (authors)

Martian Magmatic-Driven Hydrothermal Sites: Potential Sources of Energy, Water, and Life

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, R. C.; Dohm, J. M.; Baker, V. R.; Ferris, J. C.; Hare, T. M.; Tanaka, K. L.; Klemaszewski, J. E.; Skinner, J. A.; Scott, D. H.

2000-01-01

Magmatic-driven processes and impact events dominate the geologic record of Mars. Such recorded geologic activity coupled with significant evidence of past and present-day water/ice, above and below the martian surface, indicate that hydrothermal environments certainly existed in the past and may exist today. The identification of such environments, especially long-lived magmatic-driven hydrothermal environments, provides NASA with significant target sites for future sample return missions, since they (1) could favor the development and sustenance of life, (2) may comprise a large variety of exotic mineral assemblages, and (3) could potentially contain water/ice reservoirs for future Mars-related human activities. If life developed on Mars, the fossil record would presumably be at its greatest concentration and diversity in environments where long-term energy sources and water coexisted such as at sites where long-lived, magmatic-driven hydrothermal activity occurred. These assertions are supported by terrestrial analogs. Small, single-celled creatures (prokaryotes) are vitally important in the evolution of the Earth; these prokaryotes are environmentally tough and tolerant of environmental extremes of pH, temperature, salinity, and anoxic conditions found around hydrothermal vents. In addition, there is a great ability for bacteria to survive long periods of geologic time in extreme conditions, including high temperature hydrogen sulfide and sulfur erupted from Mount St. Helens volcano. Our team of investigators is conducting a geological investigation using multiple mission-derived datasets (e.g., existing geologic map data, MOC imagery, MOLA, TES image data, geophysical data, etc.) to identify prime target sites of hydrothermal activity for future hydrological, mineralogical, and biological investigations. The identification of these sites will enhance the probability of success for future missions to Mars.

Geochemical constraints on chemolithoautotrophic reactions in hydrothermal systems

Science.gov (United States)

Shock, Everett L.; McCollom, Thomas; Schulte, Mitchell D.

1995-06-01

Thermodynamic calculations provide the means to quantify the chemical disequilibrium inherent in the mixing of redeuced hydrothermal fluids with seawater. The chemical energy available for metabolic processes in these environments can be evaluated by taking into account the pressure and temperature dependence of the apparent standard Gibbs free energies of reactions in the S-H2-H2O system together with geochemical constraints on pH, activities of aqueous sulfur species and fugacities of H2 and/or O2. Using present-day mixing of hydrothermal fluids and seawater as a starting point, it is shown that each mole of H2S entering seawater from hydrothermal fluids represents about 200,000 calories of chemical energy for metabolic systems able to catalyze H2S oxidation. Extrapolating to the early Earth, which was likely to have had an atmosphere more reduced than at present, shows that this chemical energy may have been a factor of two or so less. Nevertheless, mixing of hydrothermal fluids with seawater would have been an abundant source of chemical energy, and an inevitable consequence of the presence of an ocean on an initially hot Earth. The amount of energy available was more than enough for organic synthesis from CO2 or CO, and/or polymer formation, indicating that the vicinity of hydrothermal systems at the sea floor was an ideal location for the emergence of the first chemolithoautotrophic metabolic systems.

Environmental isotopic and hydrochemical study of the coastal submarine springs in Lebanon and Syria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Charideh, A. R.

2007-08-01

The groundwater of major karst system and the submarine springs in the Syrian coastal limestone aquifer have been studied using chemical and isotopic techniques. Stable isotopes show that the groundwater and submarine springs originates from the direct infiltration of atmospheric water. The elevation of recharge zones feeding the Banyas area (400-600 m a.s.l). The δ 18 O e xtracted for the major submarine spring at Bassieh suggests a mean recharge area elevation of 600-700 m a.s.l. Based on the measured velocity and percentage of fresh water at the submarine springs outlet (Bassieh and Tartous), the estimated discharge rate is 350 million m 3 /y. Adopting a model with exponential time distribution, the mean turnover time of groundwater in the Al-sen spring was evaluated to be 60 years. A value of about 3.7 billion m 3 was obtained for the maximum groundwater reservoir size.(Author)

The chemistry of hydrothermal magnetite: a review

Science.gov (United States)

Nadoll, Patrick; Angerer, Thomas; Mauk, Jeffrey L.; French, David; Walshe, John

2014-01-01

Magnetite (Fe3O4) is a well-recognized petrogenetic indicator and is a common accessory mineral in many ore deposits and their host rocks. Recent years have seen an increased interest in the use of hydrothermal magnetite for provenance studies and as a pathfinder for mineral exploration. A number of studies have investigated how specific formation conditions are reflected in the composition of the respective magnetite. Two fundamental questions underlie these efforts — (i) How can the composition of igneous and, more importantly, hydrothermal magnetite be used to discriminate mineralized areas from barren host rocks, and (ii) how can this assist exploration geologists to target ore deposits at greater and greater distances from the main mineralization? Similar to igneous magnetite, the most important factors that govern compositional variations in hydrothermal magnetite are (A) temperature, (B) fluid composition — element availability, (C) oxygen and sulfur fugacity, (D) silicate and sulfide activity, (E) host rock buffering, (F) re-equilibration processes, and (G) intrinsic crystallographic controls such as ionic radius and charge balance. We discuss how specific formation conditions are reflected in the composition of magnetite and review studies that investigate the chemistry of hydrothermal and igneous magnetite from various mineral deposits and their host rocks. Furthermore, we discuss the redox-related alteration of magnetite (martitization and mushketovitization) and mineral inclusions in magnetite and their effect on chemical analyses. Our database includes published and previously unpublished magnetite minor and trace element data for magnetite from (1) banded iron formations (BIF) and related high-grade iron ore deposits in Western Australia, India, and Brazil, (2) Ag–Pb–Zn veins of the Coeur d'Alene district, United States, (3) porphyry Cu–(Au)–(Mo) deposits and associated (4) calcic and magnesian skarn deposits in the southwestern United

Distribution of hydrothermal fluid around the ore body in the subseafloor of the Izena hydrothermal field

Science.gov (United States)

Toki, T.; Otake, T.; Ishibashi, J. I.; Matsui, Y.; Kawagucci, S.; Kato, H.; Fuchida, S.; Miyahara, R.; Tsutsumi, A.; Kawakita, R.; Uza, H.; Uehara, R.; Shinjo, R.; Nozaki, T.; Kumagai, H.; Maeda, L.

2017-12-01

From 16th November to 15th December 2016, D/V Chikyu drilled the sea bottom around hydrothermal fields at HAKUREI site in the Izena Hole, Okinawa Trough. Site C9025, C9026, C9027, C9028, and C9032 are located along the transect line from the top of the northern mound of HAKUREI site to the eastward, and Site C9030 for the control site is located about 500 m northwest of the mound. Mg concentrations have generally been used to estimate mixing ratios between hydrothermal end-member and seawater in samples from hydrothermal vents. Higher Mg concentrations, however, were detected in the interstitial water than that of seawater, which could be due to artificially dissolution of Mg-bearing minerals that had formed in in-situ environments, when the cored sediments had become cool after their recovery on ship. Similar features were observed with regard to sulfate concentrations, and it suggests that these chemical species are not suitable to estimate quantitatively the contribution of hydrothermally-derived components. In some layers, chloride concentrations were different from that of seawater, indicating that hydrothermal fluids that had been suffered from phase separation flowed into the layers. The deviation, however, was positive or negative relative to that of seawater for an influence of brine or vapor phase, respectively. Therefore chloride concentrations are also not suitable to evaluate a quantitative contribution of hydrothermal end-member. On the other hand, K and B showed only enrichments relative to the seawater, and their highest concentrations are consistent with the reported hydrothermal end-members of each species at HAKUREI site. Using the concentrations of K and B can be evaluated for an influence of hydrothermal components. Furthermore, the headspace gas data are useful in the layers of sulfide minerals and silicified rocks, even though the interstitial waters could not be obtained because of their hardness. Based on these indices, hydrothermal fluids

Kinetics of the hydrothermal treatment of tannin for producing carbonaceous microspheres.

Science.gov (United States)

Braghiroli, F L; Fierro, V; Izquierdo, M T; Parmentier, J; Pizzi, A; Celzard, A

2014-01-01

Aqueous solutions of condensed tannins were submitted to hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) in a stainless steel autoclave, and the kinetics of hydrothermal carbon formation was investigated by changing several parameters: amount of tannin (0.5; 1.0; 1.5; 2.0 g in 16 mL of water), HTC temperature (130, 160, 180 and 200°C) and reaction times (from 1 to 720 h). The morphology and the structure of the tannin-based hydrothermal carbons were studied by TEM, krypton adsorption at -196°C and helium pycnometry. These materials presented agglomerated spherical particles, having surface areas ranging from 0.6 to 10.0 m(2) g(-1). The chemical composition of the hydrothermal carbons was found to be constant and independent of reaction time. HTC kinetics of tannin were determined and shown to correspond to first-order reaction. Temperature-dependent measurements led to an activation energy of 91 kJ mol(-1) for hydrothermal conversion of tannin into carbonaceous microspheres separable by centrifugation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Radiogeochemical features of hydrothermal metasomatic formations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plyushchev, E.V.; Ryabova, L.A.; Shatov, V.V.

1978-01-01

Considered are the most general peculiarities of uranium and thorium distributions in hydrothermal-metasomatic formations of three levels of substance formation: 1) in hydrothermal minerals; 2) in natural associations of these minerals (in the altered rocks, metasomatites, ores, etc.); 3) ordened series of zonally and in stage conjugated hydrothermal-metasomatic formations. Statistically stable recurrence of natural combinations of hydrothermal-metasomatic formations points out conjugation of their formation in the directed evolution in the general hydrothermal process. Series of metasomatic formations, the initial members of which are potassium metasomatites, mostly result in accumulation up to industrial concentrations of radioactive elements in final members of these formations. Development of midlow-temperature propylitic alterations in highly radiative rocks causes the same accumulation

The passive and active periods for the intermittent use of an active sensor to detect an evasive target

OpenAIRE

Bache, Niels

2013-01-01

Your task is to detect a submarine with your active sonar. The submarine can hear your active sonar before you can detect him. If the submarine is fast enough he can evade you before you can detect him. How do you then detect him? If you are using your active sonar continuously you will not detect him. Likewise, if you are not using your sonar at all. In between those two extremes there is an optimum. We will find that optimum. Or said more precisely and general: In the same two dimensional r...

The Italian Submarine Force in the Battle of the Atlantic: Left in the Dark

Science.gov (United States)

2014-12-12

ADM Admiral ASW Anti-submarine warfare BDA Battle damage assessment C2 Command and Control CDR Commander HF/DF High frequency direction finder...damage assessment ( BDA ) if you will, the submarine captain decided if further action might be warranted, and made a decision as to how to engage

Simulating Electrochemistry of Hydrothermal Vents on Enceladus and Other Ocean Worlds

Science.gov (United States)

Barge, L. M.; Krause, F. C.; Jones, J. P.; Billings, K.; Sobron, P.

2017-12-01

Gradients generated in hydrothermal systems provide a significant source of free energy for chemosynthetic life, and may play a role in present-day habitability on ocean worlds such as Enceladus that are thought to host hydrothermal activity. Hydrothermal vents are similar in some ways to typical fuel cell devices: redox/pH gradients between seawater and hydrothermal fluid are analogous to the oxidant and fuel reservoirs; conductive natural mineral deposits are analogous to electrodes; and, in hydrothermal chimneys, the porous chimney wall can function as a separator or ion-exchange membrane. Electrochemistry, founded on quantitative study of redox and other chemical disequilibria as well as the chemistry of interfaces, is uniquely suited to studying these systems. We have performed electrochemical studies to better understand the catalytic potential of seafloor minerals and vent chimneys, using samples from a black smoker vent chimney as an initial demonstration. Fuel cell experiments with electrodes made from black smoker chimney material accurately simulated the redox reactions that occur in a geological setting with this particular catalyst. Similar methods with other geo-catalysts (natural or synthetic) could be utilized to test which redox reactions or metabolisms could be driven in other hydrothermal systems, including putative vent systems on other worlds.

Assessment of Submarine Slope Stability on the Continental Margin off SW Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Hsu, Huai-Houh; Dong, Jia-Jyun; Cheng, Win-Bin; Su, Chih-Chieh

2017-04-01

The abundant gas hydrate reservoirs are distributed in the southwest (SW) off Taiwan. To explore this new energy, geological methods were systematically used and mainly emphasized on the storage potential evaluation. On the other hand, the correlation between gas hydrate dissociation and submarine slope stability is also an important issue. In this study, three submarine profiles on the active and passive continental margin were selected and assessed their slope stabilities by considering two influence factors (seismic forces and number of sedimentary layers). The gravity corers obtained from these three sites (Xiaoliuqiu, Yuan-An Ridge, and Pointer Ridge) to conduct soil laboratory tests. The physical property tests and isotropically consolidated undrained (CIU) triaxial tests were carried out to establish reference properties and shear strength parameters. Before the stability analysis is performed, it is also necessary to construct the seabed profile. For each submarine profile, data from P-waves and from S-waves generated by P-S conversion on reflection from airgun shots recorded along one line of ocean bottom seismometers were used to construct 2-D velocity sections. The seabed strata could be simplified to be only one sedimentary layer or to be multilayer in accordance with the velocity structure profile. Results show the safety factors (FS) of stability analysis are obviously different in considering the number of sedimentary layers, especially for a very thin layer of sediments on a steep slope. The simplified strata condition which treated all seabed strata as only one sedimentary layer might result in the FS lower than 1 and the slope was in an unstable state. On the contrary, the FS could be higher than 10 in a multilayer condition.

Possible detrital, diagenetic and hydrothermal sources for Holocene sediments of the Andaman backarc basin

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Kurian, S.; Nath, B.N.; Ramaswamy, V.; Naman, D.; Rao, T.G.; KameshRaju, K.A.; Selvaraj, K.; Chen, C.T.A.

discriminants such as Eu anomaly and Y/Ho ratio also suggest the role of hydrothermal activity. In addition, the association of Mo with Pb, Zn and Cu in the HCl-insoluble residue suggests the presence of sulfidic material probably of hydrothermal origin....

Controlled synthesis of La1−xSrxCrO3 nanoparticles by hydrothermal method with nonionic surfactant and their ORR activity in alkaline medium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Choi, Bo Hyun; Park, Shin-Ae; Park, Bong Kyu; Chun, Ho Hwan; Kim, Yong-Tae

2013-01-01

Graphical abstract: We demonstrate that Sr-doped LaCrO 3 nanoparticles were successfully prepared by the hydrothermal synthesis method using the nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 and the applicability of La 1−x Sr x CrO 3 to oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysis in an alkaline medium. Compared with the nanoparticles synthesized by the coprecipitation method, they showed enhanced ORR activity. - Highlights: • Sr-doped LaCrO 3 nanoparticles were successfully prepared by the hydrothermal method using the nonionic surfactant. • Homogeneously shaped and sized Sr-doped LaCrO 3 nanoparticles were readily obtained. • Compared with the nanoparticles synthesized by the coprecipitation method, they showed an enhanced ORR activity. • The main origin was revealed to be the decreased particle size due to the nonionic surfactant. - Abstract: Sr-doped LaCrO 3 nanoparticles were prepared by the hydrothermal method with the nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 followed by heat treatment at 1000 °C for 10 h. The obtained perovskite nanoparticles had smaller particle size (about 100 nm) and more uniform size distribution than those synthesized by the conventional coprecipitation method. On the other hand, it was identified with the material simulation that the electronic structure change by Sr doping was negligible, because the initially unfilled e g -band was not affected by the p-type doping. Finally, the perovskite nanoparticles synthesized by hydrothermal method showed much higher ORR activity by over 200% at 0.8 V vs. RHE than those by coprecipitation method

2014/2015 Investigations of the Ontong Java and Kerguelen Plateaus

Science.gov (United States)

Coffin, M. F.; Whittaker, J. M.

2013-12-01

The two largest oceanic plateaus, Ontong Java in the western Pacific, and Kerguelen in the southern Indian Ocean, will be the focus of scheduled multidisciplinary/interdisciplinary shipboard expeditions in 2014 and 2015. In mid-2014, scientists aboard the Schmidt Ocean Institute's RV Falkor will investigate the origin and evolution of two large atolls, Ontong Java and Nukumanu, surmounting the ca 122 Ma Ontong Java Plateau, as well how Kroenke Canyon, which deeply incises the plateau, formed and evolved. First-ever multibeam bathymetry and sub-bottom profiling data from the atolls and canyon will reveal their submarine and shallow sub-seafloor morphology, and, if combined with geochemical and geochronological analyses of potential igneous basement samples, will yield important information on their origin and evolution. The primary goals of this atoll and canyon project are: to test potential genetic relationships between a) the atolls and the OJP, and b) the atolls and Kroenke Canyon; to understand and model how atolls and canyons form and evolve on oceanic plateaus, isolated from terrestrial influences and subject to sea level fluctuations; and to contribute to understanding tsunami risk on low-lying atolls. In late 2014 and early 2015, researchers aboard Australia's new Marine National Facility, RV Investigator, will investigate active submarine hotspot volcanism on the Kerguelen Plateau and its consequences. The project's overall aim is to test the hypothesis that hydrothermal activity driven by active submarine magmatism fertilizes surface waters with iron that enhances primary biological productivity. Surmounting the Cretaceous plateau, Heard and McDonald Islands are among the world's most active hotspot volcanoes, and new multibeam bathymetry and sub-bottom profiling data will enable identification of candidate active submarine volcanoes, which we will sample. In the overlying water column, we will collect samples to test for the presence or absence of

The sedimentary record of submarine channel morphodynamics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Leeuw, J.

2017-01-01

Submarine channels are ubiquitous on the ocean floor and are considered to be the equivalent of rivers on land. These channels are created by turbidity currents, which originate from the continental margins and which can transport sediment for thousands of kilometres into the oceans. The aim of this

Identification and activity of acetate-assimilating bacteria in diffuse fluids venting from two deep-sea hydrothermal systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Winkel, Matthias; Pjevac, Petra; Kleiner, Manuel; Littmann, Sten; Meyerdierks, Anke; Amann, Rudolf; Mußmann, Marc

2014-12-01

Diffuse hydrothermal fluids often contain organic compounds such as hydrocarbons, lipids, and organic acids. Microorganisms consuming these compounds at hydrothermal sites are so far only known from cultivation-dependent studies. To identify potential heterotrophs without prior cultivation, we combined microbial community analysis with short-term incubations using (13)C-labeled acetate at two distinct hydrothermal systems. We followed cell growth and assimilation of (13)C into single cells by nanoSIMS combined with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In 55 °C-fluids from the Menez Gwen hydrothermal system/Mid-Atlantic Ridge, a novel epsilonproteobacterial group accounted for nearly all assimilation of acetate, representing the first aerobic acetate-consuming member of the Nautiliales. In contrast, Gammaproteobacteria dominated the (13) C-acetate assimilation in incubations of 37 °C-fluids from the back-arc hydrothermal system in the Manus Basin/Papua New Guinea. Here, 16S rRNA gene sequences were mostly related to mesophilic Marinobacter, reflecting the high content of seawater in these fluids. The rapid growth of microorganisms upon acetate addition suggests that acetate consumers in diffuse fluids are copiotrophic opportunists, which quickly exploit their energy sources, whenever available under the spatially and temporally highly fluctuating conditions. Our data provide first insights into the heterotrophic microbial community, catalyzing an under-investigated part of microbial carbon cycling at hydrothermal vents. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Linking geology, fluid chemistry, and microbial activity of basalt- and ultramafic-hosted deep-sea hydrothermal vent environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Perner, M; Hansen, M; Seifert, R; Strauss, H; Koschinsky, A; Petersen, S

2013-07-01

Hydrothermal fluids passing through basaltic rocks along mid-ocean ridges are known to be enriched in sulfide, while those circulating through ultramafic mantle rocks are typically elevated in hydrogen. Therefore, it has been estimated that the maximum energy in basalt-hosted systems is available through sulfide oxidation and in ultramafic-hosted systems through hydrogen oxidation. Furthermore, thermodynamic models suggest that the greatest biomass potential arises from sulfide oxidation in basalt-hosted and from hydrogen oxidation in ultramafic-hosted systems. We tested these predictions by measuring biological sulfide and hydrogen removal and subsequent autotrophic CO2 fixation in chemically distinct hydrothermal fluids from basalt-hosted and ultramafic-hosted vents. We found a large potential of microbial hydrogen oxidation in naturally hydrogen-rich (ultramafic-hosted) but also in naturally hydrogen-poor (basalt-hosted) hydrothermal fluids. Moreover, hydrogen oxidation-based primary production proved to be highly attractive under our incubation conditions regardless whether hydrothermal fluids from ultramafic-hosted or basalt-hosted sites were used. Site-specific hydrogen and sulfide availability alone did not appear to determine whether hydrogen or sulfide oxidation provides the energy for primary production by the free-living microbes in the tested hydrothermal fluids. This suggests that more complex features (e.g., a combination of oxygen, temperature, biological interactions) may play a role for determining which energy source is preferably used in chemically distinct hydrothermal vent biotopes. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Estimating the empirical probability of submarine landslide occurrence

Science.gov (United States)

Geist, Eric L.; Parsons, Thomas E.; Mosher, David C.; Shipp, Craig; Moscardelli, Lorena; Chaytor, Jason D.; Baxter, Christopher D. P.; Lee, Homa J.; Urgeles, Roger

2010-01-01

The empirical probability for the occurrence of submarine landslides at a given location can be estimated from age dates of past landslides. In this study, tools developed to estimate earthquake probability from paleoseismic horizons are adapted to estimate submarine landslide probability. In both types of estimates, one has to account for the uncertainty associated with age-dating individual events as well as the open time intervals before and after the observed sequence of landslides. For observed sequences of submarine landslides, we typically only have the age date of the youngest event and possibly of a seismic horizon that lies below the oldest event in a landslide sequence. We use an empirical Bayes analysis based on the Poisson-Gamma conjugate prior model specifically applied to the landslide probability problem. This model assumes that landslide events as imaged in geophysical data are independent and occur in time according to a Poisson distribution characterized by a rate parameter λ. With this method, we are able to estimate the most likely value of λ and, importantly, the range of uncertainty in this estimate. Examples considered include landslide sequences observed in the Santa Barbara Channel, California, and in Port Valdez, Alaska. We confirm that given the uncertainties of age dating that landslide complexes can be treated as single events by performing statistical test of age dates representing the main failure episode of the Holocene Storegga landslide complex.

Extensive hydrothermal activity revealed by multi-tracer survey in the Wallis and Futuna region (SW Pacific)

OpenAIRE

Konn, Cecile; Fourre, E.; Jean-baptiste, P.; Donval, Jean-pierre; Guyader, Vivien; Birot, Dominique; Alix, Anne-sophie; Gaillot, Arnaud; Perez, Florian; Dapoigny, A.; Pelleter, Ewan; Resing, J. A.; Charlou, Jean-luc; Fouquet, Yves

2016-01-01

The study area is close to the Wallis and Futuna Islands in the French EEZ. It exists on the western boundary of the fastest tectonic area in the world at the junction of the Lau and North-Fiji basins. At this place, the unstable back-arc accommodates the plate motion in three ways: (i) the north Fiji transform fault, (ii) numerous unstable spreading ridges, and (iii) large areas of recent volcanic activity. This instability creates bountiful opportunity for hydrothermal discharge to occur. B...

NaF-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of Ti-doped hematite nanocubes with enhanced photoelectrochemical activity for water splitting

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zheng, Chong; Zhu, Zezhou; Wang, Sibo; Hou, Yidong, E-mail: ydhou@fzu.edu.cn

2015-12-30

Graphical abstract: An enhanced photoelectrochemical activity for water splitting was achieved over porous Ti-doped α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanocubes. - Highlights: . • Ti-doped hematite nanocubes were successfully prepared by NaF-assisted hydrothermal deposition and subsequent annealing. • Ti-doped α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanocubes showed an enhanced PEC activity with an IPCE of 25.2% at 340 nm at 1.23 V vs. RHE. • The enhanced activity of Ti-doped hematite nanocubes can be ascribed to high surface area and fast charge transportation. - Abstract: Ti-doped α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanocubes on FTO substrate was prepared by hydrothermal deposition β-FeOOH onto FTO glass with a solution of FeCl{sub 3}, TiOCl{sub 2} and NaF, followed by an appropriate annealing. In comparison to Ti-doped α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanorods Ti-doped α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanocubes showed an enhanced photoelectrochemical activity for water splitting, with a remarkable IPCE of 25.2% at 340 nm at the potential of 1.23 V vs. RHE. The hematite films were studied in detail by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV–vis absorption spectroscopy and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. On the basis of the obtained results, the improved performance of Ti-doped α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanocubes can be ascribed to the porous structure, good electrical conductivity and fast charge transportation of hematite.

Stresses in a submarine topography under ocean waves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mei, C.C.; McTigue, D.F.

1984-09-01

The problem of submarine slope stability is of interest to both offshore engineering and geology. In an uneven topography, the weight above a horizontal plane induces two-dimensional variation in the static stress field. The action of wave pressure, which changes with depth, further introduces excess pore pressure and dynamic stresses in the sea bottom. In the present paper, we combine a simple analytical theory for the static stress by the present authors, and the recent solution by Mei and Foda for wave-induced stresses in a plane poro-elastic sea bed to account for mild bottom slope and wave shoaling, and obtain the effective stress field in a submarine topography under sea waves. Sample results are given for a ridge and a canyon. In particular, the dynamic pore pressure and the combined static and dynamic effective stresses are presented.

Lava delta deformation as a proxy for submarine slope instability

Science.gov (United States)

Di Traglia, Federico; Nolesini, Teresa; Solari, Lorenzo; Ciampalini, Andrea; Frodella, William; Steri, Damiano; Allotta, Benedetto; Rindi, Andrea; Marini, Lorenzo; Monni, Niccolò; Galardi, Emanuele; Casagli, Nicola

2018-04-01

The instability of lava deltas is a recurrent phenomenon affecting volcanic islands, which can potentially cause secondary events such as littoral explosions (due to interactions between hot lava and seawater) and tsunamis. It has been shown that Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) is a powerful technique to forecast the collapse of newly emplaced lava deltas. This work goes further, demonstrating that the monitoring of lava deltas is a successful strategy by which to observe the long-term deformation of subaerial-submarine landslide systems on unstable volcanic flanks. In this paper, displacement measurements derived from Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery were used to detect lava delta instability at Stromboli volcano (Italy). Recent flank eruptions (2002-2003, 2007 and 2014) affected the Sciara del Fuoco (SdF) depression, created a "stacked" lava delta, which overlies a pre-existing scar produced by a submarine-subaerial tsunamigenic landslide that occurred on 30 December 2002. Space-borne X-band COSMO-SkyMED (CSK) and C-band SENTINEL-1A (SNT) SAR data collected between February 2010 and October 2016 were processed using the SqueeSAR algorithm. The obtained ground displacement maps revealed the differential ground motion of the lava delta in both CSK and SNT datasets, identifying a stable area (characterized by less than 2 mm/y in both datasets) within the northern sector of the SdF and an unstable area (characterized by velocity fields on the order of 30 mm/y and 160 mm/y in the CSK and SNT datasets, respectively) in the central sector of the SdF. The slope stability of the offshore part of the SdF, as reconstructed based on a recently performed multibeam bathymetric survey, was evaluated using a 3D Limit Equilibrium Method (LEM). In all the simulations, Factor of Safety (F) values between 0.9 and 1.1 always characterized the submarine slope between the coastline and -250 m a.s.l. The critical surfaces for all the search volumes corresponded to

Virtual Reality Training System for a Submarine Command Center

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Maxwell, Douglas B

2008-01-01

The invention as disclosed is a system that uses a combined real and virtual display interaction methodology to generate the visual appearance of submarine combat control rooms and allow interaction...

Dynamics of submarine groundwater discharge and associated fluxes of dissolved nutrients, carbon, and trace gases to the coastal zone (Okatee River estuary, South Carolina)

Science.gov (United States)

Porubsky, W.P.; Weston, N.B.; Moore, W.S.; Ruppel, C.; Joye, S.B.

2014-01-01

Multiple techniques, including thermal infrared aerial remote sensing, geophysical and geological data, geochemical characterization and radium isotopes, were used to evaluate the role of groundwater as a source of dissolved nutrients, carbon, and trace gases to the Okatee River estuary, South Carolina. Thermal infrared aerial remote sensing surveys illustrated the presence of multiple submarine groundwater discharge sites in Okatee headwaters. Significant relationships were observed between groundwater geochemical constituents and 226Ra activity in groundwater with higher 226Ra activity correlated to higher concentrations of organics, dissolved inorganic carbon, nutrients, and trace gases to the Okatee system. A system-level radium mass balance confirmed a substantial submarine groundwater discharge contribution of these constituents to the Okatee River. Diffusive benthic flux measurements and potential denitrification rate assays tracked the fate of constituents in creek bank sediments. Diffusive benthic fluxes were substantially lower than calculated radium-based submarine groundwater discharge inputs, showing that advection of groundwater-derived nutrients dominated fluxes in the system. While a considerable potential for denitrification in tidal creek bank sediments was noted, in situ denitrification rates were nitrate-limited, making intertidal sediments an inefficient nitrogen sink in this system. Groundwater geochemical data indicated significant differences in groundwater chemical composition and radium activity ratios between the eastern and western sides of the river; these likely arose from the distinct hydrological regimes observed in each area. Groundwater from the western side of the Okatee headwaters was characterized by higher concentrations of dissolved organic and inorganic carbon, dissolved organic nitrogen, inorganic nutrients and reduced metabolites and trace gases, i.e. methane and nitrous oxide, than groundwater from the eastern side

Gender integration on U.S. Navy submarines: views of the first wave

OpenAIRE

Ellis, Krysten J.; Munson, Garold I.

2015-01-01

Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited This project is an ethnographic case study documenting the experiences of the first group of women integrated into the United States Submarine Force. The study seeks to: 1) document the process through which each of the women was selected and became a submariner; 2) identify hindering and supporting issues and concerns (e.g., life-work balance, job-role expectations, and career development); 3) describe the organizational culture and c...

Response to 'Analysis of the Treatment, by the U.S. Department of Energy, of the FEP Hydrothermal Activity in the Yucca Mountain Performance Assessment' by Yuri Dublyansky (Risk Analysis, Volume 27, Issue 6, Pages 1455-1468, December 2007)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Houseworth, J.E.; Hardin, E.

2008-01-01

This paper presents a rebuttal to Dublyansky (2007), which misrepresents technical issues associated with hydrothermal activity at the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository and their importance to the long-term performance of the repository. In this paper, questions associated with hydrothermal activity are reviewed and the justification for exclusion of hydrothermal activity from performance assessment is presented. The hypothesis that hydrothermal upwelling into the present-day unsaturated zone has occurred at Yucca Mountain is refuted by the unambiguous evidence that secondary minerals and fluid inclusions in the unsaturated zone formed in an unsaturated environment from downward percolating meteoric waters. The thermal history at Yucca Mountain, inferred from fluid inclusion and isotopic data, is explained in terms of the tectonic extensional environment and associated silicic magmatism. The waning of tectonic extension over millions of years has led to the present-day heat flux in the Yucca Mountain region that is below average for the Great Basin. The long time scales of tectonic processes are such that any effects of a resumption of extension or silicic magmatism on hydrothermal activity at Yucca Mountain over the 10,000-year regulatory period would be negligible. The conclusion that hydrothermal activity was incorrectly excluded from performance assessment as asserted in Dublyansky (2007) is contradicted by the available technical and regulatory information.

Multicore fibers for high-capacity submarine transmission systems

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nooruzzaman, Md.; Morioka, Toshio

2018-01-01

Applications of multicore fibers (MCFs) in undersea transmission systems are investigated, and various potential architectures of branching units for MCF-based undersea transmission systems are presented. Some MCF-based submarine network architectures based on the amount of data traffic are also...

Crustal volumes of the continents and of oceanic and continental submarine plateaus

Science.gov (United States)

Schubert, G.; Sandwell, D.

1989-01-01

Using global topographic data and the assumption of Airy isostasy, it is estimated that the crustal volume of the continents is 7182 X 10 to the 6th cu km. The crustal volumes of the oceanic and continental submarine plateaus are calculated at 369 X 10 to the 6th cu km and 242 X 10 to the 6th cu km, respectively. The total continental crustal volume is found to be 7581 X 10 to the 6th cu km, 3.2 percent of which is comprised of continental submarine plateaus on the seafloor. An upper bound on the contintental crust addition rate by the accretion of oceanic plateaus is set at 3.7 cu km/yr. Subduction of continental submarine plateaus with the oceanic lithosphere on a 100 Myr time scale yields an upper bound to the continental crustal subtraction rate of 2.4 cu km/yr.

Hydrothermally Stable Fe–W–Ti SCR Catalysts Prepared by Deposition–Precipitation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Putluru, Siva Sankar Reddy; Schill, Leonhard; Mossin, Susanne

2014-01-01

Fe/TiO2 based catalysts were prepared by incipient wetness impregnation and deposition–precipitation (DP). The catalysts were characterized by activity measurements, N2 physisorption, X-ray powder diffraction, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, H2......-temperature programmed reduction and NH3-temperature programmed desorption. The 3 wt% Fe–10 wt% WO3/TiO2 (3Fe–10WTi-DP) catalyst prepared by DP using ammonium carbamate as a precipitating agent was found to be the most active and hydrothermally stable with 11 vol% H2O in air at 650 °C for 3 h....... The hydrothermal stability of the catalyst can be attributed to the retained crystal structure, and mild change in acidic and redox properties of the catalyst. Furthermore, hydrothermal stability of the 3Fe–10WTi-DP catalyst is competitive with that of 3Fe–ZSM-5 and much better than 3V2O5–10WO3–TiO2 catalysts...

Identifying bubble collapse in a hydrothermal system using hidden Markov models

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, P.B.; Benitez, M.C.; Lowenstern, J. B.; Chouet, B.A.

2012-01-01

Beginning in July 2003 and lasting through September 2003, the Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park exhibited an unusual increase in ground temperature and hydrothermal activity. Using hidden Markov model theory, we identify over five million high-frequency (>15Hz) seismic events observed at a temporary seismic station deployed in the basin in response to the increase in hydrothermal activity. The source of these seismic events is constrained to within ???100 m of the station, and produced ???3500-5500 events per hour with mean durations of ???0.35-0.45s. The seismic event rate, air temperature, hydrologic temperatures, and surficial water flow of the geyser basin exhibited a marked diurnal pattern that was closely associated with solar thermal radiance. We interpret the source of the seismicity to be due to the collapse of small steam bubbles in the hydrothermal system, with the rate of collapse being controlled by surficial temperatures and daytime evaporation rates. copyright 2012 by the American Geophysical Union.

Identifying bubble collapse in a hydrothermal system using hiddden Markov models

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, Phillip B.; Benitez, M.C.; Lowenstern, Jacob B.; Chouet, Bernard A.

2012-01-01

Beginning in July 2003 and lasting through September 2003, the Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park exhibited an unusual increase in ground temperature and hydrothermal activity. Using hidden Markov model theory, we identify over five million high-frequency (>15 Hz) seismic events observed at a temporary seismic station deployed in the basin in response to the increase in hydrothermal activity. The source of these seismic events is constrained to within ~100 m of the station, and produced ~3500–5500 events per hour with mean durations of ~0.35–0.45 s. The seismic event rate, air temperature, hydrologic temperatures, and surficial water flow of the geyser basin exhibited a marked diurnal pattern that was closely associated with solar thermal radiance. We interpret the source of the seismicity to be due to the collapse of small steam bubbles in the hydrothermal system, with the rate of collapse being controlled by surficial temperatures and daytime evaporation rates.

Experimental Investigation of Effect of the Sail with Leading Edge Fillet on Flow around a Submarine

OpenAIRE

Mohsen Rahmany; Amir Hamzeh Farajollahi; Mojtaba Dehghan Manshadi

2016-01-01

Because of connecting the various appendages of submarine to the main body the vortices have been created that disrupt the flow uniformity and make the undesirable features such as vortex formation to flow. Vortices that have been created due to the connectivity of sail to the body of submarines have a significant impact on non-uniformity of submarine wake at location of the propeller disc. In present research the use of hot wire anemometer has created vertical flow field in back of the two s...

Cyclic thermal behavior associated to the degassing process at El Hierro submarine volcano, Canary Islands.

Science.gov (United States)

Fraile-Nuez, E.; Santana-Casiano, J. M.; González-Dávila, M.

2016-12-01

One year after the ceasing of magmatic activity in the shallow submarine volcano of the island of El Hierro, significant physical-chemical anomalies produced by the degassing process as: (i) thermal anomalies increase of +0.44 °C, (ii) pH decrease of -0.034 units, (iii) total dissolved inorganic carbon, CT increase by +43.5 µmol kg-1 and (iv) total alkalinity, AT by +12.81 µmol kg-1 were still present in the area. These evidences highlight the potential role of the shallow degassing processes as a natural ecosystem-scale experiments for the study of significant effects of global change stressors on marine environments. Additionally, thermal time series obtained from a temporal yo-yo CTD study, in isopycnal components, over one of the most active points of the submarine volcano have been analyzed in order to investigate the behavior of the system. Signal processing of the thermal time series highlights a strong cyclic temperature period of 125-150 min at 99.9% confidence, due to characteristic time-scales revealed in the periodogram. These long cycles might reflect dynamics occurring within the shallow magma supply system below the island of El Hierro.

German Submarine Offensives and South African Countermeasures

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Evert

World War, with a number of opportunistic attacks also made by submarines travelling to the Far ..... This time round, however, the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean ... offensive operations in the Indian Ocean between the Gulf of Aden and the ... American seaboards, which ensured that an attack around the coast off ...

Enhanced bioactivity and biocompatibility of nanostructured hydroxyapatite coating by hydrothermal annealing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hahn, Byung-Dong; Lee, Jeong-Min; Park, Dong-Soo; Choi, Jong-Jin; Ryu, Jungho; Yoon, Woon-Ha; Choi, Joon-Hwan; Lee, Byoung-Kuk; Kim, Jong-Woo; Kim, Hyoun-Ee; Kim, Seong-Gon

2011-01-01

The crystallinity of hydroxyapatite (HA) coatings prepared by aerosol deposition may be increased by heating in air or low-temperature hydrothermal processing. From the X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy results, it was revealed that the crystallinity of the HA coatings significantly increased after the post-annealing. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the conventional furnace heating induced the substantial growth of the HA crystallites, whereas the hydrothermal treatment did not bring about any remarkable change in the HA crystallite size, which remained below 20 nm. The bioactivity of the HA coatings was estimated by the acellular simulated body fluid immersion test. After immersion for 7 days, newly-precipitated apatite crystals were only observed on the surfaces of the samples hydrothermally treated at 170 and 190 deg. C. In addition, the alkaline phosphatase activity of MC3T3-E1 preosteoblast cells cultured on the hydrothermally treated samples was significantly higher than those on the as-deposited coating and conventional furnace heated samples. The enhanced bioactivity and excellent biological in vitro cellular response of the hydrothermally treated samples were attributed to their nanostructured nature and high degree of crystallinity.

Isotopic evidence for the influence of typhoons and submarine canyons on the sourcing and transport behavior of biospheric organic carbon to the deep sea

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Li-Wei; Ding, Xiaodong; Liu, James T.; Li, Dawei; Lee, Tsung-Yu; Zheng, Xufeng; Zheng, Zhenzhen; Xu, Min Nina; Dai, Minhan; Kao, Shuh-Ji

2017-05-01

Export of biospheric organic carbon from land masses to the ocean plays an important role in regulating the global carbon cycle. High-relief islands in the western Pacific are hotspots for such land-to-ocean carbon transport due to frequent floods and active tectonics. Submarine canyon systems serve as a major conduit to convey terrestrial organics into the deep sea, particularly during episodic floods, though the nature of ephemeral sediment transportation through such canyons remains unclear. In this study, we deployed a sediment trap in southwestern Taiwan's Gaoping submarine canyon during summer 2008, during which Typhoon Kalmaegi impacted the study area. We investigated sources of particulate organic carbon and quantified the content of fossil organic carbon (OCf) and biospheric non-fossil carbon (OCnf) during typhoon and non-typhoon periods, based on relations between total organic carbon (TOC), isotopic composition (δ13 C, 14C), and nitrogen to carbon ratios (N/C) of newly and previously reported source materials. During typhoons, flooding connected terrestrial rivers to the submarine canyon. Fresh plant debris was not found in the trap except in the hyperpycnal layer, suggesting that only hyperpycnal flow is capable of entraining plant debris, while segregation had occurred during non-hyperpycnal periods. The OCnf components in typhoon flood and trapped samples were likely sourced from aged organics buried in ancient landslides. During non-typhoon periods, the canyon is more connected to the shelf, where waves and tides cause reworking, thus allowing abiotic and biotic processes to generate isotopically uniform and similarly aged OCnf for transport into the canyon. Therefore, extreme events coupled with the submarine canyon system created an efficient method for deep-sea burial of freshly produced organic-rich material. Our results shed light on the ephemeral transport of organics within a submarine canyon system on an active tectonic margin.

Moessbauer spectroscopy study on the hydrothermal transformation α-FeOOH → α-Fe2O3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barb, D.; Diamandescu, L.; Mihaila-Tarabsanu, D.; Rusi, A.; Moraria, M.

1990-01-01

The reaction kinetics of the hydrothermal transformation α-FeOOH→α-Fe 2 O 3 was studied by means of Moessbauer spectroscopy. From the reaction isotherms, a monomolecular, first order reaction was found to characterise the hydrothermal transformation of alpha oxihydroxide to the alpha iron oxide. The rate constant as well as the activation energy of this process were determined. No intermediate phases were identified in the hydrothermal samples. The thermodynamic properties of the hydrothermal system α-FeOOH→α-Fe 2 O 3 in correlation with Moessbauer spectroscopy data are discussed. (orig.)

MVAC Submarine cable, magnetic fields measurements and analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arentsen, Martin Trolle; Expethit, Adrian; Pedersen, Morten Virklund

2017-01-01

Standard 60287. Researchers believe that the wire armour of three phased submarine cables is the reason for the inaccurate calculations by the standard. Studies show that the magnetic behaviour of these cables are changed due to the wire armour. In order to investigate this hypothesis, this paper intends...... to supply the theoretical research with data from magnetic field measurements on a wire armoured 3-phase submarine cable, together with an investigation of the induced currents in the different cable components. The influence of the physical arrangement of the armour wires on the electric behaviour is also...... investigated, since several researchers believe that the twisting of the armour wires result in zero net induced voltage over one helix length. This is shown to be valid for the tested cable. Finally a replica of the armour has been built with just a single conductor in the centre. This setup was used...

Stresses in a submarine topography under ocean waves

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mei, C.C.; McTigue, D.F.

1984-01-01

The problem of submarine slope stability is of interest to both offshore engineering and geology. In an uneven topography, the weight above a horizontal plane induces two-dimensional variation in the static stress field. The action of wave pressure, which changes with depth, further introduces excess pore pressure and dynamic stresses in the sea bottom. In the present paper, we combine a simple analytical theory for the static stress by the present authors, and the recent solution by Mei and Foda for wave-induced stresses in a plane poro-elastic sea bed to account for mild bottom slope and wave shoaling, to obtain the effective stress field in a submarine topography under sea waves. Sample results are given for a ridge and a canyon. In particular the dynamic pore pressure and the combined static and dynamic effective stresses are presented. 10 references, 11 figures.

Understanding losses in three core armoured submarine cables

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Silva, Filipe Miguel Faria da; Ebdrup, Thomas; Bak, Claus Leth

2016-01-01

. For practical an economical reasons the preferred choice of cable for both the array and the transmission cables are three-core armoured submarine cables. Therefore, it has becoming increasingly important to be able to calculate the ampacity of such cables accurately. At present time, the ampacity of three......-core armoured submarine cables is calculated according to IEC 60287-1-1 [1]. Various measurements conducted both by cable manufacturers and transmission system operators (TSO) have shown that using the cable rating method stated in IEC 60287-1-1 underestimates the cable ampacity [2]-[6]. Furthermore......, measurements conducted within the cable industry have shown that an armoured three core cable has higher losses than equal unarmoured three core cables. It is also suggested that the inaccuracy in the IEC armour’s loss factor (λ2) is the main responsible for the conservatism in the IEC cable rating method...

Lessons from Suiyo Seamount studies, for understanding extreme (ancient?) microbial ecosystems in the deep-sea hydrothermal fields

Science.gov (United States)

Maruyama, A.; Higashi, Y.; Sunamura, M.; Urabe, T.

2004-12-01

Deep-sea hydrothermal ecosystems are driven with various geo-thermally modified, mainly reduced, compounds delivered from extremely hot subsurface environments. To date, several unique microbes including thermophilic archaeons have been isolated from/around vent chimneys. However, there is little information about microbes in over-vent and sub-vent fields. Here, we report several new findings on microbial diversity and ecology of the Suiyo Seamount that locates on the Izu-Bonin Arc in the northwest Pacific Ocean, as a result of the Japanese Archaean Park project, with special concern to the sub-vent biosphere. At first, we succeeded to reveal a very unique microbial ecosystem in hydrothermal plume reserved within the outer rim of the seamount crater, that is, it consisted of almost all metabolically active microbes belonged to only two Bacteria phylotypes, probably of sulfur oxidizers. In the center of the caldera seafloor (ca. 1,388-m deep) consisted mainly of whitish sands and pumices, we found many small chimneys (ca. 5-10 cm) and bivalve colonies distributed looking like gray to black patches. These geo/ecological features of the seafloor were supposed to be from a complex mixing of hydrothermal venting and strong water current near the seafloor. Through quantitative FISH analysis for various environmental samples, one of the two representative groups in the plume was assessed to be from some of the bivalve colonies. Using the Benthic Multi-coring System (BMS), total 10 points were drilled and 6 boreholes were maintained with stainless or titanium casing pipes. In the following submersible surveys, newly developed catheter- and column-type in situ growth chambers were deployed in and on the boreholes, respectively, for collecting indigenous sub-vent microbes. Finally, we succeeded to detect several new phylotypes of microbes in these chamber samples, e.g., within epsilon-Proteobacteria, a photosynthetic group of alpha-Proteobacteria, and hyperthermophile

Submarine Biofouling Control- Chlorination DATS Study at Pearl Harbor

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Wegand, John

2001-01-01

The intent of this document is to sumarize the chlorination studies performed at Naval Station, Pearl Harbor in support of biofouling control initiatives for the submarine community, as requested by NAVSEA 92T...

Hydrothermal synthetic strategies of inorganic semiconducting nanostructures.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Weidong; Song, Shuyan; Zhang, Hongjie

2013-07-07

Because of their unique chemical and physical properties, inorganic semiconducting nanostructures have gradually played a pivotal role in a variety of research fields, including electronics, chemical reactivity, energy conversion, and optics. A major feature of these nanostructures is the quantum confinement effect, which strongly depends on their size, shape, crystal structure and polydispersity. Among all developed synthetic methods, the hydrothermal method based on a water system has attracted more and more attention because of its outstanding advantages, such as high yield, simple manipulation, easy control, uniform products, lower air pollution, low energy consumption and so on. Precise control over the hydrothermal synthetic conditions is a key to the success of the preparation of high-quality inorganic semiconducting nanostructures. In this review, only the representative hydrothermal synthetic strategies of inorganic semiconducting nanostructures are selected and discussed. We will introduce the four types of strategies based on exterior reaction system adjustment, namely organic additive- and template-free hydrothermal synthesis, organic additive-assisted hydrothermal synthesis, template-assisted hydrothermal synthesis and substrate-assisted hydrothermal synthesis. In addition, the two strategies based on exterior reaction environment adjustment, including microwave-assisted and magnetic field-assisted hydrothermal synthesis, will be also described. Finally, we conclude and give the future prospects of this research area.

Gravitational, erosional and depositional processes on volcanic ocean islands: Insights from the submarine morphology of Madeira Archipelago

Science.gov (United States)

Quartau, Rui; Ramalho, Ricardo S.; Madeira, José; Santos, Rúben; Rodrigues, Aurora; Roque, Cristina; Carrara, Gabriela; Brum da Silveira, António

2018-01-01

The submarine flanks of volcanic ocean islands are shaped by a variety of physical processes. Whilst volcanic constructional processes are relatively well understood, the gravitational, erosional and depositional processes that lead to the establishment of large submarine tributary systems are still poorly comprehended. Until recently, few studies have offered a comprehensive source-to-sink approach, linking subaerial morphology with near-shore shelf, slope and far-field abyssal features. In particular, few studies have addressed how different aspects of the subaerial part of the system (island height, climate, volcanic activity, wave regime, etc.) may influence submarine flank morphologies. We use multibeam bathymetric and backscatter mosaics of an entire archipelago - Madeira - to investigate the development of their submarine flanks. Crucially, this dataset extends from the nearshore to the deep sea, allowing a solid correlation between submarine morphologies with the physical and geological setting of the islands. In this study we also established a comparison with other island settings, which allowed us to further explore the wider implications of the observations. The submarine flanks of the Madeira Archipelago are deeply dissected by large landslides, most of which also affected the subaerial edifices. Below the shelf break, landslide chutes extend downslope forming poorly defined depositional lobes. Around the islands, a large tributary system composed of gullies and channels has formed where no significant rocky/ridge outcrops are present. In Madeira Island these were likely generated by turbidity currents that originated as hyperpycnal flows, whilst on Porto Santo and Desertas their origin is attributed to storm-induced offshore sediment transport. At the lower part of the flanks (-3000 to -4300 m), where seafloor gradients decrease to 0.5°-3°, several scour and sediment wave fields are present, with the former normally occurring upslope of the latter

Differentiating biotic from abiotic methane genesis in hydrothermally active planetary surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Oze, Christopher; Jones, L Camille; Goldsmith, Jonas I; Rosenbauer, Robert J

2012-06-19

Molecular hydrogen (H(2)) is derived from the hydrothermal alteration of olivine-rich planetary crust. Abiotic and biotic processes consume H(2) to produce methane (CH(4)); however, the extent of either process is unknown. Here, we assess the temporal dependence and limit of abiotic CH(4) related to the presence and formation of mineral catalysts during olivine hydrolysis (i.e., serpentinization) at 200 °C and 0.03 gigapascal. Results indicate that the rate of CH(4) production increases to a maximum value related to magnetite catalyzation. By identifying the dynamics of CH(4) production, we kinetically model how the H(2) to CH(4) ratio may be used to assess the origin of CH(4) in deep subsurface serpentinization systems on Earth and Mars. Based on our model and available field data, low H(2)/CH(4) ratios (less than approximately 40) indicate that life is likely present and active.

Effect of hydrothermal treatment on catalytic activity of amorphous mesoporous Cr2O3–ZrO2 nanomaterials for ethanol oxidation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mahmoud, Hala R.

2015-01-01

Mesoporous 0.25Cr 2 O 3 –0.75ZrO 2 binary oxide catalysts (CZ-H) with high specific surface areas were successfully synthesized by hydrothermal treatment. The effect of synthesis conditions, such as hydrothermal temperature and time of CZ-H nanomaterials were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopic (EDS), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and N 2 adsorption–desorption measurements (BET). The XRD analysis indicated the formation of amorphous materials of binary oxides. The results showed that hydrothermal temperature and time of CZ-H nanomaterials had great influence on the average particle diameter and surface area. Under the optimum synthesis conditions, the best CZ-H nanomaterial synthesized at 210 °C for 3 h (i.e., CZ-H213), presented spherical structure with smallest average particle diameter found to be 1.5 nm and possessed highest surface area of 526.6 m 2 /g. Optical studies by UV–vis spectroscopy for the different CZ-H nanomaterials exhibit slightly blue shift from 3.20 to 3.33 eV due to quantum confined exciton absorption. Moreover, hydrothermal synthesis leads to catalysts with higher surface area and with better acid–base properties than conventional co-precipitation method. Compared to the other nanomaterials, the CZ-H213 catalyst appears to be the best candidate for further application in acid–base catalysis and reusability. - Graphical abstract: Display Omitted - Highlights: • Mesoporous 25%Cr 2 O 3 –75%ZrO 2 catalysts (CZ-H) were prepared by hydrothermal method. • The hydrothermal temperature and time modified the properties of CZ-H nanomaterials. • The best CZ-H nanomaterial synthesized at 210 °C for 3 h (i.e., CZ-H213). • A CZ-H213 nanomaterial had the highest S BET and smallest average particle diameter. • A mesoporous CZ-H213 used as a reusable active catalyst in the ethanol conversion

Flank Collapse Assessment At Kick-'em-Jenny Submarine Volcano (Lesser Antilles): A Combined Approach Using Modelling and Experiments

Science.gov (United States)

Dondin, F. J. Y.; Heap, M. J.; Robertson, R. E. A.; Dorville, J. F. M.; Carey, S.

2016-12-01

In the Lesser Antilles over 52 volcanic landslide episodes have been identified. These episodes serve as a testament to the hazard posed by volcanic landslides to a region composed of many islands that are small independent countries with vulnerable local economies. This study presents a relative slope stability analysis (RIA) to investigate the stability condition of the only active submarine volcano of the Lesser Antilles Arc: Kick-'em-Jenny Submarine Volcano (KeJ). Thus we hope to provide better constraint on the landslide source geometry to help mitigate volcanic landslide hazards at a KeJ. KeJ is located ca. 8 km north of Grenada island. KeJ lies within a collapse scar from a prehistorical flank collapse. This collapse was associated with a voluminous landslide deposit of about 4.4km3 with a 14 km runout. Numerial simulations showed that this event could generate a regional tsunami. We aim to quantify potential initial volumes of collapsed material using a RIA. The RIA evaluates the critical potential failure surface associated with factor of safety (Fs) inferior to unity and compares them to areas of deficit/surplus of mass/volume obtained from the comparison of an high resolution digital elevation model of the edifice with an ideal 3D surface. We use freeware programs VolcanoFit 2.0 and SSAP 4.7. and produce a 3D representation of the stability map. We report, for the first time, results of a Limit Equilibrium Method performed using geomechanical parameters retrieved from rock mechanics tests performed on two rock basaltic-andesite rock samples collected from within the crater of the volcano during the 1-18 November 2013 NA039 E/V Nautilus cruise. We performed triaxial and uniaxial deformation tests to obtain values of strength at the top and bottom of the edifice. We further characterized the permeability and P-wave velocity of the samples collected. The chosen internal structure for the model is composed of three bodies: (i) a body composed of basaltic

Molecular comparison of bacterial communities within iron-containing flocculent mats associated with submarine volcanoes along the Kermadec Arc.

Science.gov (United States)

Hodges, Tyler W; Olson, Julie B

2009-03-01

Iron oxide sheaths and filaments are commonly found in hydrothermal environments and have been shown to have a biogenic origin. These structures were seen in the flocculent material associated with two submarine volcanoes along the Kermadec Arc north of New Zealand. Molecular characterization of the bacterial communities associated with the flocculent samples indicated that no known Fe-oxidizing bacteria dominated the recovered clone libraries. However, clones related to the recently described Fe-oxidizing bacterium Mariprofundus ferrooxydans were obtained from both the iron-containing flocculent (Fe-floc) and sediment samples, and peaks corresponding to Mariprofundus ferrooxydans, as well as the related clones, were observed in several of our terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism profiles. A large group of epsilonproteobacterial sequences, for which there is no cultured representative, dominated clones from the Fe-floc libraries and were less prevalent in the sediment sample. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that several operational taxonomic units appeared to be site specific, and statistical analyses of the clone libraries found that all samples were significantly different from each other. Thus, the bacterial communities in the Fe-floc samples were not more closely related to each other than to the sediment communities.

Geophysical image of the hydrothermal system of Merapi volcano

Science.gov (United States)

Byrdina, S.; Friedel, S.; Vandemeulebrouck, J.; Budi-Santoso, A.; Suhari; Suryanto, W.; Rizal, M. H.; Winata, E.; Kusdaryanto

2017-01-01

We present an image of the hydrothermal system of Merapi volcano based on results from electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), self-potential, and CO2 flux mappings. The ERT models identify two distinct low-resistivity bodies interpreted as two parts of a probably interconnected hydrothermal system: at the base of the south flank and in the summit area. In the summit area, a sharp resistivity contrast at ancient crater rim Pasar-Bubar separates a conductive hydrothermal system (20-50 Ω m) from the resistive andesite lava flows and pyroclastic deposits (2000-50,000 Ω m). The existence of preferential fluid circulation along this ancient crater rim is also evidenced by self-potential data. The significative diffuse CO2 degassing (with a median value of 400 g m-2 d-1) is observed in a narrow vicinity of the active crater rim and close to the ancient rim of Pasar-Bubar. The total CO2 degassing across the accessible summital area with a surface of 1.4 ṡ 105 m2 is around 20 t d-1. Before the 2010 eruption, Toutain et al. (2009) estimated a higher value of the total diffuse degassing from the summit area (about 200-230 t d-1). This drop in the diffuse degassing from the summit area can be related to the decrease in the magmatic activity, to the change of the summit morphology, to the approximations used by Toutain et al. (2009), or, more likely, to a combination of these factors. On the south flank of Merapi, the resistivity model shows spectacular stratification. While surficial recent andesite lava flows are characterized by resistivity exceeding 100,000 Ω m, resistivity as low as 10 Ω m has been encountered at a depth of 200 m at the base of the south flank and was interpreted as a presence of the hydrothermal system. No evidence of the hydrothermal system is found on the basis of the north flank at the same depth. This asymmetry might be caused by the asymmetry of the heat supply source of Merapi whose activity is moving south or/and to the asymmetry in

Potential tsunamigenic hazard associated to submarine mass movement along the Ionian continental margin (Mediterranean Sea).

Science.gov (United States)

Ceramicola, S.; Tinti, S.; Praeg, D.; Zaniboni, F.; Planinsek, P.

2012-04-01

Submarine mass movements are natural geomorphic processes that transport marine sediment down continental slopes into deep-marine environments. Type of mass wasting include creep, slides, slump, debris flows, each with its own features and taking place over timescale from seconds to years. Submarine landslides can be triggered by a number of different causes, either internal (such as changes in physical chemical sediment properties) or external (e.g. earthquakes, volcanic activity, salt movements, sea level changes etc.). Landslides may mobilize sediments in such a way as to form an impulsive vertical displacement of a body of water, originating a wave or series of waves with long wavelengths and long periods called tsunamis ('harbor waves'). Over 600 km of continental margin has been investigated by OGS in the Ionian sea using geophysical data - morpho-bathymetry (Reson 8111, 8150) and sub-bottom profiles (7-10 KHz) - collected aboard the research vessel OGS Explora in the framework of the MAGIC Project (Marine Geohazard along the Italian Coasts), funded by the Italian Civil Protection. The objective of this project is the definition of elements that may constitute geological risk for coastal areas. Geophysical data allowed the recognition of four main types of mass wasting phenomena along the slopes of the ICM: 1) mass transport complexes (MTCs) within intra-slope basins. Seabed imagery show the slopes of all the seabed ridges to be marked by headwall scarps recording widespread failure, multiple debris flows in several basins indicate one or more past episodes of failure that may be linked to activity on the faults bounding the structural highs. 2) submarine landslide - a multiple failure event have been identified (Assi landslide) at about 6 km away from the coastline nearby Riace Marina. Headwall scars up to 50 m high across water depths of 700 to 1400 m, while sub-bottom profiles indicate stacked slide deposits at and near seabed. 4) canyon headwalls - in the

Hydrothermal Fe-Si-Mn oxide deposits from the Central and South Valu Fa Ridge, Lau Basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sun Zhilei; Zhou Huaiyang; Yang Qunhui; Sun Zhixue; Bao Shenxu; Yao Huiqiang

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The Fe-Mn crust in the HHF has seawater contribution, whereas the Fe-Si oxide in the MHF is dominated by hydrothermal fluid → The Nd isotope of diffuse flow Fe-Si-Mn deposits indicates the obvious hydrothermal origin. → The Mn/Fe ratio in hydrothermal deposit may be a good indicator of propagating activities of the Valu Fa Ridge. - Abstract: A series of samples from the Hine Hina hydrothermal field (HHF) and the Mariner hydrothermal field (MHF) in the Central and Southern Valu Fa Ridge (VFR), Lau Basin were examined to explain the source origin and formation of the hydrothermal Fe-Si-Mn oxide deposits. The mineralogy was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Moessbauer spectroscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). For the Fe-Mn oxide crusts in the HHF, varying amounts of volcanic fragments and some seawater contributions were recognized, along with higher concentrations of Mn, Al, Co, Ni, Zn, Sr, Mo, elevated ΣREE and negative Ce anomalies. In contrast, the Si-rich oxide samples of the MHF were enriched in Cu, Pb and Ba, indicative of proximity to a hydrothermal jet. Moreover, conductive cooling of hydrothermal fluid evoked the Si-rich deposit formation in the MHF. The Sr, Nd and Pb isotope data provided further constraints regarding the source and formation of the Fe-Si-Mn deposits in the VFR by showing that the samples of the HHF are a mixture of three components, namely, hydrothermal fluid, seawater and volcanic materials, whereas the samples of the MHF were dominated by hydrothermal fluids. The seawater had a minor influence on the Nd isotope data, and the Pb isotope data exhibited a close association with the substrate rock and preformed volcaniclastic layers in this area. The occurrence of relatively high Mn/Fe ratios in the hydrothermal deposits of this area may be a good indicator of the propagating activities of the VFR over geological time.

[Dynamics of functional status of submarine personnel during the pre-deployment period].

Science.gov (United States)

Khankevich, Iu R; Bloshchinskiĭ, I A; Val'skiĭ, A V; Nabokov, N L

2014-09-01

Authors came to conclusions that during the pre-deployment period submarine personnel are stressed out. During this period submarine personnel .usually resupply, conduct maintenance and other monitoring-and-checkout measures, which leads to functional stress. Authors came to conclusion that it is necessary to use simple and easy, but at the same time informative methods for early diagnosis of worsen functional health status. One of these methods is evaluation of indicators of cardiovascular system. This method is a base for functional health status prophylaxis.

Tracking hydrothermal feature changes in response to seismicity and deformation at Mud Volcano thermal area, Yellowstone

Science.gov (United States)

Diefenbach, A. K.; Hurwitz, S.; Murphy, F.; Evans, W.

2013-12-01

The Mud Volcano thermal area in Yellowstone National Park comprises many hydrothermal features including fumaroles, mudpots, springs, and thermal pools. Observations of hydrothermal changes have been made for decades in the Mud Volcano thermal area, and include reports of significant changes (the appearance of new features, increased water levels in pools, vigor of activity, and tree mortality) following an earthquake swarm in 1978 that took place beneath the area. However, no quantitative method to map and measure surface feature changes through time has been applied. We present an analysis of aerial photographs from 1954 to present to track temporal changes in the boundaries between vegetated and thermally barren areas, as well as location, extent, color, clarity, and runoff patterns of hydrothermal features within the Mud Volcano thermal area. This study attempts to provide a detailed, long-term (>50 year) inventory of hydrothermal features and change detection at Mud Volcano thermal area that can be used to identify changes in hydrothermal activity in response to seismicity, uplift and subsidence episodes of the adjacent Sour Creek resurgent dome, or other potential causes.

Submarine Ground Water Discharge and Fate Along the Coast of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, Hawai'i:Part 2, Spatial and Temporal Variations in Salinity, Radium-Isotope Activity, and Nutrient Concentrations in Coastal Waters, December 2003-April 2006

Science.gov (United States)

Knee, Karen; Street, Joseph; Grossman, Eric E.; Paytan, Adina

2008-01-01

The aquatic resources of Kaloko-Honokohau National Historical Park, including rocky shoreline, fishponds, and anchialine pools, provide habitat to numerous plant and animal species and offer recreational opportunities to local residents and tourists. A considerable amount of submarine groundwater discharge was known to occur in the park, and this discharge was suspected to influence the park's water quality. Thus, the goal of this study was to characterize spatial and temporal variations in the quality and quantity of groundwater discharge in the park. Samples were collected in December 2003, November 2005, and April 2006 from the coastal ocean, beach pits, three park observation wells, anchialine pools, fishponds, and Honokohau Harbor. The activities of two Ra isotopes commonly used as natural ground-water tracers (223Ra and 224Ra), salinity, and nutrient concentrations were measured. Fresh ground water composed a significant proportion (8-47 volume percent) of coastal-ocean water. This percentage varied widely between study sites, indicating significant spatial variation in submarine groundwater discharge at small (meter to kilometer) scales. Nitrate + nitrite, phosphate, and silica concentrations were significantly higher in nearshore coastal-ocean samples relative to samples collected 1 km or more offshore, and linear regression showed that most of this difference was due to fresh ground-water discharge. High-Ra-isotope-activity, higher-salinity springs were a secondary source of nutrients, particularly phosphate, at Honokohau Harbor and Aiopio Fishtrap. Salinity, Ra-isotope activity, and nutrient concentrations appeared to vary in response to the daily tidal cycle, although little seasonal variation was observed, indicating that submarine ground-water discharge may buffer the park's water quality against the severe seasonal changes that would occur in a system where freshwater inputs were dominated by rivers and runoff. Ra-isotope-activity ratios indicated

Heat Source for Active Venting at the Lost City Hydrothermal Field

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, J. E.; Germanovich, L. N.; Lowell, R. P.

2014-12-01

Located at the inside corner high of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR), 30°N and the Atlantis Transform Fault (ATF), the Atlantis Massif has been uplifted over the past ~2 my. The Southern Ridge of this massif hosts the Lost City Hydrothermal Field (LCHF), an off-axis hydrothermal vent field with carbonate chimney ages surpassing 120,000 yrs. The fluids discharging at LCHF carry geochemical signals that show a direct interaction with serpentinites. However, mineralogical evidence suggests that peridotite hydration began early in the formation of oceanic core complexes and previous modeling results indicate that serpentinization is unlikely to generate the heat necessary to maintain current levels of discharge at LCHF. This work develops a model for the LCHF venting based on the evidence of tectonic strain, detachment faulting, serpentinization, and convective fluid flow. We constrain fluid flow at the LCHF by vent geochemistry, vent temperature, seismically inferred faulting, and expected geothermal gradient ≈100°C/km. Present understanding of tectonic processes at the intersection of MAR and ATF suggests that unroofing of the footwall and crustal flexing of the massif induced normal faults, which run parallel to the MAR, throughout the Southern Ridge. In the absence of the evidence of magmatism, we test the feasibility of the geothermal gradient to cause fluid circulation in the high-permeability, sub-vertical fault zone. Fluid circulation in the fault zone is complemented by the bulk porous flow driven through the Southern Ridge by the lateral temperature gradient between the cold water on the steep face along the ATF side and the hot interior of the massif. In this scenario, the high pH hydrothermal fluids pass through the serpentinized zone before discharging as both high-temperature focused flow (40°-91°C) and low-temperature (≈15°C) diffuse flow at the LCHF.

Polymer-Assisted Hydrothermal Synthesis of Hierarchically Arranged Hydroxyapatite Nanoceramic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Joseph Nathanael

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Flower-like hydroxyapatite (HA nanostructures were synthesized by a polymer-assisted hydrothermal method. The thickness of the petals/plates decreased from 200 nm to 40 nm as the polymer concentration increased. The thickness also decreased as the hydrothermal treatment time increased from 6 to 12 hr. The HRTEM and SAED patterns suggest that the floral-like HA nanostructures are single crystalline in nature. Structural analysis based on XRD and Raman experiments implied that the produced nanostructure is a pure form of HA without any other impurities. The possible formation mechanism was discussed for the formation of flower-like HA nanostructures during polymer-assisted hydrothermal synthesis. Finally, in vitro cellular analysis revealed that the hierarchically arranged HA nanoceramic had improved cell viability relative to other structures. The cells were actively proliferated over these nanostructures due to lower cytotoxicity. Overall, the size and the crystallinity of the nanostructures played a role in improving the cell proliferation.

Annotated bibliography: Marine geologic hazards of the Hawaiian Islands with special focus on submarine slides and turbidity currents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Normark, W.R.; Herring, H.H.

1993-10-01

This annotated bibliography was compiled to highlight the submarine geology of the Hawaiian Islands and identify known and potential marine geologic hazards with special emphasis on turbidity currents, submarine slides and tsunamis. Some references are included that are not specific to Hawaii but are needed to understand the geologic processes that can affect the integrity of submarine cables and other man-made structures. Entries specific to the Hawaiian Island area are shown in bold type.

The human factor in the operation of nuclear powered submarines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dambier, M.

1982-05-01

The conditions characterizing the operation of nuclear powered submarines are described and the precautionary measures suitable to reduce the incidence of human errors and their consequences are explained

Submarine slope failures due to pipe structure formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Elger, Judith; Berndt, Christian; Rüpke, Lars; Krastel, Sebastian; Gross, Felix; Geissler, Wolfram H

2018-02-19

There is a strong spatial correlation between submarine slope failures and the occurrence of gas hydrates. This has been attributed to the dynamic nature of gas hydrate systems and the potential reduction of slope stability due to bottom water warming or sea level drop. However, 30 years of research into this process found no solid supporting evidence. Here we present new reflection seismic data from the Arctic Ocean and numerical modelling results supporting a different link between hydrates and slope stability. Hydrates reduce sediment permeability and cause build-up of overpressure at the base of the gas hydrate stability zone. Resulting hydro-fracturing forms pipe structures as pathways for overpressured fluids to migrate upward. Where these pipe structures reach shallow permeable beds, this overpressure transfers laterally and destabilises the slope. This process reconciles the spatial correlation of submarine landslides and gas hydrate, and it is independent of environmental change and water depth.

Investigating microbial colonization in actively forming hydrothermal deposits using thermocouple arrays

Science.gov (United States)

Tivey, M. K.; Reysenbach, A. L.; Hirsch, M.; Steinberg, J.; Flores, G. E.

2010-12-01

Investigations of microbial colonization of very young hydrothermal deposits were carried out in 2009 at hydrothermal vents in the Lau Basin (SW Pacific), and in Guaymas Basin, Gulf of California, with a test deployment at the Rainbow vent field on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge in 2008. Our method entailed razing active chimneys and placing arrays of temperature probes (8 titanium-encased probes with their tips placed within a titanium cage) over the active flow. The chimneys that grew back through each array, encasing the temperature probe tips, were recovered after 2 to 15 days, along with temperature records. Molecular phylogenetic methods are being used to reveal the members of the microbial communities that developed in each chimney of known age and thermal history. A total of 15 array deployments were made at 10 vents in 6 different vent fields. Similar morphology beehives (with porous fine-grained interiors and steep temperature gradients across the outermost more-consolidated “wall”) formed at 2 of the 3 vents in Guaymas Basin (in 2 and 5 days at one vent and 3 and 15 days at a second), and at one vent each in the Kilo Moana (in 3 days), Tahi Moana (in 2.5 days), and Tui Malila (in 3 and 8 days) vent fields in the Lau Basin. In contrast, open conduit, thin walled chimneys grew within arrays at the Mariner vent field, Lau Basin, at 3 different vents (in 3 days at one vent, in 3 and 11 days at a second vent, and in 13 days at a third vent). A lower temperature (Archaea showed very little change in diversity over time, with members of the genera Thermococcus and Methanocaldococcus present in all samples analyzed, irrespective of location and timing of sampling. This is very different from a 72-hour test array deployment done in 2008 at Rainbow vent field, where the deposited soft material was colonized only by the sulfate-reducing archaeum, Archaeoglobus. These samples (8 beehives, 4 open conduit smokers, one diffuser spire, from chimneys of known composition

Simple models for the simulation of submarine melt for a Greenland glacial system model

Science.gov (United States)

Beckmann, Johanna; Perrette, Mahé; Ganopolski, Andrey

2018-01-01

Two hundred marine-terminating Greenland outlet glaciers deliver more than half of the annually accumulated ice into the ocean and have played an important role in the Greenland ice sheet mass loss observed since the mid-1990s. Submarine melt may play a crucial role in the mass balance and position of the grounding line of these outlet glaciers. As the ocean warms, it is expected that submarine melt will increase, potentially driving outlet glaciers retreat and contributing to sea level rise. Projections of the future contribution of outlet glaciers to sea level rise are hampered by the necessity to use models with extremely high resolution of the order of a few hundred meters. That requirement in not only demanded when modeling outlet glaciers as a stand alone model but also when coupling them with high-resolution 3-D ocean models. In addition, fjord bathymetry data are mostly missing or inaccurate (errors of several hundreds of meters), which questions the benefit of using computationally expensive 3-D models for future predictions. Here we propose an alternative approach built on the use of a computationally efficient simple model of submarine melt based on turbulent plume theory. We show that such a simple model is in reasonable agreement with several available modeling studies. We performed a suite of experiments to analyze sensitivity of these simple models to model parameters and climate characteristics. We found that the computationally cheap plume model demonstrates qualitatively similar behavior as 3-D general circulation models. To match results of the 3-D models in a quantitative manner, a scaling factor of the order of 1 is needed for the plume models. We applied this approach to model submarine melt for six representative Greenland glaciers and found that the application of a line plume can produce submarine melt compatible with observational data. Our results show that the line plume model is more appropriate than the cone plume model for simulating

Submarine Landslides and Mass-Transport Deposition in the Nankai fore-arc

Science.gov (United States)

Strasser, M.; Henry, P.; Kanamatsu, T.; Moe, K.; Moore, G. F.; IODP Expedition 333 Scientists

2011-12-01

. These observations suggest that slumping and mass-transport is dominated by localized plastic deformation. Other MTDs are related to basal granular volcaniclastic deposits, suggesting earthquake-induced liquefaction as failure mechanism. However, the temporal distribution of observed landslides suggests submarine slope destabilization does not occur systematically during subduction zone earthquakes. This implies that pre-conditioning factors such as sedimentation, tectonic oversteepening and/or lateral transmission of fluids overpressure may exert the key role in controlling the temporal and spatial occurrence of submarine landslides. Nevertheless, mass movements are an active process that is shaping the present-day seafloor, as evidenced by numerous slump scars in bathymetry data and the occurrence of a shallow, presumably Holocene, MTD at Site C0018.

Vapour discharges on Nevado del Ruiz during the recent activity: Clues on the composition of the deep hydrothermal system and its effects on thermal springs

Science.gov (United States)

Federico, Cinzia; Inguaggiato, Salvatore; Chacón, Zoraida; Londoño, John Makario; Gil, Edwing; Alzate, Diego

2017-10-01

The Nevado del Ruiz volcano is considered one of the most active volcanoes in Colombia, which can potentially threaten approximately 600,000 inhabitants. The existence of a glacier and several streams channelling in some main rivers, flowing downslope, increases the risk for the population living on the flank of the volcano in case of unrest, because of the generation of lahars and mudflows. Indeed, during the November 1985 subplinian eruption, a lahar generated by the sudden melting of the glacier killed twenty thousand people in the town of Armero. Moreover, the involvement of the local hydrothermal system has produced in the past phreatic and phreatomagmatic activity, as occurred in 1989. Therefore, the physico-chemical conditions of the hydrothermal system as well as its contribution to the shallow thermal groundwater and freshwater in terms of enthalpy and chemicals require a close monitoring. The phase of unrest occurred since 2010 and culminated with an eruption in 2012, after several years of relative stability, still maintains a moderate alert, as required by the high seismicity and SO2 degassing. In October 2013, a sampling campaign has been performed on thermal springs and stream water, located at 2600-5000 m of elevation on the slope of Nevado del Ruiz, analyzed for water chemistry and stable isotopes. Some of these waters are typically steam-heated (low pH and high sulfate content) by the vapour probably separating from a zoned hydrothermal system. By applying a model of steam-heating, based on mass and enthalpy balances, we have estimated the mass rate of hydrothermal steam discharging in the different springs. The composition of the hottest thermal spring (Botero Londono) is probably representative of a marginal part of the hydrothermal system, having a temperature of 250 °C and low salinity (Cl 1500 mg/l), which suggest, along with the retrieved isotope composition, a chiefly meteoric origin. The vapour discharged at the steam vent "Nereidas" (3600

Three-dimensional sea-urchin-like hierarchical TiO{sub 2} microspheres synthesized by a one-pot hydrothermal method and their enhanced photocatalytic activity

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Yi, E-mail: zhouyihn@163.com [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Hunan, 410114 (China); Huang, Yan; Li, Dang; He, Wenhong [Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology, Hunan, 410114 (China)

2013-07-15

Graphical abstract: SEM images of the samples synthesized at different hydrothermal temperatures for 8 h: (a) 75; (b) 100; (c) 120; and (d) 140°C, followed by calcination at 450 °C for 2 h. Highlights: ► Effects of calcination temperature on the phase transformation were studied. ► Effects of hydrothermal temperature and time on the morphology growth were studied. ► A two-stage reaction mechanism for the formation was presented. ► The photocatalytic activity was evaluated under sunlight irradiation. ► Effects of calcination temperature on the photocatalytic activity were studied. - Abstract: Novel three-dimensional sea-urchin-like hierarchical TiO{sub 2} superstructures were synthesized on a Ti plate in a mixture of H{sub 2}O{sub 2} and NaOH aqueous solution by a facile one-pot hydrothermal method at a low temperature, followed by protonation and calcination. The results of series of electron microscopy characterizations suggested that the hierarchical TiO{sub 2} superstructures consisted of numerous one-dimensional nanostructures. The microspheres were approximately 2–4 μm in diameter, and the one-dimensional TiO{sub 2} nanostructures were up to 600–700 nm long. A two-stage reaction mechanism, i.e., initial growth and then assembly, was proposed for the formation of these architectures. The three-dimensional sea-urchin-like hierarchical TiO{sub 2} microstructures showed excellent photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine B aqueous solution under sunlight irradiation, which was attributed to the special three-dimensional hierarchical superstructure, and increased number of surface active sites. This novel superstructure has promising use in practical aqueous purification.

Rare earth element behaviour and hydrothermal alteration, Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lottermoser, B.G.

1990-01-01

This contribution documents extreme rare earth elements (REE) mobility associated with a currently active subaerial hydrothermal system on Lihir Island, Papua New Guinea, which is host to a large epithermal gold deposit. Instrumental thermal activation analysis for selected REE and for other trace elements has been performed at the Lucas Heights Research Laboratories in Sydney. Samples and standards were irradiated with thermal neutrons and subsequently counted on coaxial and planar detectors after several decay periods. The gamma-ray spectra were processed using FORTRAN data reduction program. The wide range of (La/Lu) c n, (La/Sm) c n and (Tb/Lu) c n ratios reflects a pronounced mobilisation and fractionation of REE during the hydrothermal process. It is estimated that the increasing fractionation of REE, and especially of 'light rare earth' (La to Sm), up the alteration sequence is the result of decreasing pH, temperature and alkalinity of the hydrothermal fluids with increasing alteration intensity. 15 refs., 2 figs

A thermoelectric cap for seafloor hydrothermal vents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie, Yu; Wu, Shi-jun; Yang, Can-jun

2016-01-01

Highlights: • We developed a thermoelectric cap (TC) to harvest hydrothermal energy. • The TC was deployed at a hydrothermal vent site near Kueishantao islet, Taiwan. • The TC monitored the temperature of the hydrothermal fluids during the field test. • The TC could make the thermal energy of hydrothermal fluids a viable power source. - Abstract: Long-term in situ monitoring is crucial to seafloor scientific investigations. One of the challenges of operating sensors in seabed is the lifespan of the sensors. Such sensors are commonly powered by batteries when other alternatives, such as tidal or solar energy, are unavailable. However, the batteries have a limited lifespan and must be recharged or replaced periodically, which is costly and impractical. A thermoelectric cap, which harvests the thermal energy of hydrothermal fluids through a conduction pipe and converts the heat to electrical energy by using thermoelectric generators, was developed to avoid these inconveniences. The thermoelectric cap was combined with a power and temperature measurement system that enables the thermoelectric cap to power a light-emitting diode lamp, an electronic load (60 Ω), and 16 thermocouples continuously. The thermoelectric cap was field tested at a shallow hydrothermal vent site near Kueishantao islet, which is located offshore of northeastern Taiwan. By using the thermal gradient between hydrothermal fluids and seawater, the thermoelectric cap obtained a sustained power of 0.2–0.5 W during the field test. The thermoelectric cap successfully powered the 16 thermocouples and recorded the temperature of the hydrothermal fluids during the entire field test. Our results show that the thermal energy of hydrothermal fluids can be an alternative renewable power source for oceanographic research.

Weathering of post-impact hydrothermal deposits from the Haughton impact structure: implications for microbial colonization and biosignature preservation.

Science.gov (United States)

Izawa, M R M; Banerjee, Neil R; Osinski, G R; Flemming, R L; Parnell, J; Cockell, C S

2011-01-01

Meteorite impacts are among the very few processes common to all planetary bodies with solid surfaces. Among the effects of impact on water-bearing targets is the formation of post-impact hydrothermal systems and associated mineral deposits. The Haughton impact structure (Devon Island, Nunavut, Canada, 75.2 °N, 89.5 °W) hosts a variety of hydrothermal mineral deposits that preserve assemblages of primary hydrothermal minerals commonly associated with secondary oxidative/hydrous weathering products. Hydrothermal mineral deposits at Haughton include intra-breccia calcite-marcasite vugs, small intra-breccia calcite or quartz vugs, intra-breccia gypsum megacryst vugs, hydrothermal pipe structures and associated surface "gossans," banded Fe-oxyhydroxide deposits, and calcite and quartz veins and coatings in shattered target rocks. Of particular importance are sulfide-rich deposits and their associated assemblage of weathering products. Hydrothermal mineral assemblages were characterized structurally, texturally, and geochemically with X-ray diffraction, micro X-ray diffraction, optical and electron microscopy, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy. Primary sulfides (marcasite and pyrite) are commonly associated with alteration minerals, including jarosite (K,Na,H(3)O)Fe(3)(SO(4))(2)(OH)(6), rozenite FeSO(4)·4(H(2)O), copiapite (Fe,Mg)Fe(4)(SO(4))(6)(OH)(2)·20(H(2)O), fibroferrite Fe(SO(4))(OH)·5(H(2)O), melanterite FeSO(4)·7(H(2)O), szomolnokite FeSO(4)·H(2)O, goethite α-FeO(OH), lepidocrocite γ-FeO(OH) and ferrihydrite Fe(2)O(3)·0.5(H(2)O). These alteration assemblages are consistent with geochemical conditions that were locally very different from the predominantly circumneutral, carbonate-buffered environment at Haughton. Mineral assemblages associated with primary hydrothermal activity, and the weathering products of such deposits, provide constraints on possible microbial activity in the post-impact environment. The initial period of

Submarine canyons along the upper Sardinian slope (Central Western Mediterranean) as repositories for derelict fishing gears.

Science.gov (United States)

Cau, Alessandro; Alvito, Andrea; Moccia, Davide; Canese, Simonepietro; Pusceddu, Antonio; Rita, Cannas; Angiolillo, Michela; Follesa, Maria C

2017-10-15

By means of ROV surveys, we assessed the quantity, composition and bathymetric distribution of marine litter in 17 sites along the Sardinian continental margin (Central Western Mediterranean) at depths ranging from 100 to 480m. None of the investigated sites was litter free, but the mean density of litter (0.0175±0.0022itemsm -2 ) was lower than that reported from other Tyrrhenian regions. The difference in the total litter density among sites was negligible, but the density of derelict fishing gear (DFG) items (most of which ascribable to small scale fishery) in submarine canyons was higher in submarine canyons than in other habitats. Our result suggest that submarine canyons (known to be highly vulnerable ecosystems) act as major repositories of DFGs, and, therefore, we anticipate the need of specific measures aimed at minimizing the loss and abandonment of DFGs in submarine canyons. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effect of submarine canyons on tsunami heights, currents and run-up off the southeast coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

JayaKumar, S.; ManiMurali, R.; Baldock, T.E.

Tsunami numerical model studies are mostly focused on inundation and run-up onto the coast. Fewer studies have been aimed at investigating role of submarine canyons on the tsunami heights, currents and run-up. The influence of submarine canyons...

Mobility of rare earth element in hydrothermal process and weathering product: a review

Science.gov (United States)

Lintjewas, L.; Setiawan, I.

2018-02-01

The Rare Earth Element (REE), consists of La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Pm, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Lu, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, are important elements to be used as raw materials of advanced technology such as semiconductors, magnets, and lasers. The research of REE in Indonesia has not been done. Several researches were conducted on granitic rocks and weathering product such as Bangka, Sibolga, West Kalimantan, West Sulawesi and Papua. REE can be formed by hydrothermal processes such as Bayan Obo, South China. The REE study on active hydrothermal system (geothermal) in this case also has the potential to produce mineral deposits. The purpose of this review paper is to know the mobility of REE on hydrothermal process and weathering products. Mobility of REE in the hydrothermal process can change the distribution patterns and REE content such as Ce, Eu, La, Lu, Nd, Sm, and Y. Another process besides the hydrothermal is weathering process. REE mobility is influenced by weathering products, where the REE will experience residual and secondary enrichment processes in heavier minerals.

Nitrogen-containing hydrothermal carbons with superior performance in supercapacitors

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhao, Li [Colloid Chemistry Department, Max-Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14424 Potsdam (Germany); Institute of Coal Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 27th Taoyuan South Road, 030001 Taiyuan (China); Fan, Li-Zhen; Zhou, Meng-Qi; Guan, Hui; Qiao, Suyan [School of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 100083 Beijing (China); Antonietti, Markus; Titirici, Maria-Magdalena [Colloid Chemistry Department, Max-Planck Institute for Colloids and Interfaces, Am Muehlenberg 1, 14424 Potsdam (Germany)

2010-12-01

Microporous nitrogen-doped carbons produced by hydrothermal carbonization of biomass derivative followed by chemical activation showed excellent supercapacitive capacitance performance both in acid and base electrolytes. (Copyright copyright 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Evaluation of the effects of alteration and leaching on Sm Nd and Lu Hf systematics in submarine mafic rocks

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Patricia M. E.; Kempton, Pamela D.; Kerr, Andrew C.

2008-08-01

Nd and Hf isotope systematics of oceanic basaltic rocks are often assumed to be largely immune to the effects of hydrothermal alteration. We have tested this assumption by comparing Nd and Hf isotope data for acid-leached Cretaceous oceanic basalts from Gorgona and DSDP Leg 15 with unleached data on the same rocks. Hf isotope values and Lu/Hf ratios are relatively unaffected by leaching, but 143Nd/ 144Nd values of leached samples are significantly higher than those of unleached fractions of the same sample in most cases. Furthermore, the Sm/Nd ratios of the majority of leached samples are 10-40% greater than those of unleached samples. X-ray diffraction studies indicate that selective removal of secondary minerals, such as smectite, during the acid leaching process is responsible for the fractionation of Sm/Nd ratios. These results have implications for interpretation of the Hf-Nd isotope systematics of ancient submarine rocks (older than ~ 50 Ma), as (1) the age-corrected 143Nd/ 144Nd ratio may not be representative of the primary magmatic signature and (2) the uncertainty of the age-corrected ɛNd value may exceed the assumed analytical precision.

Biomonitoring of physiological status and cognitive performance of underway submariners undergoing a novel watch-standing schedule

Science.gov (United States)

Duplessis, C. A.; Cullum, M. E.; Crepeau, L. J.

2005-05-01

Submarine watch-standers adhere to a 6 hour-on, 12 hour-off (6/12) watch-standing schedule, yoking them to an 18-hr day, engendering circadian desynchronization and chronic sleep deprivation. Moreover, the chronic social crowding, shift work, and confinement of submarine life provide additional stressors known to correlate with elevated secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and cortisol levels, reduced performance, immunologic dysfunction, malignancies, infections, gastrointestinal illness, coronary disease, anxiety, and depression. We evaluated an alternative, compressed, fixed work schedule designed to enhance circadian rhythm entrainment, sleep hygiene, performance, and health on 10 underway submariners, who followed the alternative and 6/12 schedules for approximately 2 weeks each. We measured subjects" sleep, cognitive performance, and salivary biomarker levels. Pilot analysis of the salivary data on one subject utilizing ELISA suggests elevated biomarker levels of stress. Average PM cortisol levels were 0.2 μg/L (normal range: nondetectable - 0.15 μg/L), and mean sIgA levels were 562 μg/ml (normal range: 100-500 μg/ml). Future research exploiting real-time salivary bioassays, via fluorescent polarimetry technology, identified by the Office of Naval Research (ONR) as a future Naval requirement, allows researchers to address correlations between stress-induced elaboration of salivary biomarkers with physiological and performance decrements, thereby fostering insight into the underway submariner"s psychoimmunological status. This may help identify strategies that enhance resilience to stressors. Specifically, empirically-based modeling can identify optimal watch-standing schedules and stress-mitigating procedures -- within the operational constraints of the submarine milieu and the mission --that foster improved circadian entrainment and reduced stress reactivity, enhancing physiological health, operational performance, safety, and job satisfaction.

Navy Ohio Replacement (SSBN[X]) Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-05

Navy Ohio Replacement (SSBN[X]) Ballistic Missile Submarine Program: Background and Issues for Congress Ronald O’Rourke Specialist in Naval...Affairs April 5, 2016 Congressional Research Service 7-5700 www.crs.gov R41129 Navy Ohio Replacement (SSBN[X]) Ballistic Missile Submarine...1,091.1 million in research and development funding for the Ohio replacement program (ORP), a program to design and build a new class of 12 ballistic

Multiple episodes of hydrothermal activity and epithermal mineralization in the southwestern Nevada volcanic field and their relations to magmatic activity, volcanism and regional extension

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weiss, S.I.; Noble, D.C.; Jackson, M.C.

1994-01-01

Volcanic rocks of middle Miocene age and underlying pre-Mesozoic sedimentary rocks host widely distributed zones of hydrothermal alteration and epithermal precious metal, fluorite and mercury deposits within and peripheral to major volcanic and intrusive centers of the southwestern Nevada volcanic field (SWNVF) in southern Nevada, near the southwestern margin of the Great Basin of the western United States. Radiometric ages indicate that episodes of hydrothermal activity mainly coincided with and closely followed major magmatic pulses during the development of the field and together spanned more than 4.5 m.y. Rocks of the SWNVF consist largely of rhyolitic ash-flow sheets and intercalated silicic lava domes, flows and near-vent pyroclastic deposits erupted between 15.2 and 10 Ma from vent areas in the vicinity of the Timber Mountain calderas, and between about 9.5 and 7 Ma from the outlying Black Mountain and Stonewall Mountain centers. Three magmatic stages can be recognized: the main magmatic stage, Mountain magmatic stage (11.7 to 10.0 Ma), and the late magmatic stage (9.4 to 7.5 Ma)

At Periscope Depth: Exploring Submarine Proliferation In Southeast Asia

Science.gov (United States)

2015-09-01

papers and op-eds; and relevant books . This thesis will not include human subjects because the scope of the research will not permit gathering...Soviet-built submarines required.36 Furthermore, the hulls were purchased secondhand and thus had a shortened

Modelling of hydrothermal characteristics of centrifugal nozzles

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yarkho, A.A.; Omelchenko, M.P.; Borshchev, V.A.

1990-01-01

Presented for the first time is a method of recalculating the hydrothermal characteristics of centrifugal nozzles obtained in laboratory conditions for full-scale nozzles. From the experimental hydrothermal characteristics of nozzles observed in the laboratory it is allowed to calculate the hydrothermal characteristics of any other centrifugal nozzle whose diameter and dimensionless geometric characteristic are known

Enhancement of submarine pressure hull steel ultrasonic inspection using imaging and artificial intelligence

Science.gov (United States)

Hay, D. Robert; Brassard, Michel; Matthews, James R.; Garneau, Stephane; Morchat, Richard

1995-06-01

The convergence of a number of contemporary technologies with increasing demands for improvements in inspection capabilities in maritime applications has created new opportunities for ultrasonic inspection. An automated ultrasonic inspection and data collection system APHIUS (automated pressure hull intelligent ultrasonic system), incorporates hardware and software developments to meet specific requirements for the maritime vessels, in particular, submarines in the Canadian Navy. Housed within a hardened portable computer chassis, instrumentation for digital ultrasonic data acquisition and transducer position measurement provide new capabilities that meet more demanding requirements for inspection of the aging submarine fleet. Digital data acquisition enables a number of new important capabilites including archiving of the complete inspection session, interpretation assistance through imaging, and automated interpretation using artificial intelligence methods. With this new reliable inspection system, in conjunction with a complementary study of the significance of real defect type and location, comprehensive new criteria can be generated which will eliminate unnecessary defect removal. As a consequence, cost savings will be realized through shortened submarine refit schedules.

Comparative analyses of the bacterial community of hydrothermal deposits and seafloor sediments across Okinawa Trough

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Long; Yu, Min; Liu, Yan; Liu, Jiwen; Wu, Yonghua; Li, Li; Liu, Jihua; Wang, Min; Zhang, Xiao-Hua

2018-04-01

As an ideal place to study back-arc basins and hydrothermal eco-system, Okinawa Trough has attracted the interests of scientists for decades. However, there are still no in-depth studies targeting the bacterial community of the seafloor sediments and hydrothermal deposits in Okinawa Trough. In the present study, we reported the bacterial community of the surface deposits of a newly found hydrothermal field in the southern Okinawa Trough, and the horizontal and vertical variation of bacterial communities in the sediments of the northern Okinawa Trough. The hydrothermal deposits had a relatively high 16S rRNA gene abundance but low bacterial richness and diversity. Epsilonproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes were predominant in hydrothermal deposits whereas Deltaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria and Chloroflexi were abundant across all samples. The bacterial distribution in the seafloor of Okinawa Trough was significantly correlated to the content of total nitrogen, and had consistent relationship with total carbon. Gradual changes of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were found with the distance away from hydrothermal fields, while the hydrothermal activity did not influence the distribution of the major clades of sulfate-reducing bacteria. Higher abundance of the sulfur cycle related genes (aprA and dsrB), and lower abundance of the bacterial ammonia-oxidizing related gene (amoA) were quantified in hydrothermal deposits. In addition, the present study also compared the inter-field variation of Epsilonproteobacteria among multi-types of hydrothermal vents, revealing that the proportion and diversity of this clade were quite various.

A real two-phase submarine debris flow and tsunami

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pudasaini, Shiva P.; Miller, Stephen A.

2012-01-01

The general two-phase debris flow model proposed by Pudasaini is employed to study subaerial and submarine debris flows, and the tsunami generated by the debris impact at lakes and oceans. The model, which includes three fundamentally new and dominant physical aspects such as enhanced viscous stress, virtual mass, and generalized drag (in addition to buoyancy), constitutes the most generalized two-phase flow model to date. The advantage of this two-phase debris flow model over classical single-phase, or quasi-two-phase models, is that the initial mass can be divided into several parts by appropriately considering the solid volume fraction. These parts include a dry (landslide or rock slide), a fluid (water or muddy water; e.g., dams, rivers), and a general debris mixture material as needed in real flow simulations. This innovative formulation provides an opportunity, within a single framework, to simultaneously simulate the sliding debris (or landslide), the water lake or ocean, the debris impact at the lake or ocean, the tsunami generation and propagation, the mixing and separation between the solid and fluid phases, and the sediment transport and deposition process in the bathymetric surface. Applications of this model include (a) sediment transport on hill slopes, river streams, hydraulic channels (e.g., hydropower dams and plants); lakes, fjords, coastal lines, and aquatic ecology; and (b) submarine debris impact and the rupture of fiber optic, submarine cables and pipelines along the ocean floor, and damage to offshore drilling platforms. Numerical simulations reveal that the dynamics of debris impact induced tsunamis in mountain lakes or oceans are fundamentally different than the tsunami generated by pure rock avalanches and landslides. The analysis includes the generation, amplification and propagation of super tsunami waves and run-ups along coastlines, debris slide and deposition at the bottom floor, and debris shock waves. It is observed that the

A real two-phase submarine debris flow and tsunami

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pudasaini, Shiva P.; Miller, Stephen A. [Department of Geodynamics and Geophysics, Steinmann Institute, University of Bonn Nussallee 8, D-53115, Bonn (Germany)

2012-09-26

The general two-phase debris flow model proposed by Pudasaini is employed to study subaerial and submarine debris flows, and the tsunami generated by the debris impact at lakes and oceans. The model, which includes three fundamentally new and dominant physical aspects such as enhanced viscous stress, virtual mass, and generalized drag (in addition to buoyancy), constitutes the most generalized two-phase flow model to date. The advantage of this two-phase debris flow model over classical single-phase, or quasi-two-phase models, is that the initial mass can be divided into several parts by appropriately considering the solid volume fraction. These parts include a dry (landslide or rock slide), a fluid (water or muddy water; e.g., dams, rivers), and a general debris mixture material as needed in real flow simulations. This innovative formulation provides an opportunity, within a single framework, to simultaneously simulate the sliding debris (or landslide), the water lake or ocean, the debris impact at the lake or ocean, the tsunami generation and propagation, the mixing and separation between the solid and fluid phases, and the sediment transport and deposition process in the bathymetric surface. Applications of this model include (a) sediment transport on hill slopes, river streams, hydraulic channels (e.g., hydropower dams and plants); lakes, fjords, coastal lines, and aquatic ecology; and (b) submarine debris impact and the rupture of fiber optic, submarine cables and pipelines along the ocean floor, and damage to offshore drilling platforms. Numerical simulations reveal that the dynamics of debris impact induced tsunamis in mountain lakes or oceans are fundamentally different than the tsunami generated by pure rock avalanches and landslides. The analysis includes the generation, amplification and propagation of super tsunami waves and run-ups along coastlines, debris slide and deposition at the bottom floor, and debris shock waves. It is observed that the

Effect of reaction parameters on photoluminescence and photocatalytic activity of zinc sulfide nanosphere synthesized by hydrothermal route

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chanu, T. Inakhunbi; Samanta, Dhrubajyoti [Centre for Material Science and Nanotechnology, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology, Sikkim Manipal University, Sikkim 737136 (India); Tiwari, Archana [Department of Physics, Sikkim University, 737102 Sikkim (India); Chatterjee, Somenath, E-mail: somenath@gmail.com [Centre for Material Science and Nanotechnology, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology, Sikkim Manipal University, Sikkim 737136 (India); Electronics & Communication Engineering Department, Sikkim Manipal Institute of Technology, Sikkim Manipal University, Sikkim 737136 (India)

2017-01-01

Highlights: • ZnS nanosphere synthesis in hydrothermal method with biomolecule as capping ligand. • Effect of reaction parameters to tune the size of ZnS nanoparticles. • Obtain multiple defect emission, which arises from interstitials/vacancies. • 87% degradation of Rh-B in the presence of ZnS nanoparticles under solar radiation. - Abstract: Zinc Sulfide (ZnS) nanospheres have been synthesized using amino acid, L-Histidine as a capping agent by hydrothermal method. The as prepared ZnS have been characterised using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), Photoluminescence (PL), Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectroscopy (FTIR), UV–vis absorption spectroscopy and X-ray Photo Electron Spectroscopy (XPS). Effect of reaction parameters on particle size has been investigated. The morphology and size of the ZnS can be tuned based on the reaction parameters. ZnS nanosphere with a particle size of 5 nm is obtained when the reaction parameters are kept at 120 °C for 3 h. The PL of ZnS shows multiple defect emissions arising from interstitials/vacancies. Particle size of ZnS nanoparticles plays an important role in determining the photo catalytic activity. A chronological study on synthesis of ZnS nanosphere and its photo catalytic activity under the sunlight are discussed here, which reveals the photo degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) upto 87% as observed with ZnS nanosphere having a particle size of 5 nm.

The effects of hydrothermal temperature on the photocatalytic performance of ZnIn2S4 for hydrogen generation under visible light irradiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian, Fei; Zhu, Rongshu; Song, Kelin; Niu, Minli; Ouyang, Feng; Cao, Gang

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The ZnIn 2 S 4 (120, 140, 160, 180, and 200 °C) was prepared. • The activities splitting water to hydrogen under visible light were evaluated. • The activity achieved the best when hydrothermal temperature was 160 °C. • The activity order is related to the surface morphology and surface defects. - Abstract: A series of ZnIn 2 S 4 photocatalysts were successfully synthesized using the hydrothermal method with different hydrothermal temperatures (120, 140, 160, 180, and 200 °C) and characterized by various analysis techniques, such as UV–vis, XRD, SEM, BET and PL. The results indicated that these photocatalysts had a similar band gap. The hydrothermal temperature had a huge influence on the properties of the photocatalysts such as the BET surface area, the total pore volume, the average pore diameter, the defects and the morphology. The photocatalytic activities of ZnIn 2 S 4 were evaluated based on photocatalytic hydrogen production from water under visible-light irradiation. The activity order is attributed to the coefficient of the surface morphology and the surface defects. The hydrogen production efficiency achieved the best when the hydrothermal temperature was 160 °C. On the basis of the characterization of the catalysts, the effects of the hydrothermal temperature on the photocatalytic activity of ZnIn 2 S 4 were discussed

Non-linearity aspects in the design of submarine pipelines

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fernández, M.L.

1981-01-01

An arbitrary attempt has been made to classify and discuss some non-linearity aspects related to design, construction and operation of submarine pipelines. Non-linearities usually interrelate and take part of a comprehensive design, making difficult to quantify their individual influence or

SUBMARINE VOLCANO CHARACTERISTICS IN SABANG WATERS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hananto Kurnio

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The aim of the study is to understand the characteristics of a volcano occurred in marine environment, as Weh Island where Sabang City located is still demonstrated its volcanic cone morphology either through satellite imagery or bathymetric map. Methods used were marine geology, marine geophysics and oceanography. Results show that surface volcanism (sea depth less than 50 m take place as fumaroles, solfataras, hot ground, hot spring, hot mud pool and alteration in the vicinities of seafloor and coastal area vents. Seismic records also showed acoustic turbidity in the sea water column due to gas bubblings produced by seafloor fumaroles. Geochemical analyses show that seafloor samples in the vicinities of active and non-active fumarole vent are abundances with rare earth elements (REE. These were interpreted that the fumarole bring along REE through its gases and deposited on the surrounding seafloor surface. Co-existence between active fault of Sumatra and current volcanism produce hydrothermal mineralization in fault zone as observed in Serui and Pria Laot-middle of Weh Island which both are controlled by normal faults and graben.

Sustaining U.S. Nuclear Submarine Design Capabilities

Science.gov (United States)

2007-01-01

million annually in the NSWC’s Card- erock Division submarine design workforce in excess of reimburs - able demand to sustain skills that might...large testing infrastructure. Conse- quently, the Navy retains management and operation of these facili- ties under direct reimbursement from private...the water. 4 These facilities are maintained within the naval warfare centers, which, as working capi- tal organizations, require reimbursement from

Environmental Analysis of U.S. Navy Submarine Solid Waste Discharges. Report of Findings

Science.gov (United States)

1997-05-01

generation rates between the USS Cincinnati and the USS Kamehameha (shown in table 6-1) were described in the NNS study (1994) as due to differences in crew...habits, menus, variations in at-sea time, and differences in waste reduction efforts. It was noted that some boats, including the USS Kamehameha , have...kg·person-l·d-l) PCMG(%) (kg·person-l·d-l) PCMG(%) Submarine Submarine USS Cincinnati USS Kamehameha Cardboard 0.21 0.05 Paper(FC) 0.06 0.06 Paper(NFC

Submarine Tailings Disposal (STD—A Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bernhard Dold

2014-07-01

Full Text Available The mining industry is a fundamental industry involved in the development of modern society, but is also the world’s largest waste producer. This role will be enhanced in the future, because ore grades are generally decreasing, thus leading to increases in the waste/metal production ratio. Mine wastes deposited on-land in so-called tailings dams, impoundments or waste-dumps have several associated environmental issues that need to be addressed (e.g., acid mine drainage formation due to sulphide oxidation, geotechnical stability, among others, and social concerns due to land use during mining. The mining industry recognizes these concerns and is searching for waste management alternatives for the future. One option used in the past was the marine shore or shallow submarine deposition of this waste material in some parts of the world. After the occurrence of some severe environmental pollution, today the deposition in the deep sea (under constant reducing conditions is seen as a new, more secure option, due to the general thought that sulphide minerals are geochemically stable under the reduced conditions prevailing in the deep marine environment. This review highlights the mineralogical and geochemical issues (e.g., solubility of sulphides in seawater; reductive dissolution of oxide minerals under reducing conditions, which have to be considered when evaluating whether submarine tailings disposal is a suitable alternative for mine waste.

Geo-hazard by sediment mass movements in submarine canyons

Science.gov (United States)

Ghaith, Afif; Fakhri, Milad; Ivaldi, Roberta; Ciavola, Paolo

2017-04-01

Submarine mass movements and their consequences are of major concern for coastal communities and infrastructures but also for the exploitation and the development of seafloor resources. Elevated awareness of the need for better understanding of the underwater mass movement is coupled with great advances in underwater mapping technologies over the past two decades. The seafloor in the Nahr Ibrahim and Saida regions (Lebanon) is characterized by deep canyons, reaching one thousand meters depths in proximity of the coast. Signs of submarine mass movement instability related to these canyons create a connection between shallow and deep water. The presence of these canyons in a tectonically active area generates a particular drained mechanism to the sediment in form of mass movement and slumping. Identification of potential areas where slope movements could be triggered requires data with high spatial resolution. Since this area is poorly explored, in the framework of an international project between Lebanese Navy, Lebanese National Center for Marine Sciences, University of Ferrara and Italian Hydrographic Institute, we analyse the morpho-bathymetric and sedimentological characters of the coastal and shelf sectors. Multibeam echosounder and sub-bottom profiler acoustic systems calibrated with ground truths (sediment grab and core samples) allow us to characterize the nature of seafloor and sub-seafloor with particular detail to the geotechnical properties of sediments and high resolution seismic stratigraphy of the shallow layers. The detection of particular undersea features provides detail maps which are in support to littoral morpho-dynamics, coastal transport and sediment budget. Multilayer hydro-oceanographic map, referring to the seafloor dynamics in connection with deep water environment and drainage system, in accordance to the International Hydrographic Standards and nautical supports, are produced. This high resolution multibeam bathymetry dataset, integrated

Assessment of the environmental consequences of demolishing two Russian nuclear submarines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2004-01-01

Norway has financed the demolition of two Russian Viktor II nuclear submarines through the Government's plan of action for nuclear issues. The British company Enviros Consulting has made an independent assessment of the environmental consequences of the project, which has been evaluated by the Foreign Department in cooperation with The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority (NRPA). The consequence assessment has examined the health, environment and safety aspects of the entire demolition process, from towing the submarine to delivering the rubbish at the destination site. From Russian documentation and by visiting the shipyards it has been concluded that the demolition has been carried out in agreement with Russian law and in accordance with international instructions

Boulder emplacement and remobilisation by cyclone and submarine landslide tsunami waves near Suva City, Fiji

Science.gov (United States)

Lau, A. Y. Annie; Terry, James P.; Ziegler, Alan; Pratap, Arti; Harris, Daniel

2018-02-01

The characteristics of a reef-top boulder field created by a local submarine landslide tsunami are presented for the first time. Our examination of large reef-derived boulders deposited by the 1953 tsunami near Suva City, Fiji, revealed that shorter-than-normal-period tsunami waves generated by submarine landslides can create a boulder field resembling a storm boulder field due to relatively short boulder transport distances. The boulder-inferred 1953 tsunami flow velocity is estimated at over 9 m s- 1 at the reef edge. Subsequent events, for example Cyclone Kina (1993), appear to have remobilised some large boulders. While prior research has demonstrated headward retreat of Suva Canyon in response to the repeated occurrence of earthquakes over the past few millennia, our results highlight the lingering vulnerability of the Fijian coastlines to high-energy waves generated both in the presence (tsunami) and absence (storm) of submarine failures and/or earthquakes. To explain the age discrepancies of U-Th dated coral comprising the deposited boulders, we introduce a conceptual model showing the role of repeated episodes of tsunamigenic submarine landslides in removing reef front sections through collapse. Subsequent high-energy wave events transport boulders from exposed older sections of the reef front onto the reef where they are deposited as 'new' boulders, alongside freshly detached sections of the living reef. In similar situations where anachronistic deposits complicate the deposition signal, age-dating of the coral boulders should not be used as a proxy for determining the timing of the submarine landslides or the tsunamis that generated them.

Experimental Insights on Natural Lava-Ice/Snow Interactions and Their Implications for Glaciovolcanic and Submarine Eruptions

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, B. R.; Karson, J.; Wysocki, R.; Lev, E.; Bindeman, I. N.; Kueppers, U.

2012-12-01

Lava-ice-snow interactions have recently gained global attention through the eruptions of ice-covered volcanoes, particularly from Eyjafjallajokull in south-central Iceland, with dramatic effects on local communities and global air travel. However, as with most submarine eruptions, direct observations of lava-ice/snow interactions are rare. Only a few hundred potentially active volcanoes are presently ice-covered, these volcanoes are generally in remote places, and their associated hazards make close observation and measurements dangerous. Here we report the results of the first large-scale experiments designed to provide new constraints on natural interactions between lava and ice/snow. The experiments comprised controlled effusion of tens of kilograms of melted basalt on top of ice/snow, and provide insights about observations from natural lava-ice-snow interactions including new constraints for: 1) rapid lava advance along the ice-lava interface; 2) rapid downwards melting of lava flows through ice; 3) lava flow exploitation of pre-existing discontinuities to travel laterally beneath and within ice; and 4) formation of abundant limu o Pele and non-explosive vapor transport from the base to the top of the lava flow with minor O isotope exchange. The experiments are consistent with observations from eruptions showing that lava is more efficient at melting ice when emplaced on top of the ice as opposed to beneath the ice, as well as the efficacy of tephra cover for slowing melting. The experimental extrusion rates are as within the range of those for submarine eruptions as well, and reproduce some features seen in submarine eruptions including voluminous production of gas rich cavities within initially anhydrous lavas and limu on lava surfaces. Our initial results raise questions about the possibility of secondary ingestion of water by submarine and glaciovolcanic lava flows, and the origins of apparent primary gas cavities in those flows. Basaltic melt moving down

Exploration Method Development for hydrothermal plume hunting by XCTD

Science.gov (United States)

Kitagawa, Y.; Ikeda, M.; Kadoshima, K.; Koizumi, Y.; Nakano, J.; Asakawa, E.; Sumi, T.

2017-12-01

J-MARES (Research and Development Partnership for Next Generation Technology of Marine Resources Survey, JAPAN) has been designing a low-cost and high-efficiency exploration system for seafloor hydrothermal massive sulfide deposits in "Cross-ministerial Strategic Innovation Promotion Program (SIP)" granted by the Cabinet Office, Government of Japan since 2014. We proposed hydrothermal plume hunting by XCTD (eXpendables Conductivity, Temperature and Depth). We applied this method to an area of interest more than 100km x 100km over Okinawa Trough, including some known seafloor massive sulfide deposits. Generally, hydrothermal plume exploration has been by ship mounted with MBES (Multi Beam Echo Sounder) or AUV with sound anomaly observation. However, these methods have to charter the sophisticated ship costly. On the other hand, throw-in type water quality meters (eg. XCTD and XBT) can be low-cost and easily operable. Moreover, that can make a quick look at seawater temperature and conductivity even in rough waters.Firstly, we confirmed XCTD probes position on the seafloor by ROV mounted deep-sea high vision camera. As a result of the test, probes swept downstream about 40 m in horizontal distance from throwing positions with about 1,600m in water depth. Following the previous test results, we had performed to the next test that confirmed detection range of hydrothermal plume at the chimney of North Mound in Izena Cauldron, so we had caught anomaly of seawater temperature and conductivity successfully which could be possibly derived from hydrothermal activities. Although averaged seawater temperature at a depth of 1500 m or more was about 3.95 degrees C, near the chimney was about 4.93 degrees C. The temperature anomalies originated from the hydrothermal plumes could be distributed at most 30m in horizontal distance and became smaller away from the chimney. Moreover, temperature anomaly mass of sea water tended to move upward in depth with distance away from the

Evaluation of the radiologic potential due to the nuclear submarine visits to the Rio de Janeiro port

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pereira, Jose Francisco

2004-01-01

Brazil is signatory of international protocols related to the visit of nuclear-powered vessels, aircraft carriers and submarines to Brazilian ports. The submarines, during their stay in Brazilian ports, inform that there is no release of radioactive material to the environment. However, the possibility of occurrence of accidents with environmental releases from PWR reactors is real. Between 1993 and 2003, 13 nuclear submarines visited Brazilian ports. This work aimed to evaluate the potential impact due to the visits of nuclear-powered ships and submarines to the port of the city of Rio de Janeiro, in relation to releases of radioactive materials to the environment, considering both routine releases and accidental situations. The models selected to perform the assessments took into account the scenarios to be simulated. Simple, but conservative methodologies were used for the evaluation of routine releases. For accidental releases, the dynamics of the materials dispersion into the environment were considered. The present study was mainly focalized on the initial phase of an accident. The doses for the crew of the Brazilian navy ships, for IRD teams performing environmental monitoring, and for the population around the Guanabara Bay, close to the points of anchorage, were assessed. The results indicated that, in normal operational conditions, no significant radiological impact due to the visit of nuclear submarines to the port of the city of Rio de Janeiro is expected, even considering the occurrence of small routine radionuclide releases. The analysis of accidental releases, however, indicated that the submarines should be located at a minimum distance of 2,5 km from inhabited areas in the coast of the Guanabara Bay. The need for environmental control and training of the teams involved in the attendance of the submarines, during the period of their visit, was also considered. The need for revising the procedures for the preoperational surveys to be performed at the

Research on Big Data Attribute Selection Method in Submarine Optical Fiber Network Fault Diagnosis Database

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Chen Ganlang

2017-11-01

Full Text Available At present, in the fault diagnosis database of submarine optical fiber network, the attribute selection of large data is completed by detecting the attributes of the data, the accuracy of large data attribute selection cannot be guaranteed. In this paper, a large data attribute selection method based on support vector machines (SVM for fault diagnosis database of submarine optical fiber network is proposed. Mining large data in the database of optical fiber network fault diagnosis, and calculate its attribute weight, attribute classification is completed according to attribute weight, so as to complete attribute selection of large data. Experimental results prove that ,the proposed method can improve the accuracy of large data attribute selection in fault diagnosis database of submarine optical fiber network, and has high use value.

Geologic field-trip guide to the volcanic and hydrothermal landscape of the Yellowstone Plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan Morzel, Lisa Ann; Shanks, W. C. Pat; Lowenstern, Jacob B.; Farrell, Jamie M.; Robinson, Joel E.

2017-11-20

Yellowstone National Park, a nearly 9,000 km2 (~3,468 mi2) area, was preserved in 1872 as the world’s first national park for its unique, extraordinary, and magnificent natural features. Rimmed by a crescent of older mountainous terrain, Yellowstone National Park has at its core the Quaternary Yellowstone Plateau, an undulating landscape shaped by forces of late Cenozoic explosive and effusive volcanism, on-going tectonism, glaciation, and hydrothermal activity. The Yellowstone Caldera is the centerpiece of the Yellowstone Plateau. The Yellowstone Plateau lies at the most northeastern front of the 17-Ma Yellowstone hot spot track, one of the few places on Earth where time-transgressive processes on continental crust can be observed in the volcanic and tectonic (faulting and uplift) record at the rate and direction predicted by plate motion. Over six days, this field trip presents an intensive overview into volcanism, tectonism, and hydrothermal activity on the Yellowstone Plateau (fig. 1). Field stops are linked directly to conceptual models related to monitoring of the various volcanic, geochemical, hydrothermal, and tectonic aspects of the greater Yellowstone system. Recent interest in young and possible future volcanism at Yellowstone as well as new discoveries and synthesis of previous studies, (for example, tomographic, deformation, gas, aeromagnetic, bathymetric, and seismic surveys), provide a framework in which to discuss volcanic, hydrothermal, and seismic activity in this dynamic region.

Application of Hydrothermal and Non-Hydrothermal TiO2 Nanoporous Materials as New Adsorbents for Removal of Heavy Metal Ions from Aqueous System

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Mansoor Anbia

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Hydrothermal and non-hydrothermal spherical TiO2 nanoporous with crystalline framework were prepared by sol-gel method. The Crystalline structures, morphologies and surface texturing of materials were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD, scanning electron microscopy (SEM and N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms. The Hydrothermal spherical TiO2 nanoporous was found to have a narrow and strong pore size distribution peaks with average of 37.8 Å and pore volume of 0.41 cm3/g and the (Brunauer–Emmett–TellerBET specific surface area of 365 m2/g. Hydrothermal and non-hydrothermal spherical TiO2 nanoporous have been used as adsorbent to study of the adsorption behavior of Pb(II, Co(II and Ni(II ions from aqueous system in a batch system. Effect of equilibrium time on adsorption Pb(II, Co(II and Ni(II ions on these adsorbent was studied The results show that the shaking time 0.5 to 10h has no serious effect on the percentage of ions removal, and the adsorption is fast in all cases. The maximum uptake capacities of Hydrothermal and non-hydrothermal spherical TiO2 nanoporous was calculated. Both hydrothermal and non-hydrothermal TiO2 nanoporous materials were found to have very good potential as new adsorbents in removal of these ions. In batch systems the maximum uptake capacities of Pb(II, Ni(II and Co(II on the hydrothermal and non-hydrothermal TiO2 nanoporous materials was Co(II > Pb(II > Ni(II and Co(II > Ni(II > Pb(II, respectively.

Resistivity structure and geochemistry of the Jigokudani Valley hydrothermal system, Mt. Tateyama, Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Seki, Kaori; Kanda, Wataru; Tanbo, Toshiya; Ohba, Takeshi; Ogawa, Yasuo; Takakura, Shinichi; Nogami, Kenji; Ushioda, Masashi; Suzuki, Atsushi; Saito, Zenshiro; Matsunaga, Yasuo

2016-10-01

This study clarifies the hydrothermal system of Jigokudani Valley near Mt. Tateyama volcano in Japan by using a combination of audio-frequency magnetotelluric (AMT) survey and hot-spring water analysis in order to assess the potential of future phreatic eruptions in the area. Repeated phreatic eruptions in the area about 40,000 years ago produced the current valley morphology, which is now an active solfatara field dotted with hot springs and fumaroles indicative of a well-developed hydrothermal system. The three-dimensional (3D) resistivity structure of the hydrothermal system was modeled by using the results of an AMT survey conducted at 25 locations across the valley in 2013-2014. The model suggests the presence of a near-surface highly conductive layer of falling largely on a mixing line between magmatic fluids and local meteoric water (LMW). The geochemical analysis suggests that the hydrothermal system includes a two-phase zone of vapor-liquid. A comparison of the resistivity structure and the geochemically inferred structure suggests that a hydrothermal reservoir is present at a depth of approximately 500 m, from which hot-spring water differentiates into the three observed types. The two-phase zone appears to be located immediately beneath the cap rock structure. These findings suggest that the hydrothermal system of Jigokudani Valley exhibits a number of factors that could trigger a future phreatic eruption.

Earthquakes drive large-scale submarine canyon development and sediment supply to deep-ocean basins.

Science.gov (United States)

Mountjoy, Joshu J; Howarth, Jamie D; Orpin, Alan R; Barnes, Philip M; Bowden, David A; Rowden, Ashley A; Schimel, Alexandre C G; Holden, Caroline; Horgan, Huw J; Nodder, Scott D; Patton, Jason R; Lamarche, Geoffroy; Gerstenberger, Matthew; Micallef, Aaron; Pallentin, Arne; Kane, Tim

2018-03-01

Although the global flux of sediment and carbon from land to the coastal ocean is well known, the volume of material that reaches the deep ocean-the ultimate sink-and the mechanisms by which it is transferred are poorly documented. Using a globally unique data set of repeat seafloor measurements and samples, we show that the moment magnitude ( M w ) 7.8 November 2016 Kaikōura earthquake (New Zealand) triggered widespread landslides in a submarine canyon, causing a powerful "canyon flushing" event and turbidity current that traveled >680 km along one of the world's longest deep-sea channels. These observations provide the first quantification of seafloor landscape change and large-scale sediment transport associated with an earthquake-triggered full canyon flushing event. The calculated interevent time of ~140 years indicates a canyon incision rate of 40 mm year -1 , substantially higher than that of most terrestrial rivers, while synchronously transferring large volumes of sediment [850 metric megatons (Mt)] and organic carbon (7 Mt) to the deep ocean. These observations demonstrate that earthquake-triggered canyon flushing is a primary driver of submarine canyon development and material transfer from active continental margins to the deep ocean.

Ideas and perspectives: hydrothermally driven redistribution and sequestration of early Archaean biomass - the "hydrothermal pump hypothesis"

Science.gov (United States)

Duda, Jan-Peter; Thiel, Volker; Bauersachs, Thorsten; Mißbach, Helge; Reinhardt, Manuel; Schäfer, Nadine; Van Kranendonk, Martin J.; Reitner, Joachim

2018-03-01

Archaean hydrothermal chert veins commonly contain abundant organic carbon of uncertain origin (abiotic vs. biotic). In this study, we analysed kerogen contained in a hydrothermal chert vein from the ca. 3.5 Ga Dresser Formation (Pilbara Craton, Western Australia). Catalytic hydropyrolysis (HyPy) of this kerogen yielded n-alkanes up to n-C22, with a sharp decrease in abundance beyond n-C18. This distribution ( ≤ n-C18) is very similar to that observed in HyPy products of recent bacterial biomass, which was used as reference material, whereas it differs markedly from the unimodal distribution of abiotic compounds experimentally formed via Fischer-Tropsch-type synthesis. We therefore propose that the organic matter in the Archaean chert veins has a primarily microbial origin. The microbially derived organic matter accumulated in anoxic aquatic (surface and/or subsurface) environments and was then assimilated, redistributed and sequestered by the hydrothermal fluids (hydrothermal pump hypothesis).

Vapor Discharges On Nevado Del Ruiz During The Recent Activity: Clues On The Composition Of The Deep Hydrothermal System And Its Effects On Thermal Springs

Science.gov (United States)

Inguaggiato, S.; Federico, C.; Chacon, Z.; Londono, J. M.; Alzate, D. M.; Gil, E.

2015-12-01

The Nevado del ruiz volcano (NdR, 5321m asl), one of the most active in Colombia, threatens about 600,000 people. The existence of an ice cap and several streams channeling in some main rivers increase the risk of lahars and mudflows in case of unrest, as occurred during the November 1985 eruption, which caused 20,000 casualties. The involvement of the local hydrothermal system has also produced in the past phreatic and phreatomagmatic activity, as in 1985 and 1989. After more than 7 years of relative stability, since 2010, the still ongoing phase of unrest has produced two small eruption in 2012, and still maintains in high levels of seismicity and SO2 degassing. In October 2013, a sampling campaign has been performed on thermal springs and streamwater, located at 2600-5000 m asl, analyzed for water chemistry and stable isotopes. By applying a model of steam-heating, based on mass and enthalpy balances, we have estimated the mass rate of steam discharging in the different steam-heated springs. The composition of the hottest thermal spring (Botero Londoño) is probably representative of a marginal part of the hydrothermal system, having a temperature of 250°C and low salinity (Cl ~1500 mg/l), which suggest a chiefly meteoric origin, as also confirmed by the isotope composition retrieved for the hydrothermal water. The vapour discharged at the steam vent "Nereidas" (3600 m asl) is hypothesised to be separated from a high-temperature hyrothermal system. Based on its composition and on literature data on fluid inclusions, we have retrieved the P-T-X conditions of the deep hydrothermal system, as well as its pH and fO2. The vapour feeding Nereidas would separate from a byphasic hydrothermal system characterised by the follow parameters: t= 315°C, P=19 MPa, NaCl= 15 %, CO2 = 9%, and similar proportion between liquid and vapour. Considering also the equilibria involving S-bearing gases and HCl, we obtain pH=2, fO2 fixed by FeO-Fe2O3 buffer, and [Cl]=12000 mg/l. Changes

Submarine Upward Looking Sonar Ice Draft Profile Data and Statistics

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set consists of upward looking sonar draft data collected by submarines in the Arctic Ocean. It includes data from both U.S. Navy and Royal Navy...

Development and validation of a modified Hybrid-III six-year-old dummy model for simulating submarining in motor-vehicle crashes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jingwen; Klinich, Kathleen D; Reed, Matthew P; Kokkolaras, Michael; Rupp, Jonathan D

2012-06-01

In motor-vehicle crashes, young school-aged children restrained by vehicle seat belt systems often suffer from abdominal injuries due to submarining. However, the current anthropomorphic test device, so-called "crash dummy", is not adequate for proper simulation of submarining. In this study, a modified Hybrid-III six-year-old dummy model capable of simulating and predicting submarining was developed using MADYMO (TNO Automotive Safety Solutions). The model incorporated improved pelvis and abdomen geometry and properties previously tested in a modified physical dummy. The model was calibrated and validated against four sled tests under two test conditions with and without submarining using a multi-objective optimization method. A sensitivity analysis using this validated child dummy model showed that dummy knee excursion, torso rotation angle, and the difference between head and knee excursions were good predictors for submarining status. It was also shown that restraint system design variables, such as lap belt angle, D-ring height, and seat coefficient of friction (COF), may have opposite effects on head and abdomen injury risks; therefore child dummies and dummy models capable of simulating submarining are crucial for future restraint system design optimization for young school-aged children. Copyright © 2011 IPEM. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High-pressure hydrogen respiration in hydrothermal vent samples from the deep biosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Morgan-Smith, D.; Schrenk, M. O.

2013-12-01

Cultivation of organisms from the deep biosphere has met with many challenges, chief among them the ability to replicate this extreme environment in a laboratory setting. The maintenance of in situ pressure levels, carbon sources, and gas concentrations are important, intertwined factors which may all affect the growth of subsurface microorganisms. Hydrogen in particular is of great importance in hydrothermal systems, but in situ hydrogen concentrations are largely disregarded in attempts to culture from these sites. Using modified Hungate-type culture tubes (Bowles et al. 2011) within pressure-retaining vessels, which allow for the dissolution of higher concentrations of gas than is possible with other culturing methods, we have incubated hydrothermal chimney and hydrothermally-altered rock samples from the Lost City and Mid-Cayman Rise hydrothermal vent fields. Hydrogen concentrations up to 15 mmol/kg have been reported from Lost City (Kelley et al. 2005), but data are not yet available from the recently-discovered Mid-Cayman site, and the elevated concentration of 30 mmol/kg is being used in all incubations. We are using a variety of media types to enrich for various metabolic pathways including iron and sulfur reduction under anoxic or microaerophilic conditions. Incubations are being carried out at atmospheric (0.1 MPa), in situ (9, 23, or 50 MPa, depending on site), and elevated (50 MPa) pressure levels. Microbial cell concentrations, taxonomic diversity, and metabolic activities are being monitored during the course of these experiments. These experiments will provide insight into the relationships between microbial activities, pressure, and gas concentrations typical of deep biosphere environments. Results will inform further culturing studies from both fresh and archived samples. References cited: Bowles, M.W., Samarkin, V.A., Joye, S.B. 2011. Improved measurement of microbial activity in deep-sea sediments at in situ pressure and methane concentration

Hydrothermal bitumen generated from sedimentary organic matter of rift lakes - Lake Chapala, Citala Rift, western Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zarate del Valle, Pedro F. [Departamento de Quimica, Universidad de Guadalajara - CUCEI, Ap. Postal 4-021, Guadalajara, Jalisco CP 44410 (Mexico); Simoneit, Bernd R.T. [Environmental and Petroleum Geochemistry Group, College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, Building 104, Corvallis, OR 97331-5503 (United States)]. E-mail: simoneit@coas.oregonstate.edu

2005-12-15

Lake Chapala is in the Citala Rift of western Mexico, which in association with the Tepic-Zacoalco and Colima Rifts, form the well-known neotectonic Jalisco continental triple junction. The rifts are characterized by evidence for both paleo- and active hydrothermal activity. At the south shore of the lake, near the Los Gorgos sublacustrine hydrothermal field, there are two tar emanations that appear as small islands composed of solid, viscous and black bitumen. Aliquots of tar were analyzed by GC-MS and the mixtures are comprised of geologically mature biomarkers and an UCM. PAH and n-alkanes are not detectable. The biomarkers consist mainly of hopanes, gammacerane, tricyclic terpanes, carotane and its cracking products, steranes, and drimanes. The biomarker composition and bulk C isotope composition ({delta} {sup 13}C = -21.4%) indicate an organic matter source from bacteria and algae, typical of lacustrine ecosystems. The overall composition of these tars indicates that they are hydrothermal petroleum formed from lacustrine organic matter in the deeper sediments of Lake Chapala exceeding 40 ka ({sup 14}C) in age and then forced to the lakebed by tectonic activity. The absence of alkanes and the presence of an UCM with mature biomarkers are consistent with rapid hydrothermal oil generation and expulsion at temperatures of 200-250 deg. C. The occurrence of hydrothermal petroleum in continental rift systems is now well known and should be considered in future energy resource exploration in such regions.

Biocompatibility and antimicrobial activity of zinc(II doped hydroxyapatite, synthesized by hydrothermal method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kojić Vesna

2012-01-01

Full Text Available In order to obtain multifunctional materials with good biocompatibility and antimicrobial effect, hydroxyapatite (HAp doped with Zn2+ was synthesized by hydrothermal method. Powders with different content of zinc ions were synthesized and compared with undoped HAp to investigation of Zn2+ ion influence on the antimicrobial activity of HAp. Analyses of undoped and Zn2+-doped powders before and after thermal treatment at 1200ºC were performed by SEM and XRD. Antimicrobial effects of powders were examined in relation to Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans in liquid medium. The results showed that the obtained powders have good antimicrobial activity, but higher antimicrobial activities of powders doped with Zn2+ were observed after annealing at 1200°C. For powders annealed at 1200°C in vitro biocompatibility tests MTT and DET with MRC-5 fibroblast cells in liquid medium were carried out. Based on MTT and DET tests it was shown that powders do not have a significant cytotoxic effect, which was confirmed by SEM analysis of MRC-5 fibroblast cells after theirs in vitro contact with powders. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. III 45019 and FP7-REGPOT-2009-1 NANOTECH FTM

Controlled synthesis of La{sub 1−x}Sr{sub x}CrO{sub 3} nanoparticles by hydrothermal method with nonionic surfactant and their ORR activity in alkaline medium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Choi, Bo Hyun; Park, Shin-Ae [Energy System Major, School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Bong Kyu [GIFT Center, Pusan National University, Busan, 609-735 (Korea, Republic of); Chun, Ho Hwan, E-mail: chunahh@pusan.ac.kr [Global Core Research Center for Ships and Offshore Plants(GCRC-SOP), Pusan National University, Busan, 609-735 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Yong-Tae, E-mail: yongtae@pusan.ac.kr [Energy System Major, School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735 (Korea, Republic of)

2013-10-15

Graphical abstract: We demonstrate that Sr-doped LaCrO{sub 3} nanoparticles were successfully prepared by the hydrothermal synthesis method using the nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 and the applicability of La{sub 1−x}Sr{sub x}CrO{sub 3} to oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysis in an alkaline medium. Compared with the nanoparticles synthesized by the coprecipitation method, they showed enhanced ORR activity. - Highlights: • Sr-doped LaCrO{sub 3} nanoparticles were successfully prepared by the hydrothermal method using the nonionic surfactant. • Homogeneously shaped and sized Sr-doped LaCrO{sub 3} nanoparticles were readily obtained. • Compared with the nanoparticles synthesized by the coprecipitation method, they showed an enhanced ORR activity. • The main origin was revealed to be the decreased particle size due to the nonionic surfactant. - Abstract: Sr-doped LaCrO{sub 3} nanoparticles were prepared by the hydrothermal method with the nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 followed by heat treatment at 1000 °C for 10 h. The obtained perovskite nanoparticles had smaller particle size (about 100 nm) and more uniform size distribution than those synthesized by the conventional coprecipitation method. On the other hand, it was identified with the material simulation that the electronic structure change by Sr doping was negligible, because the initially unfilled e{sub g}-band was not affected by the p-type doping. Finally, the perovskite nanoparticles synthesized by hydrothermal method showed much higher ORR activity by over 200% at 0.8 V vs. RHE than those by coprecipitation method.

Layered hydrothermal barite-sulfide mound field, East Diamante Caldera, Mariana volcanic arc

Science.gov (United States)

Hein, James R.; de Ronde, Cornel E. J.; Koski, Randolph A.; Ditchburn, Robert G.; Mizell, Kira; Tamura, Yoshihiko; Stern, Robert J.; Conrad, Tracey; Ishizuka, Osamu; Leybourne, Matthew I.

2014-01-01

East Diamante is a submarine volcano in the southern Mariana arc that is host to a complex caldera ~5 × 10 km (elongated ENE-WSW) that is breached along its northern and southwestern sectors. A large field of barite-sulfide mounds was discovered in June 2009 and revisited in July 2010 with the R/V Natsushima, using the ROV Hyper-Dolphin. The mound field occurs on the northeast flank of a cluster of resurgent dacite domes in the central caldera, near an active black smoker vent field. A 40Ar/39Ar age of 20,000 ± 4000 years was obtained from a dacite sample. The mound field is aligned along a series of fractures and extends for more than 180 m east-west and >120 m north-south. Individual mounds are typically 1 to 3 m tall and 0.5 to 2 m wide, with lengths from about 3 to 8 m. The mounds are dominated by barite + sphalerite layers with the margins of each layer composed of barite with disseminated sulfides. Rare, inactive spires and chimneys sit atop some mounds and also occur as clusters away from the mounds. Iron and Mn oxides are currently forming small (caldera, mineralization resulted from focused flow along small segments of linear fractures rather than from a point source, typical of hydrothermal chimney fields. Based on the mineral assemblage, the maximum fluid temperatures were ~260°C, near the boiling point for the water depths of the mound field (367–406 m). Lateral fluid flow within the mounds precipitated interstitial sphalerite, silica, and Pb minerals within a network of barite with disseminated sulfides; silica was the final phase to precipitate. The current low-temperature precipitation of Fe and Mn oxides and silica may represent rejuvenation of the system.

Sneaky Submarine Landslides, and how to Quantify them: A Case Study from the Mississippi River Delta Front Contrasting Geophysical and Machine Learning Techniques

Science.gov (United States)

Obelcz, J.; Xu, K.; Bentley, S. J.; Wood, W. T.; Georgiou, I. Y.; Maloney, J. M.; Miner, M. D.

2017-12-01

The highly publicized subsidence and decline of the Mississippi River Delta Front's (MRDF) subaerial section has recently precipitated studies of the subaqueous MRDF to assess whether it too is subsiding and regressing landward. These studies have largely focused on the area offshore the most active current distributary of the Mississippi River, Southwest Pass, during a decade (post-Hurricane Rita 2005-2014) of relatively quiescent Gulf of Mexico hurricane activity. Utilizing repeat swath bathymetric surveys, it was determined that submarine landslides not associated with major (category ≥ 3) passage are important drivers of downslope sediment transport on the MRDF. Volumetrically, sediment flux downslope without major hurricane influence is approximately half that during a given hurricane-influenced year (5.5 x 105 and 1.1 x 106 m3, respectively). This finding is notable and warrants comparison with other settings to assess the global impact on the source-to-sink budget of small but frequent landslides, but the resource-intensive repeat geophysical surveys required make it a prohibitive option at the margin and global scale. One option to quantify small-scale submarine slope failures while reducing required data acquisition is to utilize machine learning algorithms (MLAs) to intelligently estimate the occurrence and magnitude of submarine landslides based on correlated physical and geological parameters. Here, the MRDF volumetric changes described above are parsed into training and validation data, and physical and geological parameters associated with slope failure (such as porosity, steep slopes, high rates of sedimentation, and presence of gas in pore water) known from prior coring and seafloor mapping expeditions serve as potential predictive variables. The resulting submarine landslide spatial distribution and magnitude maps output by the MLAs are compared to those obtained through geophysical surveys, providing a proof of concept that machine learning can

An IKBS approach to surveillance for naval nuclear submarine propulsion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cadas, C.N.; Bowskill, J.; Mayfield, T.; Clarke, J.C.

1993-01-01

This paper describes work being carried out to develop an IKBS for use in surveillance of naval nuclear submarine propulsion plant. In recent years, modern process plants have increased automation and installed surveillance equipment while reducing the level of manpower operating and monitoring the plant. As a result, some of the local watchkeeping tasks have been transferred to control room operators, and the data reduction and warning filtering expertise inherent in local plant operators has been lost, while an additional workload has been placed upon operators. The surveillance systems installed to date have therefore been less usable than anticipated. The solution being achieved for submarine power plant is to introduce IKBS into surveillance to replace lost expertise, i.e. to return to a situation in which operators receive small amounts of high quality information rather than large amounts of low quality information

Hydrothermal plumes over spreading-center axes: Global distributions and geological inferences

Science.gov (United States)

Baker, Edward T.; German, Christopher R.; Elderfield, Henry

Seafloor hydrothermal circulation is the principal agent of energy and mass exchange between the ocean and the earth's crust. Discharging fluids cool hot rock, construct mineral deposits, nurture biological communities, alter deep-sea mixing and circulation patterns, and profoundly influence ocean chemistry and biology. Although the active discharge orifices themselves cover only a minuscule percentage of the ridge-axis seafloor, the investigation and quantification of their effects is enhanced as a consequence of the mixing process that forms hydrothermal plumes. Hydrothermal fluids discharged from vents are rapidly diluted with ambient seawater by factors of 104-105 [Lupton et al., 1985]. During dilution, the mixture rises tens to hundreds of meters to a level of neutral buoyancy, eventually spreading laterally as a distinct hydrographic and chemical layer with a spatial scale of tens to thousands of kilometers [e.g., Lupton and Craig, 1981; Baker and Massoth, 1987; Speer and Rona, 1989].

Hydrothermal treatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization as means to valorise agro- and forest-based biomass residues.

Science.gov (United States)

Wikberg, Hanne; Grönqvist, Stina; Niemi, Piritta; Mikkelson, Atte; Siika-Aho, Matti; Kanerva, Heimo; Käsper, Andres; Tamminen, Tarja

2017-07-01

The suitability of several abundant but underutilized agro and forest based biomass residues for hydrothermal treatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis as well as for hydrothermal carbonization was studied. The selected approaches represent simple biotechnical and thermochemical treatment routes suitable for wet biomass. Based on the results, the hydrothermal pre-treatment followed by enzymatic hydrolysis seemed to be most suitable for processing of carbohydrate rich corn leaves, corn stover, wheat straw and willow. High content of thermally stable components (i.e. lignin) and low content of ash in the biomass were advantageous for hydrothermal carbonization of grape pomace, coffee cake, Scots pine bark and willow. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrothermal manganese oxide deposits from the Izu-Ogasawara (Bonin)-Mariana Arc and adjacent areas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Usui, A.; Nishimura, A. (Geological Survey of Japan, Tsukuba (Japan))

1992-04-27

Modern and fossil hydrothermal manganese oxide deposits were discovered from a number of locations in the Izu-Ogasawara(Bonin)-Mariana Arc and adjacent areas during the Hakurei-Maru cruises from 1984 to 1989. This paper describes the occurrence and characteristics of these manganese deposits and their geological significance. It was found that the mineralogical and chemical composition and microstructure of the deposits are typically different from manganese nodules and crusts of hydrogenetic or diagenetic origin. Hardpans, veinlets, sheets, and irregular mass of the hydrothermal manganese deposits often cover a large area of sea bed, which suggests possible high-temperature hydrothermal sulfide deposits in their vicinity. On the other hand, the manganese minerals sometimes occur as substrate of younger hydrogenetic crusts and as nucleus of hydrogenetic nodules, which can provide a geological history of low-temperature hydrothermal activity on the past island arcs. 45 refs., 19 figs., 3 tabs.

The down canyon evolution of submarine sediment density flows

Science.gov (United States)

Parsons, D. R.; Barry, J.; Clare, M. A.; Cartigny, M.; Chaffey, M. R.; Gales, J. A.; Gwiazda, R.; Maier, K. L.; McGann, M.; Paull, C. K.; O'Reilly, T. C.; Rosenberger, K. J.; Simmons, S.; Sumner, E. J.; Talling, P.; Xu, J.

2017-12-01

Submarine density flows, known as turbidity currents, transfer globally significant volumes of terrestrial and shelf sediments, organic carbon, nutrients and fresher-water into the deep ocean. Understanding such flows has wide implications for global organic carbon cycling, the functioning of deep-sea ecosystems, seabed infrastructure hazard assessments, and interpreting geological archives of Earth history. Only river systems transport comparable volumes of sediment over such large areas of the globe. Despite their clear importance, there are remarkably few direct measurements of these oceanic turbidity currents in action. Here we present results from the multi-institution Coordinated Canyon Experiment (CCE) which deployed multiple moorings along the axis of Monterey Canyon (offshore California). An array of six moorings, with downward looking acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCP) were positioned along the canyon axis from 290 m to 1850 m water depth. The ADCPs reveal the internal flow structure of submarine density flows at each site. We use a novel inversion method to reconstruct the suspended sediment concentration and flow stratification field during each event. Together the six moorings provide the first ever views of the internal structural evolution of turbidity current events as they evolve down system. Across the total 18-month period of deployment at least 15 submarine sediment density flows were measured with velocities up to 8.1 m/sec, with three of these flows extending 50 kms down the canyon beyond the 1850 m water depth mooring. We use these novel data to highlight the controls on ignition, interval structure and collapse of individual events and discuss the implications for the functioning and deposits produced by these enigmatic flows.

Biogeochemical transport in the Loxahatchee River estuary, FL: The role of submarine groundwater discharge

Science.gov (United States)

Swarzenski, P.; Orem, B.; McPherson, B.; Baskaran, M.; Wan, Y.

2005-05-01

The distributions of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), silica, select trace elements (Mn, Fe, Ba, Sr, Co, V,) and a suite of naturally-occurring radionuclides in the U/Th decay series (222Rn, 223,224,226,228Ra, 238U) were studied during high and low discharge conditions in the Loxahatchee River estuary, Florida. The zero-salinity endmember of this still relatively pristine estuary may reflect not only river-borne constituents, but also those advected during active groundwater/surface-water discharge. During low discharge conditions, with the notable exception of Co, trace metals indicate nearly conservative mixing from a salinity of ~12 through the estuary (This statement contracdicts with what is said in p. 7). In contrast, of the trace metals studied, only Sr, Fe, U and V exhibited conservative estuarine mixing during high discharge. Dissolved organic carbon and Si concentrations were highest at zero salinities, and generally decreased with an increase in salinity during both discharge regimes, indicating removal of land-derived dissolved organic matter and silica in the estuary. Suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentrations were generally lowest ( 28 dpm L-1) at the freshwater endmember of the estuary, and appear to identify regions of the river most influenced by active submarine groundwater discharge (where is the data that show this?). Activities of four naturally-occurring isotopes of Ra (223,224,226,228Ra) in this estuary and select adjacent shallow groundwater wells indicate mean estuarine water mass residence times of less than 1 day; values in close agreement to those calculated by tidal prism and tidal period. A radium-based model for estimating submarine groundwater discharge to the Loxahatchee River estuary yielded an average of 1.03 V 3.84 x 105 m3 day-1, depending on river discharge stage as well as slight variations in the particular Ra models used. Such calculated flux estimates are in close agreement with results obtained from a 2-day

Precursory diffuse CO2 and H2S emission signatures of the 2011-2012 El Hierro submarine eruption, Canary Islands

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez, Nemesio M.; Padilla, Germán D.; Padrón, Eleazar; Hernández, Pedro A.; Melián, Gladys V.; Barrancos, José; Dionis, Samara; Nolasco, Dácil; Rodríguez, Fátima; Calvo, David; Hernández, Íñigo

2012-08-01

On October 12, 2011, a submarine eruption began 2 km off the coast of La Restinga, south of El Hierro Island. CO2 and H2S soil efflux were continuously measured during the period of volcanic unrest by using the accumulation chamber method at two different geochemical stations, HIE01 and HIE07. Recorded CO2 and H2S effluxes showed precursory signals that preceded the submarine eruption. Beginning in late August, the CO2 efflux time series started increasing at a relatively constant rate over one month, reaching a maximum of 19 gm-2d-1 one week before the onset of the submarine volcanic eruption. The H2S efflux time series at HIE07 showed a pulse in H2S emission just one day before the initiation of the submarine eruption, reaching peak values of 42 mg m-2 d-1, 10 times the average H2S efflux recorded during the observation period. Since CO2 and H2S effluxes are strongly influenced by external factors, we applied a multiple regression analysis to remove their contribution. A statistical analysis showed that the long-term trend of the filtered data is well correlated with the seismic energy. We find that these geochemical stations are important monitoring sites for evaluating the volcanic activity of El Hierro and that they demonstrate the potential of applying continuous monitoring of soil CO2 and H2S efflux to improve and optimize the detection of early warning signals of future volcanic unrest episodes at El Hierro. Continuous diffuse degassing studies would likely prove useful for monitoring other volcanoes during unrest episodes.

Meta-Analysis of Data from the Submarine Ventilation Doctrine Test Program

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Hoover, J

1998-01-01

... in critical spaces or provide safe ingresslegress routes. This program sponsored six test series between January 1995 and August 1996 and made specific recommendations for the use of ventilation during submarine firefighting...

“Hello, HELLO! Anyone there? - on the need to assess the tsunami risk to global submarine telecommunications infrastructure

Science.gov (United States)

Dominey-Howes, D.; Goff, J. R.

2009-12-01

National economies are increasingly dependent on the global telecommunications system - and in particular, its submarine cable infrastructure. Submarine cable traffic represents about 30% of global GDP so the cost of losing, or even simply slowing, communications traffic is high. Many natural hazards are capable of damaging and destroying this infrastructure but tsunamis are the most significant threat, particularly in waters >1000 m deep. Submarine cables and their shore-based infrastructure (the anchor points), are at risk from direct and indirect tsunami-related effects. During the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami in India and Indonesia, cables were broken (direct effect) as the tsunami eroded supporting sediments, and were further damaged by floating/submerged objects and intense nearshore currents. Shore-based infrastructure was also directly damaged in India, Indonesia, and the Maldives. The 1929 Grand Banks earthquake generated a submarine landslide and tsunami off Newfoundland which broke 12 submarine telegraph cables. In 2006, an earthquake in Taiwan generated submarine landslides and a tsunami. These landslides caused one of the largest disruptions of modern telecommunications history when nine cables in the Strait of Luzon were broken disabling vital connections between SE Asia and the rest of the world. Although electronic traffic in and out of Australia was slowed, it did not cease because >70% of our traffic is routed via cables that pass through Hawaii. This is extremely significant because Hawaii is an internationally recognised bottleneck or “choke point” in the global telecommunications network. The fact that Hawaii is a choke point is important because it is regularly affected by numerous large magnitude natural hazards. Any damage to the submarine telecommunications infrastructure routed through Hawaii could result in significant impacts on the electronic flow of data and voice traffic, negatively affecting dependent economies such as Australia

Enhanced Hydrothermal Stability and Catalytic Activity of La _x Zr _y O _z Mixed Oxides for the Ketonization of Acetic Acid in the Aqueous Condensed Phase

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez-Ruiz, Juan A. [Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, Washington 99352, United States; Cooper, Alan R. [Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, Washington 99352, United States; Li, Guosheng [Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, Washington 99352, United States; Albrecht, Karl O. [Energy and Environment Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Boulevard, Richland, Washington 99352, United States

2017-08-24

Common ketonization catalysts such as ZrO2, CeO2, CexZryOz, and TiO2-based catalysts have been reported to lose surface area, undergo phase-transformation, and lose catalytic activity when utilized in the condensed aqueous phase. In this work, we synthesized and tested a series of LaxZryOz mixed metal oxides with different La:Zr atomic ratios with the goal of enhancing the catalytic activity and stability for the ketonization of acetic acid in condensed aqueous media at 568 K. We synthesized a hydrothermally stable LaxZryOz mixed-metal oxide catalyst with enhanced ketonization activities 360 and 40 times more active than La2O3 and ZrO2, respectively. Catalyst characterization techniques suggest that the formation of a hydrothermally stable catalyst which is isomorphic with tetragonal-ZrO2 under hydrothermal reaction conditions.

Marine litter in submarine canyons of the Bay of Biscay

Science.gov (United States)

van den Beld, Inge M. J.; Guillaumont, Brigitte; Menot, Lénaïck; Bayle, Christophe; Arnaud-Haond, Sophie; Bourillet, Jean-François

2017-11-01

Marine litter is a matter of increasing concern worldwide, from shallow seas to the open ocean and from beaches to the deep-seafloor. Indeed, the deep sea may be the ultimate repository of a large proportion of litter in the ocean. We used footage acquired with a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) and a towed camera to investigate the distribution and composition of litter in the submarine canyons of the Bay of Biscay. This bay contains many submarine canyons housing Vulnerable Marine Ecosystems (VMEs) such as scleractinian coral habitats. VMEs are considered to be important for fish and they increase the local biodiversity. The objectives of the study were to investigate and discuss: (i) litter density, (ii) the principal sources of litter, (iii) the influence of environmental factors on the distribution of litter, and (iv) the impact of litter on benthic communities. Litter was found in all 15 canyons and at three sites on the edge of the continental shelf/canyon, in 25 of 29 dives. The Belle-île and Arcachon Canyons contained the largest amounts of litter, up to 12.6 and 9.5 items per 100 images respectively. Plastic items were the most abundant (42%), followed by fishing-related items (16%). The litter had both a maritime and a terrestrial origin. The main sources could be linked to fishing activities, major shipping lanes and river discharges. Litter appeared to accumulate at water depths of 801-1100 m and 1401-1700 m. In the deeper of these two depth ranges, litter accumulated on a geologically structured area, accounting for its high frequency at this depth. A larger number of images taken in areas of coral in the shallower of these two depth ranges may account for the high frequency of litter detection at this depth. A larger number of litter items, including plastic objects in particular, were observed on geological structures and in coral areas than on areas of bare substratum. The distribution of fishing-related items was similar for the various types of

The study of major, trace and rare earth elements geochemistry in Shahrestanak Mn deposit, south of Qom: Implications for genesis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Maanijou

2015-04-01

hydrothermal processes. It seems that hydrogenous processes have not had significant role on the genesis of the Shahrestanak Mn deposit. During deposition of Fe and Mn from hydrothermal solution, they separated from each other and produced different Fe/Mn ratios in sedimentary exhalative deposit (SEDEX. The Fe/Mn ratios are 5.7 to 40.35 (ave., 11.33. Very high and very low ratios of Fe/Mn can be interpreted as fractionation and separation of these two elements from transportation during hydrothermal activities and mineralization. So, high Fe/Mn ratios here can be considered as in submarine hydrothermal deposits. Cann et al. (Cann et al., 1977 suggested that Fe/Mn ratios in volcano-sedimentary and hydrothermal deposits are so variable and characteristic. Hydrothermal deposits are in close relationships with ferruginous silica gel which itself formed from submarine hydrothermal outpouring and discharging of metals in marine sediments. So, Si wt. % versus Al wt. % is high in exhalative activities. The average Si/Al ratio is 4.86 in the Shahrestanak deposit which is in the range of hydrothermal deposits (SEDEX. Nicholson (Nicholson, 1992 suggested Na versus Mg content diagram for distinction between fresh water, shallow and deep marine environments. Bonatti et al. (Bonatti et al., 1992 introduced Fe-Mn-(Co+Cu+Ni*10 ternary diagram for distinction between marine sedimentary and hydrothermal Fe-Mn deposit. According to this diagram, hydrothermal oxides depleted in Ni, Cu, Co and zinc relative to sedimentary-marine deposits. Nicholson (Nicholson, 1992 suggested that hydrothermal Mn deposit distinguished with Zn, V, Mo, Cd, Li, Sr, Sb, Pb, Cu, Ba, and As and sedimentary deposit with enrichment in Ni, Cu, Co, Sr, Mg, Ca, Na and K. Hydrogenetic ferromanganese deposit has higher enrichment of Ni, Cu and Co relative to hydrothermal (exhalative deposit. Low contents of Cu, Co and Ni indicate low input of these elements from hydrothermal activities and derivation of Zn from hydrothermal

Submarine sand ridges and sand waves in the eastern part of the China Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Ziyin; Li, Shoujun; Shang, Jihong; Zhou, Jieqiong; Zhao, Dineng; Liang, Yuyang

2016-04-01

Integrated with multi-beam and single-beam echo sounding data, as well as historical bathymetric data, submarine bathymetric maps of the eastern part of the China Sea, including the Bohai Sea, Huanghai Sea, and East China Sea, are constructed to systematically study submarine sand ridges and sand waves in the eastern part of the China Sea, combined with high-resolution seismic, sub-bottom profile and borehole data. Submarine sand ridges are extraordinarily developed in the eastern part of the China Sea, and 7 sand ridge areas can be divided from north to south, that is, the Laotieshan Channel sand ridge area in the Bohai Sea, the Korea Bay sand ridge area in the southern Huanghai Sea, the sand ridge area in the eastern Huanghai islands and the Huanghai Troughs, the Jianggang sand ridge area in the western Huanghai Sea, the sand ridge area in the East China Sea shelf, and the sand ridge and sand wave area in the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan Banks. The distribution area of the sand ridges and sand waves covers more than 450,000 km2, wherein ~10,000 km2 in the Bohai Bay, ~200,000 km2 in the Huanghai Sea, ~200,000 km2 in the East China Sea shelf, and ~40,000 km2 in the Taiwan Strait and Taiwan Banks, respectively. The great mass of sand ridges are distributed within water depth of 5-160 m, with a total length of over 160 km and a main width of 5-10 km. The inner structure of the sand ridges presents features of high-angle inclined beddings, with main lithology of sands, sand-mud alternations partly visible, and a small number of mud cores. Dating results indicate that the sand ridges in the eastern part of the China Sea are mainly developed in the Holocene. Sea-level variation dominates the sand ridge evolution in the eastern part of the China Sea since the LGM, and the sand ridges developed in the area of < 60m water depth are appeared in bad activity, meanwhile sand ridges with good activity are still developed in large scale.

Field Trip Guide to Serpentinite, Silica-Carbonate Alteration, and Related Hydrothermal Activity in the Clear Lake Region, California

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fraser Goff; George Guthrie

1999-06-01

This guide is designed to familiarize scientists with the geology, structure, alteration, and fluids typical of California serpentinites for purposes of carbon dioxide sequestration (Lackner et al., 1995). Goff et al. (1997) and Goff and Lackner (1998) describe the geology and geochemistry of some of the serpentinites from this area. Mechanisms of silica-carbonate alteration were outlined by Barnes et al. (1973). Donnelly-Nolan et al. (1993) most recently reviewed relations between regional hydrothermal alteration and Quarternary volcanic activity. Stanley et al. (1998) summarized geophysical characteristics of the region.

Thermal monitoring of hydrothermal activity by permanent infrared automatic stations: Results obtained at Solfatara di Pozzuoli, Campi Flegrei (Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Chiodini, G.; Vilardo, G.; Augusti, V.; Granieri, D.; Caliro, S.; Minopoli, C.; Terranova, C.

2007-12-01

A permanent automatic infrared (IR) station was installed at Solfatara crater, the most active zone of Campi Flegrei caldera. After a positive in situ calibration of the IR camera, we analyze 2175 thermal IR images of the same scene from 2004 to 2007. The scene includes a portion of the steam heated hot soils of Solfatara. The experiment was initiated to detect and quantify temperature changes of the shallow thermal structure of a quiescent volcano such as Solfatara over long periods. Ambient temperature is the main parameter affecting IR temperatures, while air humidity and rain control image quality. A geometric correction of the images was necessary to remove the effects of slow movement of the camera. After a suitable correction the images give a reliable and detailed picture of the temperature changes, over the period October 2004 to January 2007, which suggests that origin of the changes were linked to anthropogenic activity, vegetation growth, and the increase of the flux of hydrothermal fluids in the area of the hottest fumaroles. Two positive temperature anomalies were registered after the occurrence of two seismic swarms which affected the hydrothermal system of Solfatara in October 2005 and October 2006. It is worth noting that these signs were detected in a system characterized by a low level of activity with respect to systems affected by real volcanic crisis where more spectacular results will be expected. Results of the experiment show that this kind of monitoring system can be a suitable tool for volcanic surveillance.

Composition and fluxes of submarine groundwater along the Caribbean coast of the Yucatan Peninsula

Science.gov (United States)

Null, Kimberly A.; Knee, Karen L.; Crook, Elizabeth D.; de Sieyes, Nicholas R.; Rebolledo-Vieyra, Mario; Hernández-Terrones, Laura; Paytan, Adina

2014-04-01

for future management strategies regarding nutrient loading to reef environments and coastal development. This study also identifies the importance of understanding the connectivity of submarine spring discharge to the nearshore coastal environment and the impact of inland anthropogenic activities may have on coastal health.

Estimation of submarine mass failure probability from a sequence of deposits with age dates

Science.gov (United States)

Geist, Eric L.; Chaytor, Jason D.; Parsons, Thomas E.; ten Brink, Uri S.

2013-01-01

The empirical probability of submarine mass failure is quantified from a sequence of dated mass-transport deposits. Several different techniques are described to estimate the parameters for a suite of candidate probability models. The techniques, previously developed for analyzing paleoseismic data, include maximum likelihood and Type II (Bayesian) maximum likelihood methods derived from renewal process theory and Monte Carlo methods. The estimated mean return time from these methods, unlike estimates from a simple arithmetic mean of the center age dates and standard likelihood methods, includes the effects of age-dating uncertainty and of open time intervals before the first and after the last event. The likelihood techniques are evaluated using Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC) and Akaike’s Bayesian Information Criterion (ABIC) to select the optimal model. The techniques are applied to mass transport deposits recorded in two Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) drill sites located in the Ursa Basin, northern Gulf of Mexico. Dates of the deposits were constrained by regional bio- and magnetostratigraphy from a previous study. Results of the analysis indicate that submarine mass failures in this location occur primarily according to a Poisson process in which failures are independent and return times follow an exponential distribution. However, some of the model results suggest that submarine mass failures may occur quasiperiodically at one of the sites (U1324). The suite of techniques described in this study provides quantitative probability estimates of submarine mass failure occurrence, for any number of deposits and age uncertainty distributions.

Observation and modeling of hydrothermal response to the 2015 eruption at Axial Seamount, Northeast Pacific: An OOI Cabled Observatory case study

Science.gov (United States)

Xu, G.; Chadwick, W. W., Jr.; Wilcock, W. S. D.; Bemis, K. G.; Nooner, S. L.; Sasagawa, G. S.; Zumberge, M. A.; Delaney, J. R.

2017-12-01

The 2015 eruption at Axial Seamount, an active volcano at a depth of 1500 m in the Northeast Pacific, marked the first time a seafloor eruption was detected and monitored by a cabled observatory - the Cabled Array operated by Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI). Following the eruption, eight cabled and non-cabled instruments recorded a temperature increase across the southern half of the caldera and neighboring areas. These temperature signals were very different from those observed after the 2011 and 1998 Axial eruptions. The 2015 temperature increase occurred later (3.5 days after deflation started versus 6-18 hours) and had a larger amplitude ( 0.7°C versus 0.2-0.5°C), a much slower increase and decay and smaller short-term fluctuations. Most remarkably, the 2015 temperature signals were synchronous and uniform across the 3 x 4.5 km2 area covered by the eight instruments. We hypothesize that the eruption triggered the release of a hydrothermal brine stored in the crust. In this interpretation, the observed temperature increases were due to a dense, bottom-hugging layer of warm salty water that was created when hot brine in the crust was flushed out after the dike intersected the zone where the brine was stored. In the absence of near-bottom salinity observations, we test this hypothesis by using a numerical model of ocean flow and transport to simulate the thermal response within the vicinity of the caldera following a brine injection. We set up the model with realistic background flows, hydrography, and seafloor topography. We simulate brine release as seafloor heat and salt inputs at locations inferred from seismic and geologic observations. Comparison of model bottom temperature with measurements shows a reasonable match. If our interpretation is correct, this is the first time that the release of a hydrothermal brine has been observed due to a submarine eruption. Prior to the next eruption, the Cabled Array observatory should be enhanced to improve the

V isotope composition in modern marine hydrothermal sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, F.; Owens, J. D.; Nielsen, S.; German, C. R.; Rachel, M.

2017-12-01

Vanadium is multivalence transition metal with two isotopes (51V and 50V). Recent work has shown that large V isotope variations occur with oxygen variations in modern sediments (Wu et al., 2016 and 2017 Goldschmidt Abstracts), providing its potential as a promising proxy for determining low oxygen conditions. However, the development of V isotopes as a proxy to probe past redox conditions requires a comprehensive understanding of the modern oceanic isotopic mass balance. Therein, the scavenging of V from the hydrous iron oxides in hydrothermal fluid has been shown to be an important removal process from seawater (Rudnicki and Elderfield, 1993 GCA) but remains unquantified. In this study, we analyzed V isotopic compositions of metalliferous sediments around the active TAG hydrothermal mound from the mid-Atlantic Ridge (26° degrees North) and the Eastern Pacific Zonal Transect (GEOTRACES EPZT cruise GP16). The TAG sediments deposited as Fe oxyhydroxides from plume fall-out, and have δ51V values between -0.3 to 0‰. The good correlation between Fe and V for these metalliferous sediments indicate that the accumulation of V in these samples is directly related to the deposition of Fe oxyhydroxides, which also control their V isotope signature. The EPZT samples cover 8,000 km in the South Pacific Ocean with sedimentary areas that underlie the Peru upwelling region and the well-oxygenated deep South Pacific Ocean influenced by hydtorthermal plume material from southern East Pacific Rise (EPR). The sediments collected at the east of the EPR have δ51V values between -1.2 to -0.7‰, similar to previous δ51V of oxic sediments. In contrast, the sediments from the west of the EPR have δ51V values (-0.4 to 0‰) similar to hydrothermal sediments from the mid-Atlantic Ridge, indicating the long transportation (more than 4,000 km, Fitzsimmons et al., 2017 NG) of Fe and Mn from hydrothermal plume and their incorporation into sediments have a major impact on the cycle of V

Water quality, Multivariate statistical techniques, submarine out fall, spatial variation, temporal variation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia, Francisco; Palacio, Carlos; Garcia, Uriel

2012-01-01

Multivariate statistical techniques were used to investigate the temporal and spatial variations of water quality at the Santa Marta coastal area where a submarine out fall that discharges 1 m3/s of domestic wastewater is located. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), cluster and principal component analysis and Krigging interpolation were considered for this report. Temporal variation showed two heterogeneous periods. From December to April, and July, where the concentration of the water quality parameters is higher; the rest of the year (May, June, August-November) were significantly lower. The spatial variation reported two areas where the water quality is different, this difference is related to the proximity to the submarine out fall discharge.

Whole Algae Hydrothermal Liquefaction Technology Pathway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Biddy, M.; Davis, R.; Jones, S.

2013-03-01

This technology pathway case investigates the feasibility of using whole wet microalgae as a feedstock for conversion via hydrothermal liquefaction. Technical barriers and key research needs have been assessed in order for the hydrothermal liquefaction of microalgae to be competitive with petroleum-derived gasoline-, diesel-, and jet-range hydrocarbon blendstocks.

An IKBS approach to surveillance for naval nuclear submarine propulsion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cadas, C.N.; Bowskill, J.; Mayfield, T.; Clarke, J.C.

1995-01-01

This Paper describes work being carried out to develop an intelligent knowledge-based system (IKBS) for use in the surveillance of naval nuclear submarine propulsion plant. In recent years, modern process plants have increased automation and installed surveillance equipment while reducing the level of manpower operating and monitoring the plant. As a result, some of the local watchkeeping tasks have been transferred to control room operators, and the data reduction and warning filtering expertise inherent in local plant operators has been lost, while an additional workload has been placed upon operators. The surveillance systems installed to date have therefore been less usable than anticipated. The solution being achieved for submarine power plant is to introduce IKBS into surveillance to replace lost expertise and return to a situation in which operators receive small amounts of high quality information rather than large amounts of low quality information. (author)

A Baseline Air Quality Assessment Onboard a Victoria Class Submarine: HMCS Windsor

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Severs, Y. D

2006-01-01

.... This trial thus represents a baseline habitability evaluation of Canada's Victoria class submarines to confirm compliance with the current maximum permissible contaminant limits stipulated in the Air...

Timing of porphyry (Cu-Mo) and base metal (Zn-Pb-Ag-Cu) mineralisation in a magmatic-hydrothermal system—Morococha district, Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Catchpole, Honza; Kouzmanov, Kalin; Bendezú, Aldo; Ovtcharova, Maria; Spikings, Richard; Stein, Holly; Fontboté, Lluís

2015-12-01

The Morococha district in central Peru is characterised by economically important Cordilleran polymetallic (Zn-Pb-Ag-Cu) vein and replacement bodies and the large Toromocho porphyry Cu-Mo deposit in its centre. U-Pb, Re-Os, and 40Ar/39Ar geochronology data for various porphyry-related hydrothermal mineralisation styles record a 3.5-Ma multi-stage history of magmatic-hydrothermal activity in the district. In the late Miocene, three individual magmatic-hydrothermal centres were active: the Codiciada, Toromocho, and Ticlio centres, each separated in time and space. The Codiciada centre is the oldest magmatic-hydrothermal system in the district and consists of a composite porphyry stock associated with anhydrous skarn and quartz-molybdenite veins. The hydrothermal events are recorded by a titanite U-Pb age at 9.3 ± 0.2 Ma and a molybdenite Re-Os age at 9.26 ± 0.03 Ma. These ages are indistinguishable from zircon U-Pb ages for porphyry intrusions of the composite stock and indicate a time span of 0.2 Ma for magmatic-hydrothermal activity. The small Ticlio magmatic-hydrothermal centre in the west of the district has a maximum duration of 0.3 Ma, ranging from porphyry emplacement to porphyry mineralisation at 8.04 ± 0.14 Ma (40Ar/39Ar muscovite cooling age). The Toromocho magmatic-hydrothermal centre has a minimum of five recorded porphyry intrusions that span a total of 1.3 Ma and is responsible for the formation of the giant Toromocho Cu-Mo deposit. At least two hydrothermal pulses are identified. Post-dating a first pulse of molybdenite mineralisation, wide-spread hydrous skarn covers an area of over 6 km2 and is recorded by five 40Ar/39Ar cooling ages at 7.2-6.8 Ma. These ages mark the end of the slowly cooling and long-lived Toromocho magmatic-hydrothermal centre soon after last magmatic activity at 7.26 ± 0.02 Ma. District-wide (50 km2) Cordilleran base metal vein and replacement bodies post-date the youngest recorded porphyry mineralisation event at Toromocho

Ultra-high chlorine in submarine Kı̄lauea glasses: Evidence for direct assimilation of brine by magma

Science.gov (United States)

Coombs, Michelle L.; Sisson, Thomas W.; Kimura, Jun-Ichi

2004-01-01

Basaltic glass grains from the submarine south flank of Kı̄lauea, Hawai′i, have Cl concentrations of 0.01–1.68 wt%, the latter being the highest Cl content yet recorded for a Hawaiian glass. The high-Cl glass grains are products of brine assimilation by tholeiite magma. The glasses are grains in a sandstone clast from bedded breccias draping the southwestern margin of Kı̄lauea’s submarine midslope bench. The clast contains two distinct suites of glass grains: abundant degassed tholeiites, perhaps derived from subaerial lavas of Mauna Loa that shattered upon ocean entry, and a smaller population of Kea-type tholeiite (n=17 analyzed) that erupted subaqueously, based on elevated S (780–1050 ppm), H2O (0.42–1.27 wt%), and CO2 (1000 ppm, six >5000 ppm, and two grains have >10 000 ppm dissolved Cl. Abundances of H2O, Na2O, K2O, and several trace elements increase regularly with Cl concentration, and we estimate that Cl enrichment was due to up to 13 wt% addition of a brine consisting of 78% H2O (wt), 13% Cl, 4.4% Na, 2.6% K, 2.6% Ca, 620 ppm Ba, 360 ppm Sr, 65 ppm Rb, and 7 ppm Pb. The large amounts of brine addition argue against bulk assimilation of low-porosity brine-bearing rock. The brine’s composition is appropriate for a seawater-derived hydrothermal fluid that reacted with basaltic wall rocks at T>100°C, losing Mg and S and gaining K, Ca, Rb, Ba, Sr, and Pb, followed by phase separation near 500°C and ∼50 MPa (5 km below sea level at hydrostatic pressure). Brine was assimilated at or near the depth it formed, as estimated on petrologic grounds, but under lithostatic conditions. The highest extents of assimilation either forced volatile saturation of the magma or enriched already coexisting magmatic vapor in H2O. Possible mechanisms for assimilation are: (1) forcible injection of brine into magma during bursting of overpressured pockets heated by new dikes, or (2) intrusion of magma into lenses or sills occupied by trapped brine.

Time scale of hydrothermal water-rock reactions in Yellowstone National Park based on radium isotopes and radon

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, J.F.; Turekian, K.K.

1990-01-01

We have measured 224 Ra (3.4 d), 228 Ra (5.7 yr), and 226 Ra (1620 yr) and chloride in hot spring waters from the Norris-Mammoth Corridor, Yellowstone National Park. Two characteristic cold-water components mix with the primary hydrothermal water: one for the travertine-depositing water related to the Mammoth Hot Springs and the other for the sinter-depositing Norris Geyser Basin springs. The Mammoth Hot Springs water is a mixture of the primary hydrothermal fluid with meteoric waters flowing through the Madison Limestone, as shown by the systematic decrease of the ( 228 Ra/ 226 Ra) activity ratio proceeding northward. The Norris Geyser Basin springs are mixtures of primary hydrothermal water with different amounts of cold meteoric water with no modification of the primary hydrothermal ( 228 Ra/ 226 Ra) activity ratio. Using a solution and recoil model for radium isotope supply to the primary hydrothermal water, a mean water-rock reaction time prior to expansion at 350degC and supply to the surface is 540 years assuming that 250 g of water are involved in the release of the radium from one gram of rock. The maximum reaction time allowed by our model is 1150 years. (orig.)

Fluidal deep-sea volcanic ash as an indicator of explosive volcanism (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Clague, D. A.; Portner, R. A.; Paduan, J. B.; Dreyer, B. M.

2013-12-01

mechanism by which water escapes from beneath advancing flows was observed in lava flows at the summit of Axial Seamount, where flows advanced over areas of diffuse hydrothermal discharge at ~-1515 m. We have observed more than a dozen pits in the 2011, 1998, and several pre-historic flows, with angular blocks deposited within and around shattered pits. In all cases, the angular blocks in the pit are stained by low-temperature hydrothermal iron-oxides indicating that hydrothermal activity continued after the flow was shattered and blocks ejected during phreatic explosions. The angular blocks suggest that the overlying flow had cooled below the solidus and was brittle when the explosions took place. Sea water trapped under flows escapes either through hollow pillars or by phreatic explosions, but neither process produces fluidal glass fragments. Both processes should be limited to pressures below the critical point of sea water, or -3000 m. We conclude that pyroclastic activity driven by release of coalesced bubbles of magmatic volatiles at and near eruptive vents is the primary mechanism to produce submarine fluidal glass fragments, with no depth limitation imposed by the seawater critical point.

The brazilian nuclear submarine dossier: Navy's priority and its application

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rosa, L.P.

1990-01-01

This work discusses the feasibility of the brazilian nuclear submarine. It is related to navy's remodeling and is considered as a priority. It would bring Brazil closer to developed countries. It considers the slip, itself, the weapon's system as well as the nuclear propulsion. (author)

Comparative safety assessment of surface versus submarine plutonium shipments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Knepper, D.S.; Feltus, M.A.

1993-01-01

The recent shipment of plutonium from France to Japan aboard the freighter Akatsuki Maru touched off protests from environmental and antinuclear organizations. These protests arose from the fear of an accidental sinking of the vessel that would release its cargo to the sea, as well as the threat of a terrorist nation highjacking the ship for its cargo to produce atomic weapons. The sinking of a merchant ship is not uncommon, as illustrated by the famous losses of the tankers Amoco Cadiz and Exxon Valdez. The highjacking of a lightly armed freighter such as the Akatsuki Maru is possible and would not be unduly difficult for a well-equipped terrorist nation. The combined threats of weapons proliferation and environmental damage arising from the diversion or destruction of a sea vessel carrying plutonium will continue to abound as the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel increases. An alternate method for the transportation with reduced risks of both diversion and destruction needs to be developed. The shipment aboard the Akatsuki Maru was originally proposed to be flown from France to Japan over the continental United States. This proposal was rejected by the Reagan administration in 1988. A third alternative to the current ideas of air transport and surface transport is subsurface transport. This research project investigates the transportation of plutonium by submarine and compares it to the current method of transportation by freighter. This analysis involves a study of the military threat to a submarine by a terrorist nation and comparable threat to a surface vessel. To study the nonmilitary aspects of plutonium shipping, a fault-tree evaluation is performed for transportation by submarine and compared with the current risk analysis performed for surface vessels

Geochemical and iron isotopic insights into hydrothermal iron oxyhydroxide deposit formation at Loihi Seamount

Science.gov (United States)

Rouxel, Olivier; Toner, Brandy; Germain, Yoan; Glazer, Brian

2018-01-01

Low-temperature hydrothermal vents, such as those encountered at Loihi Seamount, harbor abundant microbial communities and provide ideal systems to test hypotheses on biotic versus abiotic formation of hydrous ferric oxide (FeOx) deposits at the seafloor. Hydrothermal activity at Loihi Seamount produces abundant microbial mats associated with rust-colored FeOx deposits and variably encrusted with Mn-oxyhydroxides. Here, we applied Fe isotope systematics together with major and trace element geochemistry to study the formation mechanisms and preservation of such mineralized microbial mats. Iron isotope composition of warm (oxidation of Fe(II) during mixing of the hydrothermal fluid with seawater. By comparing the results with experimentally determined Fe isotope fractionation factors, we determined that less than 20% of Fe(II) is oxidized within active microbial mats, although this number may reach 80% in aged or less active deposits. These results are consistent with Fe(II) oxidation mediated by microbial processes considering the expected slow kinetics of abiotic Fe oxidation in low oxygen bottom water at Loihi Seamount. In contrast, FeOx deposits recovered at extinct sites have distinctly negative Fe-isotope values down to -1.77‰ together with significant enrichment in Mn and occurrence of negative Ce anomalies. These results are best explained by the near-complete oxidation of an isotopically light Fe(II) source produced during the waning stage of hydrothermal activity under more oxidizing conditions. Light Fe isotope values of FeOx are therefore generated by subsurface precipitation of isotopically heavy Fe-oxides rather than by the activity of dissimilatory Fe reduction in the subsurface. Overall, Fe-isotope compositions of microbial mats at Loihi Seamount display a remarkable range between -1.2‰ and +1.6‰ which indicate that Fe isotope compositions of hydrothermal Fe-oxide precipitates are particularly sensitive to local environmental conditions where

Constraining the sedimentology and stratigraphy of submarine intraslope lobe deposits using exhumed examples from the Karoo Basin, South Africa

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Spychala, Y. T.; Hodgson, D. M.; Flint, S. S.; Mountney, N. P.

2015-01-01

Intraslope lobe deposits provide a process record of the infill of accommodation on submarine slopes and their recognition enables the accurate reconstruction of the stratigraphic evolution of submarine slope systems. Extensive exposures of discrete sand-prone packages in Units D/E and E, Fort Brown

Sedimentary characteristics of samples collected from some submarine canyons

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bouma, Arnold H.

Oriented rectangular cores of 20.3 × 30.5 cm and 45.7 cm high have been collected in a number of submarine canyons off southern California (U.S.A.) and off the southern tip of Baja California (Mexico) for a detailed study of their sedimentary structures. By applying several methods, mainly X-ray

Removal of Malachite Green from water using hydrothermally carbonized pine needles

KAUST Repository

Hammud, Hassan Hasan; Shmait, Abeer; Hourani, Nadim

2015-01-01

Hydrothermal carbonization of pine needles (HTC-PN) and their oxidized-activated form HTC-APN are prepared and applied for the adsorption of Malachite Green (MG) in aqueous solution. The HTC materials were characterized by thermal and TEM analysis

Element enrichment and U-series isotopic characteristics of the hydrothermal sulfides at Jade site in the Okinawa Trough

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2009-01-01

The geochemical and U-series isotopic characteristics of hydrothermal sulfide samples from the Jade site (127°04.5′E, 27°15′N, water depth 1300-1450 m) at Jade site in the Okinawa Trough were analyzed. In the hydrothermal sulfide samples bearing sulfate (samples HOK1 and HOK2), the LREEs are relatively enriched. All the hydrothermal sulfide samples except HOK1 belong to Zn-rich hydrothermal sulfide. In comparison with Zn-rich hydrothermal sulfides from other fields, the contents of Zn, Pb, Ag, Cd, Au and Hg are higher, the contents of Fe, Al, Cr, Co, Ni, Sr, Te, Cs, Ti and U lower, and the 210Pb radioactivity ratios and 210Pb/Pb ratios very low. In the hydrothermal sulfide mainly composed of sphalerite, the correlations between rare elements Hf and U, and Hf and Mn as well as that between dispersive elements Ga and Zn, are strongly positive; also the contents of Au and Ag are related to Fe-sulfide, because the low temperature promotes enrichment of Au and Ag. Meanwhile, the positive correlations between Fe and Bi and between Zn and Cd are not affected by the change of mineral assemblage. Based on the 210Pb/Pb ratios of hydrothermal sulfide samples (3.99×10-5-5.42×10?5), their U isotopic composition (238U content 1.15-2.53 ppm, 238U activity 1.07-1.87 dpm/g, 234U activity 1.15-2.09 dpm/g and 234U/238U ratio 1.07-1.14) and their 232Th and 230Th contents are at base level, and the chronological age of hydrothermal sulfide at Jade site in the Okinawa Trough is between 200 and 2000 yr.

Large submarine sand-rubble flow on Kilauea volcano, Hawaii

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fornari, D J [Columbia Univ., Palisades, NY; Moore, J G; Calk, L

1979-05-01

Papa'u seamount on the south submarine slope of Kilauea volcano is a large landslide about 19 km long, 6 km wide, and up to 1 km thick with a volume of about 39 km/sup 3/. Dredge hauls, remote camera photographs, and submersible observations indicate that it is composed primarily of unconsolidated angular glassy basalt sand with scattered basalt blocks up to 1 m in size; no lava flows were seen. Sulfur contents of basalt glass from several places on the sand-rubble flow and nearby areas are low (< 240 ppm), indicating that the clastic basaltic material was all erupted on land. The Papa'u sandrubble flow was emplaced during a single flow event fed from a large near-shore bank of clastic basaltic material which in turn was formed as lava flows from the summit area of Kilauea volcano disintegrated when they entered the sea. The current eruptive output of the volcano suggests that the material in the submarine sand-rubble flow represents about 6000 years of accumulation, and that the flow event occurred several thousand years ago.

Simulation of Wave-Plus-Current Scour beneath Submarine Pipelines

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Eltard-Larsen, Bjarke; Fuhrman, David R.; Sumer, B. Mutlu

2016-01-01

A fully coupled hydrodynamic and morphologic numerical model was utilized for the simulation of wave-plus-current scour beneath submarine pipelines. The model was based on incompressible Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations, coupled with k-ω turbulence closure, with additional bed and suspen......A fully coupled hydrodynamic and morphologic numerical model was utilized for the simulation of wave-plus-current scour beneath submarine pipelines. The model was based on incompressible Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations, coupled with k-ω turbulence closure, with additional bed...... and suspended load descriptions forming the basis for seabed morphology. The model was successfully validated against experimental measurements involving scour development and eventual equilibrium in pure-current flows over a range of Shields parameters characteristic of both clear-water and live-bed regimes....... This validation complements previously demonstrated accuracy for the same model in simulating pipeline scour processes in pure-wave environments. The model was subsequently utilized to simulate combined wave-plus-current scour over a wide range of combined Keulegan–Carpenter numbers and relative current strengths...

Hydrothermal and alkaline hydrothermal pretreatments plus anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge for dewatering and biogas production: Bench-scale research and pilot-scale verification.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chunxing; Wang, Xingdong; Zhang, Guangyi; Yu, Guangwei; Lin, Jingjiang; Wang, Yin

2017-06-15

To test the feasibility and practicability of the process combing hydrothermal pretreatment for dewatering with biogas production for full utilization of sewage sludge, hydrothermal/alkaline hydrothermal pretreatments and in turn anaerobic digestion of the filtrates obtained after dewatering the pretreated sludge were performed at bench- and pilot-scales. The hydrothermal temperature fell within the range of 140 °C-220 °C and the pretreatment time varied from 30 min to 120 min. For the alkaline hydrothermal pretreatment the pH value of the sludge was adjusted to 9.0-11.0 by adding Ca(OH) 2 . The results showed that the dewaterability of the sewage sludge was improved with increasing pretreatment temperature but the impact of the pretreatment time was not significant. The addition of Ca(OH) 2 gave better performance on the subsequent mechanical dewatering of the pretreated sludge compared to pure hydrothermal pretreatment, and the higher the pH value was, the better the dewaterability of the pretreated sludge was. The conditions of 180 °C/30 min and 160 °C/60 min/pH = 10.0 (for hydrothermal and alkaline hydrothermal pretreatments, respectively) resulted in relatively good results in the theoretical energy balance, which were verified in the pilot-scale tests. Based on the data from the pilot tests, the alkaline hydrothermal process realized self-sufficiency in energy at the cost of a proper amount of CaO. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Relative Importance of Chemoautotrophy for Primary Production in a Light Exposed Marine Shallow Hydrothermal System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gonzalo V. Gomez-Saez

2017-04-01

Full Text Available The unique geochemistry of marine shallow-water hydrothermal systems promotes the establishment of diverse microbial communities with a range of metabolic pathways. In contrast to deep-sea vents, shallow-water vents not only support chemosynthesis, but also phototrophic primary production due to the availability of light. However, comprehensive studies targeting the predominant biogeochemical processes are rare, and consequently a holistic understanding of the functioning of these ecosystems is currently lacking. To this end, we combined stable isotope probing of lipid biomarkers with an analysis of the bacterial communities to investigate if chemoautotrophy, in parallel to photoautotrophy, plays an important role in autotrophic carbon fixation and to identify the key players. The study was carried out at a marine shallow-water hydrothermal system located at 5 m water depth off Dominica Island (Lesser Antilles, characterized by up to 55°C warm hydrothermal fluids that contain high amounts of dissolved Fe2+. Analysis of the bacterial diversity revealed Anaerolineae of the Chloroflexi as the most abundant bacterial class. Furthermore, the presence of key players involved in iron cycling generally known from deep-sea hydrothermal vents (e.g., Zetaproteobacteria and Geothermobacter, supported the importance of iron-driven redox processes in this hydrothermal system. Uptake of 13C-bicarbonate into bacterial fatty acids under light and dark conditions revealed active photo- and chemoautotrophic communities, with chemoautotrophy accounting for up to 65% of the observed autotrophic carbon fixation. Relatively increased 13C-incorporation in the dark allowed the classification of aiC15:0, C15:0, and iC16:0 as potential lipid biomarkers for bacterial chemoautotrophy in this ecosystem. Highest total 13C-incorporation into fatty acids took place at the sediment surface, but chemosynthesis was found to be active down to 8 cm sediment depth. In conclusion

European Geophysical Society (23rd) General Assembly, Annales Geophysicae, Part 3, Space & Planetary Sciences, Supplement 3 to Volume 16 Held in Nice, France on 20-24 April 1998

Science.gov (United States)

1998-01-01

observed. This is caused by the uptake of oxalic acid produced from the degradation of hydrocarbons. Now begins the third phase of the experiments...level magma chambers and the evolution of magmatic- hydrothermal systems C 176 SE31 Mechanics and thermalfluid-dynamics of volcanic...Biogeochemical processes in submarine hydrothermal systems along the Hellenic Volcanic Island Arc C 743 Atmospheric ozone (joint with OA) C 744 01

Combined hydrothermal liquefaction and catalytic hydrothermal gasification system and process for conversion of biomass feedstocks

Science.gov (United States)

Elliott, Douglas C.; Neuenschwander, Gary G.; Hart, Todd R.