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At least 1,207 records · Page 67Linked to original sources

USGS1986

Trace metal seasonal variations in Texas marine sediments

Trace elements in coastal environments are derived from three major sources: (1) the bordering watershed; (2) the offshore marine environment; and (3) industrial and/or urban effluent. The site of deposition, however, is controlled by physical and chemical processes in the coastal zone. In many cases, these processes are controlled by climate and can vary seasonally. In the harbor at Corpus Christi, Texas, the summer climate creates an oxygen-poor environment in the water column near the sediment-water interface. This causes chalcophilic metals to precipitate from the water, resulting in high concentrations in the sediments near the source. During the winter, turbulence created by strong winds causes the entire water mass to become aerated and oxidizing, and remobilization of some metals results. In addition, this turbulence accelerates circulation which transports the metal-enriched waters from the harbor. On the outer continental shelf of south Texas, the infaunal activity varies seasonally with bottom water temperatures. As this infaunal activity has an effect on the chemical environment within the sediment near the sediment-water interface, the observed trace metal content at the interface also appears to change with the seasons.

Texas↗

USGS1978

Correlation and zonation of miocene strata along the atlantic margin of North America using diatoms and silicoflagellates

Six Atlantic Miocene siliceous microfossil zones are proposed based on onshore and offshore samples from the United States Atlantic Margin. Diatoms and silicoflagellates are used to establish the zones. These zones are from oldest to youngest: 1. Zone I Actinoptychus heliopelta Concurrent Range Zone - Early Miocene 2. Zone II Delphineis ovata Partial Range Zone - late Early to early Middle Miocene 3. Zone III Delphineis ovata/Delphineis penelliptica Concurrent Range Zone - early Middle Miocene 4. Zone IV Delphineis penelliptica Partial Range Zone - Middle Miocene 5. Zone V Delphineis penelliptica/Coscinodiscus plicatus Concurrent Range Zone - Middle Miocene 6. Zone VI Coscinodiscus plicatus Partial Range Zone - Middle Miocene. The six zones are easily traced along the Southern and Middle Atlantic Seaboard, but the older three are found for the most part between Cape Hatteras and New Jersey. There is some suggestion of sea-level change during Zone IV. Using rare planktonic diatoms that are index species from other regions and the zonal markers established in this study, correlation can be made with the Standard Foraminiferal Zones, the North Pacific Diatom Zones and with DSDP core 391A in the Blake-Bahama Basin.

Marine Micropaleontology↗

USGS1993

Geological and technological assessment of artificial reef sites, Louisiana outer continental shelf

This paper describes the general procedures used to select sites for obsolete oil and gas platforms as artificial reefs on the Louisiana outer continental shelf (OCS). The methods employed incorporate six basic steps designed to resolve multiple-use conflicts that might otherwise arise with daily industry and commercial fishery operations, and to identify and assess both geological and technological constraints that could affect placement of the structures. These steps include: (1) exclusion mapping; (2) establishment of artificial reef planning areas; (3) database compilation; (4) assessment and interpretation of database; (5) mapping of geological and man-made features within each proposed reef site; and (6) site selection. Nautical charts, bathymetric maps, and offshore oil and gas maps were used for exclusion mapping, and to select nine regional planning areas. Pipeline maps were acquired from federal agencies and private industry to determine their general locations within each planning area, and to establish exclusion fairways along each pipeline route. Approximately 1600 line kilometers of high-resolution geophysical data collected by federal agencies and private industry was acquired for the nine planning areas. These data were interpreted to determine the nature and extent of near-surface geologic features that could affect placement of the structures. Seismic reflection patterns were also characterized to evaluate near-bottom sedimentation processes in the vicinity of each reef site. Geotechnical borings were used to determine the lithological and physical properties of the sediment, and for correlation with the geophysical data. Since 1987, five sites containing 10 obsolete production platforms have been selected on the Louisiana OCS using these procedures. Industry participants have realized a total savings of approximately US $1 500 000 in salvaging costs by converting these structures into artificial reefs. ?? 1993.

Ocean and Coastal Management↗

USGS1994

Acoustic mapping as an environmental management tool: I. detection of barrels of low-level radioactive waste, Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary, California

The oceans have been and will continue to be disposal sites for a wide variety of waste products. Often these wastes are not dumped at the designated sites or transport occurs during or after dumping, and, subsequent attempts to monitor the effects the waste products have on the environment are inadequate because the actual location of the waste is not known. Acoustic mapping of the seafloor with sidescan sonar is a very effective technique for locating and monitoring dredge-spoil material and other debris. Sidescan sonar provides an acoustic image or sonograph of the sea floor that is similar to a satellite image of the Earth's land surface. In effect sidescan sonar allows the water column to be stripped from the sea floor, thereby providing a clear, unobstructed view of the sea bed. An example of the potential of this technique is summarized herein for the Gulf of the Farallones region. More than 47 800 drums (55 gallon) and other containers of low-level radioactive waste were dumped on the continental margin offshore the San Francisco Bay between 1946 and 1970. These drums now litter a large area (1200 km 2 ) of the sea floor within the Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary (GFNMS). The exact location of the drums and the potential hazard the drums pose to the environment are unknown. To evaluate the risk, samples of the sediment, biota and water must be collected near and distant from the concentrations of barrels. To do this the exact location of the barrels must be known prior to sampling. The USGS, through a cooperative research agreement with GFNMS, used sidescan sonar to map two areas within the sanctuary. Total sea-floor coverage was obtained and computer-processed sonographic mosaics were constructed on board ship. Many small nongeologic targets were distributed throughout the survey areas that covered about 70 km 2 on the shelf and 120 km 2 on the slope. Analysis of the sidescan data suggests that the targets are 55-gallon drums. This interpretation was confirmed at one site with an underwater video and 35-mm camera system. Data were collected with both a 30-kHz and a 120-kHz sidescan system within a 15-km 2 area on the shelf. We found that the barrels were more easily detected with the mid-range 30-kHz system than with the higher resolution 120-kHz system. Maps of barrel distribution derived from the sonographs are being used to design sampling schemes to evaluate the risk that the radioactivity may have on the biota and environment.

California↗

USGS2012

Large submarine sand waves and gravel lag substrates on Georges Bank off Atlantic Canada

Georges Bank is a large, shallow, continental shelf feature offshore of New England and Atlantic Canada. The bank is mantled with a veneer of glacial debris transported during the late Pleistocene from continental areas lying to the north. These sediments were reworked by marine processes during postglacial sea-level transgression and continue to be modified by the modern oceanic regime. The surficial geology of the Canadian portion of the bank is a widespread gravel lag overlain in places by well sorted sand occurring as bedforms. The most widespread bedforms are large, mobile, asymmetrical sand waves up to 19 m in height formed through sediment transport by strong tidal-driven and possibly storm-driven currents. Well-defined curvilinear bedform crests up to 15 km long form a complex bifurcating pattern having an overall southwest–northeast strike, which is normal to the direction of the major axis of the semidiurnal tidal current ellipse. Minor fields of immobile, symmetrical sand waves are situated in bathymetric lows. Rare mobile, asymmetrical barchan dunes are lying on the gravel lag in areas of low sand supply. On Georges Bank, the management of resources and habitats requires an understanding of the distribution of substrate types, their surface dynamics and susceptibility to movement, and their associated fauna.

Georges Bank↗

USGS2025

Sea otter-mediated linkages among oceanic, nearshore, and terrestrial ecosystems

Seemingly distinct ecological communities are often linked by both direct and indirect interactions that can be difficult to discern. A widely recognized interecosystem linkage is the transfer of marine-derived nutrients to terrestrial systems via anadromous fish. In this chapter, we explore other linkages that move marine-derived nutrients between ocean and terrestrial ecosystems, focusing on the role of nearshore marine ecosystems . Through oceanic nutrients and biomass that originate from phytoplankton, and nearshore nutrients and biomass that derive mainly from macroalgae, there are multiple pathways to subsidize terrestrial ecosystems. We discuss various pathways identified through multiple independent studies and explore how those subsidies may be related to sea otter presence. Recovery of sea otters and subsequent changes to nearshore communities, for example, changes in kelp, invertebrate and vertebrate abundance, and diversity, may in turn influence coastal terrestrial ecosystems and species including bears, wolves, foxes, river otters, shorebirds, and other consumers. As offshore oceanic productivity declines globally, we ask how the return of the sea otter reinvigorates diminished and lost linkages between marine and terrestrial environments through direct predator–prey linkages, and indirectly through the enhancement of the nearshore marine environment.

Book chapter↗

USGS2004

Composition of water and suspended sediment in streams of urbanized subtropical watersheds in Hawaii

Urbanization on the small subtropical island of Oahu, Hawaii provides an opportunity to examine how anthropogenic activity affects the composition of material transferred from land to ocean by streams. This paper investigates the variability in concentrations of trace elements (Pb, Zn, Cu, Ba, Co, As, Ni, V and Cr) in streams of watersheds on Oahu, Hawaii. The focus is on water and suspended particulate matter collected from the Ala Wai Canal watershed in Honolulu and also the Kaneohe Stream watershed. As predicted, suspended particulate matter controls most trace element transport. Elements such as Pb, Zn, Cu, Ba and Co exhibit increased concentrations within urbanized portions of the watersheds. Particulate concentrations of these elements vary temporally during storms owing to input of road runoff containing elevated concentrations of elements associated with vehicular traffic and other anthropogenic activities. Enrichments of As in samples from predominantly conservation areas are interpreted as reflecting agricultural use of fertilizers at the boundaries of urban and conservation lands. Particulate Ni, V and Cr exhibit distributions during storm events that suggest a mineralogical control. Principal component analysis of particulate trace element concentrations establishes eigenvalues that account for nearly 80% of the total variance and separates trace elements into 3 factors. Factor 1 includes Pb, Zn, Cu, Ba and Co, interpreted to represent metals with an urban anthropogenic enrichment. Factor 2 includes Ni, V and Cr, elements whose concentrations do not appear to derive from anthropogenic activity and is interpreted to reflect mineralogical control. Another, albeit less significant, anthropogenic factor includes As, Cd and U and is thought to represent agricultural inputs. Samples collected during a storm derived from an offshore low-pressure system suggest that downstream transport of upper watershed material during tradewind-derived rains results in a 2-3-fold dilution of the particulate concentrations of Pb, Zn and Cu in the Ala Wai canal watershed. ?? 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Conference Paper↗

USGS2008

Sulfide oxidation and distribution of metals near abandoned copper mines in coastal environments, Prince William Sound, Alaska, USA

The oxidation of sulfide-rich rocks, mostly leftover debris from Cu mining in the early 20th century, is contributing to metal contamination of local coastal environments in Prince William Sound, Alaska. Analyses of sulfide, water, sediment, precipitate and biological samples from the Beatson, Ellamar, and Threeman mine sites show that acidic surface waters generated from sulfide weathering are pathways for redistribution of environmentally important elements into and beyond the intertidal zone at each site. Volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits composed of pyrrhotite and (or) pyrite + chalcopyrite + sphalerite with subordinate galena, arsenopyrite, and cobaltite represent potent sources of Cu, Zn, Pb, As, Co, Cd, and Hg. The resistance to oxidation among the major sulfides increases in the order pyrrhotite ??? sphalerite < chalcopyrite ??? pyrite; thus, pyrrhotite-rich rocks are typically more oxidized than those dominated by pyrite. The pervasive alteration of pyrrhotite begins with rim replacement by marcasite followed by replacement of the core by sulfur, Fe sulfate, and Fe-Al sulfate. The oxidation of chalcopyrite and pyrite involves an encroachment by colloform Fe oxyhydroxides at grain margins and along crosscutting cracks that gradually consumes the entire grain. The complete oxidation of sulfide-rich samples results in a porous aggregate of goethite, lepidocrocite and amorphous Fe-oxyhydroxide enclosing hydrothermal and sedimentary silicates. An inverse correlation between pH and metal concentrations is evident in water data from all three sites. Among all waters sampled, pore waters from Ellamar beach gravels have the lowest pH (???3) and highest concentrations of base metals (to ???25,000 ??g/L), which result from oxidation of abundant sulfide-rich debris in the sediment. High levels of dissolved Hg (to 4100 ng/L) in the pore waters probably result from oxidation of sphalerite-rich rocks. The low-pH and high concentrations of dissolved Fe, Al, and SO4 are conducive to precipitation of interstitial jarosite in the intertidal gravels. Although pore waters from the intertidal zone at the Threeman mine site have circumneutral pH values, small amounts of dissolved Fe2+ in the pore waters are oxidized during mixing with seawater, resulting in precipitation of Fe-oxyhydroxide flocs along the beach-seawater interface. At the Beatson site, surface waters funneled through the underground mine workings and discharged across the waste dumps have near-neutral pH (6.7-7.3) and a relatively small base-metal load; however, these streams probably play a role in the physical transport of metalliferous particulates into intertidal and offshore areas during storm events. Somewhat more acidic fluids, to pH 5.3, occur in stagnant seeps and small streams emerging from the Beatson waste dumps. Amorphous Fe precipitates in stagnant waters at Beatson have high Cu (5.2 wt%) and Zn (2.3 wt%) concentrations that probably reflect adsorption onto the extremely high surface area of colloidal particles. Conversely, crystalline precipitates composed of ferrihydrite and schwertmannite that formed in the active flow of small streams have lower metal contents, which are attributed to their smaller surface area and, therefore, fewer reactive sorption sites. Seeps containing precipitates with high metal contents may contribute contaminants to the marine environment during storm-induced periods of high runoff. Preliminary chemical data for mussels (Mytilus edulis) collected from Beatson, Ellamar, and Threeman indicate that bioaccumulation of base metals is occurring in the marine environment at all three sites.

Applied Geochemistry↗

USGS2008

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

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

Applied Geochemistry↗

USGS2014

Using lead isotopes and trace element records from two contrasting Lake Tanganyika sediment cores to assess watershed – Lake exchange

Lead isotopic and trace element records of two contrasting sediment cores were examined to reconstruct historic, industrial contaminant inputs to Lake Tanganyika, Africa. Observed fluxes of Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn in age-dated sediments collected from the lake varied both spatially and temporally over the past two to four centuries. The fluxes of trace elements were lower (up to 10-fold) at a mid-lake site (MC1) than at a nearshore site (LT-98-58), which is directly downstream from the Kahama and Nyasanga River watersheds and adjacent to the relatively pristine Gombe Stream National Park. Trace element fluxes at that nearshore site did not measurably change over the last two centuries (1815–1998), while the distal, mid-lake site exhibited substantial changes in the fluxes of trace elements – likely caused by changes in land use – over that period. For example, the flux of Pb increased by &sim;300% from 1871 to 1991. That apparent accelerated weathering and detrital mobilization of lithogenic trace elements was further evidenced by (i) positive correlations (r = 0.77–0.99, p < 0.05) between the fluxes of Co, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn and those of iron (Fe) at both sites, (ii) positive correlations (r = 0.82–0.98, p < 0.01, n = 9) between the fluxes of elements (Al, Co, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) and the mass accumulation rates at the offshore site, (iii) the low enrichment factors (EF < 5) of those trace elements, and (iv) the temporal consistencies of the isotopic composition of Pb in the sediment. These measurements indicate that accelerated weathering, rather than industrialization, accounts for most of the increases in trace element fluxes to Lake Tanganyika in spite of the development of mining and smelting operations within the lake’s watershed over the past century. The data also indicate that the mid-lake site is a much more sensitive and useful recorder of environmental changes than the nearshore site. Furthermore, the lead isotopic compositions of sediment at the sites differed spatially, indicating that the Pb (and other trace elements by association) originated from different natural sources at the two locations.

Lake Tanganyika↗

USGS2015

Statistical guidelines for assessing marine avian hotspots and coldspots: A case study on wind energy development in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean

Estimating patterns of habitat use is challenging for marine avian species because seabirds tend to aggregate in large groups and it can be difficult to locate both individuals and groups in vast marine environments. We developed an approach to estimate the statistical power of discrete survey events to identify species-specific hotspots and coldspots of long-term seabird abundance in marine environments. We illustrate our approach using historical seabird data from survey transects in the U.S. Atlantic Ocean Outer Continental Shelf (OCS), an area that has been divided into “lease blocks” for proposed offshore wind energy development. For our power analysis, we examined whether discrete lease blocks within the region could be defined as hotspots (3 × mean abundance in the OCS) or coldspots (1/3 ×) for individual species within a given season. For each of 74 species/season combinations, we determined which of eight candidate statistical distributions (ranging in their degree of skewedness) best fit the count data. We then used the selected distribution and estimates of regional prevalence to calculate and map statistical power to detect hotspots and coldspots, and estimate the p -value from Monte Carlo significance tests that specific lease blocks are in fact hotspots or coldspots relative to regional average abundance. The power to detect species-specific hotspots was higher than that of coldspots for most species because species-specific prevalence was relatively low (mean: 0.111; SD: 0.110). The number of surveys required for adequate power (> 0.6) was large for most species (tens to hundreds) using this hotspot definition. Regulators may need to accept higher proportional effect sizes, combine species into groups, and/or broaden the spatial scale by combining lease blocks in order to determine optimal placement of wind farms. Our power analysis approach provides a general framework for both retrospective analyses and future avian survey design and is applicable to a broad range of research and conservation problems.

U.S. Atlantic Ocean Outer Continental Shelf↗

USGS2019

HyCReWW: A hybrid coral reef wave and water level metamodel

Wave-induced flooding is a major coastal hazard on tropical islands fronted by coral reefs. The variability of shape, size, and physical characteristics of the reefs across the globe make it difficult to obtain a parameterization of wave run-up, which is needed for risk assessments. Therefore, we developed the HyCReWW metamodel to predict wave run-up under a wide range of reef morphometric and offshore forcing characteristics. Due to the complexity and high dimensionality of the problem, we assumed an idealized one-dimensional reef profile, characterized by seven primary parameters. XBeach Non-Hydrostatic was chosen to create the synthetic dataset, and Radial Basis Functions implemented in MATLAB® were chosen for interpolation. Results demonstrate the applicability of the metamodel to obtain fast and accurate results of wave run-up for a large range of intrinsic reef morphologic and extrinsic hydrodynamic forcing parameters, offering a useful tool for risk management and early warning systems.

Computers & Geosciences↗

USGS2007

Regional uplift associated with continental large igneous provinces: The roles of mantle plumes and the lithosphere

The timing and duration of surface uplift associated with large igneous provinces provide important constraints on mantle convection processes. Here we review geological indicators of surface uplift associated with five continent-based magmatic provinces: Emeishan Traps (260??million years ago: Ma), Siberian Traps (251??Ma), Deccan Traps (65??Ma), North Atlantic (Phase 1, 61??Ma and Phase 2, 55??Ma), and Yellowstone (16??Ma to recent). All five magmatic provinces were associated with surface uplift. Surface uplift can be measured directly from sedimentary indicators of sea-level in the North Atlantic and from geomorpholocial indicators of relative uplift and tilting in Yellowstone. In the other provinces, surface uplift is inferred from the record of erosion. In the Deccan, North Atlantic and Emeishan provinces, transient uplift that results from variations in thermal structure of the lithosphere and underlying mantle can be distinguished from permanent uplift that results from the extraction and emplacement of magma. Transient surface uplift is more useful in constraining mantle convection since models of melt generation and emplacement are not required for its interpretation. Observations of the spatial and temporal relationships between surface uplift, rifting and magmatism are also important in constraining models of LIP formation. Onset of surface uplift preceded magmatism in all five of the provinces. Biostratigraphic constraints on timing of uplift and erosion are best for the North Atlantic and Emeishan Provinces, where the time interval between significant uplift and first magmatism is less than 1??million years and 2.5??million years respectively. Rifting post-dates the earliest magmatism in the case of the North Atlantic Phase 1 and possibly in the case of Siberia. The relative age of onset of offshore rifting is not well constrained for the Deccan and the importance of rifting in controlling magmatism is disputed in the Emeishan and Yellowstone Provinces. In these examples, rifting is not a requirement for onset of LIP magmatism but melting rates are significantly increased when rifting occurs. Models that attempt to explain emplacement of these five LIPs without hot mantle supplied by mantle plumes often have difficulties in explaining the observations of surface uplift, rifting and magmatism. For example, small-scale convection related to craton or rift boundaries (edge-driven convection) cannot easily explain widespread (1000??km scale) transient surface uplift (Emeishan, Deccan, North Atlantic), and upper mantle convection initiated by differential incubation beneath cratons (the hotcell model) is at odds with rapid onset of surface uplift (Emeishan, North Atlantic). The start-up plume concept is still the most parsimonious way of explaining the observations presented here. However, observations of surface uplift cannot directly constrain the depth of origin of the hot mantle in a plume head. The short time interval between onset of transient surface uplift and magmatism in the North Atlantic and Emeishan means that the associated starting plume heads were probably not large (??? 1000??km diameter) roughly spherical diapirs and are likely to have formed narrow (??? 100??km radius) upwelling jets, with hot mantle then spreading rapidly outward within the asthenosphere. In cases where rifting post-dates magmatism (N Atlantic Phase 1) or where the degree of lithospheric extension may not have been great (Siberia), a secondary mechanism of lithospheric thinning, such as gravitational instability or delamination of the lower lithosphere, may be required to allow hot mantle to decompress sufficiently to explain the observed volume of magma with a shallow melting geochemical signature. Any such additional thinning mechanisms are probably a direct consequence of plume head emplacement. ?? 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chemical Geology↗

USGS2021

Diagenetic barite-pyrite-wurtzite formation and redox signatures in Triassic mudstone, Brooks Range, northern Alaska

Mineralogical and geochemical studies of interbedded black and gray mudstones in the Triassic part of the Triassic-Jurassic Otuk Formation (northern Alaska) document locally abundant barite and pyrite plus diverse redox signatures. These strata, deposited in an outer shelf setting at paleolatitudes of ~45 to 60°N, show widespread sedimentological evidence for bioturbation. Barite occurs preferentially in black mudstones (TOC = 0.93–6.46 wt%), forming displacive euhedral crystals with pyrite inclusions and rims, and late albite inclusions or intergrowths. Pyrite also occurs as small (3–20 μm) framboids, discontinuous laminae, euhedral and anhedral crystals, and replacements of barite and fossils (mainly radiolarians). Paragenetically early wurtzite is present as clusters of very small (1–3 μm) aggregates of radiating crystals 0.5 to 1.0 μm long with cores of organic matter that overgrow framboidal pyrite; later wurtzite forms 10- to 30-μm bladed crystals. Equant grains (3–30 μm) and small (20 μm) angular clusters of zinc sulfide that include <1-μm-long, comb-like structures are sphalerite or wurtzite, or both. Minor siderite forms euhedral crystals intergrown with albite that enclose wurtzite and barite. Illite shows intergrowths with sphalerite; rare K-feldspar is intergrown with barite. Formation of these minerals and assemblages is attributed to early diagenetic processes. Whole-rock geochemical data for 15 samples show large ranges in redox proxies including Post Archean Average Shale (PAAS)-normalized enrichment factors (EFs) for V, U, Mo, and Re, and Al-normalized ratios for V, U, and Mo. Results for most black mudstones, with or without abundant barite and/or pyrite, suggest deposition within an oxygen minimum zone. Cerium anomalies, PAAS-normalized and calculated on a detrital-free basis, range widely from 0.49 to 0.96 and may reflect diagenetic overprinting by Ce-depleted fluids. Considering data for both black and gray mudstones, the overall geochemical pattern together with evidence from pyrite framboid sizes suggest that redox conditions fluctuated greatly from euxinic to oxic, like the redox profiles reported for modern shelf sediments offshore Peru and Namibia. The euxinic redox signatures in some Otuk black mudstones may correlate with widespread Early to Middle Triassic ocean anoxic events proposed for other regions. Calculations of median EFs for trace elements in Otuk black mudstones reveal both enrichments and depletions. Normalizations to the median composition of the three least-mineralized black mudstones show that barite- and/or pyrite-rich samples display large (>50%) positive changes for Li (+80.4%), V (+75.6%), Sr (+75.9%), Ba (+790%), Cu (+92.1%), Ni (+169%), Ag (+156%), Au (+3091%), As (+109%), Sb (+476%), and Se (+205%); Zn shows a moderate positive change of +42.1%. Moderate negative changes are evident only for Ge (−47.2%) and W (−30.6%). The local enrichments may reflect one or more factors including redox variations in bottom waters and pore fluids, element mobility during diagenesis, and selective fractionation into minerals such as barite, pyrite, and wurtzite. Anomalously low U/Al and UEF values, compared to those for other modern and ancient organic-rich sediments and sedimentary rocks, are attributed to increased solubility and loss of U during bioturbation-related oxygenation in the subsurface. Physicochemical constraints on barite, pyrite, and wurtzite formation are informed by use of a pH-fO2 plot constructed at 10 °C. Based on paragenetic evidence for multistage deposition of these three minerals, together with the presence of illite intergrown with ZnS and K-feldspar with barite, proposed diagenetic trends involve an increase in pH and fO2 related to the ingress of sulfate-rich pore fluids during bioturbation, followed by a return to lower then higher pH and fO2 conditions linked to carbon, sulfur, barium, and iron cycling during diagenesis. Labile Ba of marine pelagic origin was mobilized from organic-rich sediment upward to the sulfate-methane transition zone where barite precipitated during the interaction of reduced Ba- and CH4-rich fluids with sulfate-bearing pore fluids. The formation of paragenetically early wurtzite (ZnS) crystals, as well as locally high EF values for Cu, Ni, Ag, and Au, is attributed to metal enrichment of pore fluids, with sources being derived in part from water-column deposition from hydrothermal plumes related to coeval Triassic seafloor vent systems including a volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit in British Columbia and the Wrangellia Large Igneous Province in Alaska.

Alaska↗

USGS2011

Contamination of nonylphenolic compounds in creek water, wastewater treatment plant effluents, and sediments from Lake Shihwa and vicinity, Korea: Comparison with fecal pollution

Nonylphenolic compounds (NPs), coprostanol (COP), and cholestanol, major contaminants in industrial and domestic wastewaters, were analyzed in creek water, wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent, and sediment samples from artificial Lake Shihwa and its vicinity, one of the most industrialized regions in Korea. We also determined mass discharge of NPs and COP, a fecal sterol, into the lake, to understand the linkage between discharge and sediment contamination. Total NP (the sum of nonylphenol, and nonylphenol mono- and di-ethoxylates) were 0.32–875 μg L -1 in creeks, 0.61–87.0 μg L -1 in WWTP effluents, and 29.3–230 μg g -1 TOC in sediments. Concentrations of COP were 0.09–19.0 μg L -1 in creeks, 0.11–44.0 μg L -1 in WWTP effluents, and 2.51–438 μg g -1 TOC in sediments. The spatial distributions of NPs in creeks and sediments from the inshore region were different from those of COP, suggesting that Lake Shihwa contamination patterns from industrial effluents differ from those from domestic effluents. The mass discharge from the combined outfall of the WWTPs, located in the offshore region, was 2.27 kg d -1 for NPs and 1.00 kg d -1 for COP, accounting for 91% and 95% of the total discharge into Lake Shihwa, respectively. The highest concentrations of NPs and COP in sediments were found in samples at sites near the submarine outfall of the WWTPs, indicating that the submarine outfall is an important point source of wastewater pollution in Lake Shihwa.

Chemosphere↗

USGS2008

Evaluation of the physical process controlling beach changes adjacent to nearshore dredge pits

Numerical modeling of a beach nourishment project is conducted to enable a detailed evaluation of the processes associated with the effects of nearshore dredge pits on nourishment evolution and formation of erosion hot spots. A process-based numerical model, Delft3D, is used for this purpose. The analysis is based on the modification of existing bathymetry to simulate "what if" scenarios with/without the bathymetric features of interest. Borrow pits dredged about 30??years ago to provide sand for the nourishment project have a significant influence on project performance and formation of erosional hot spots. It was found that the main processes controlling beach response to these offshore bathymetric features were feedbacks between wave forces (roller force or alongshore component of the radiation stress), pressure gradients due to differentials in wave set-up/set-down and bed shear stress. Modeling results also indicated that backfilling of selected borrow sites showed a net positive effect within the beach fill limits and caused a reduction in the magnitude of hot spot erosion. ?? 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Coastal Engineering↗

USGS2009

Seasonal-scale nearshore morphological evolution: Field observations and numerical modeling

A coupled waves-currents-bathymetric evolution model (DELFT-3D) is compared with field measurements to test hypotheses regarding the processes responsible for alongshore varying nearshore morphological changes at seasonal time scales. A 2001 field experiment, along the beaches adjacent to Grays Harbor, Washington, USA, captured the transition between the high-energy erosive conditions of winter and the low-energy beach-building conditions typical of summer. The experiment documented shoreline progradation on the order of 10-20 m and on average approximately 70 m of onshore sandbar migration during a four-month period. Significant alongshore variability was observed in the morphological response of the sandbar over a 4 km reach of coast with sandbar movement ranging from 20 m of offshore migration to over 175 m of onshore bar migration, the largest seasonal-scale onshore migration event observed in a natural setting. Both observations and model results suggest that, in the case investigated here, alongshore variations in initial bathymetry are primarily responsible for the observed alongshore variable morphological changes. Alongshore varying incident hydrodynamic forcing, occasionally significant in this region due to a tidal inlet and associated ebb-tidal delta, was relatively minor during the study period and appears to play an insignificant role in the observed alongshore variability in sandbar behavior at kilometer-scale. The role of fully three-dimensional cell circulation patterns in explaining the observed morphological variability also appears to be minor, at least in the case investigated here. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V.

Coastal Engineering↗

USGS2010

Sub-weekly to interannual variability of a high-energy shoreline

Sixty-one Global Positioning System (GPS), sub-aerial beach surveys were completed at 7 km long Ocean Beach, San Francisco, CA (USA), between April 2004 and March 2009. The five-year time series contains over 1 million beach elevation measurements and documents detailed changes in beach morphology over a variety of spatial, temporal, and physical forcing scales. Results show that seasonal processes dominate at Ocean Beach, with the seasonal increase and decrease in wave height being the primary driver of shoreline change. Storm events, while capable of causing large short-term changes in the shoreline, did not singularly account for a large percentage of the overall observed change. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis shows that the first two modes account for approximately three-quarters of the variance in the data set and are represented by the seasonal onshore/offshore movement of sediment (60%) and the multi-year trend of shoreline rotation (14%). The longer-term trend of shoreline rotation appears to be related to larger-scale bathymetric change. An EOF-based decomposition technique is developed that is capable of estimating the shoreline position to within one standard deviation of the range of shoreline positions observed at most locations along the beach. The foundation of the model is the observed relationship between the temporal amplitudes of the first EOF mode and seasonally-averaged offshore wave height as well as the linear trend of shoreline rotation. This technique, while not truly predictive because of the requirement of real-time wave data, is useful because it can predict shoreline position to within reasonable confidence given the absence of field data once the model is developed at a particular site.

California↗