scholarly journals Impact of Ship Traffic on the Characteristics of Shelf Sediments: An Anthropocene Prospective

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chengfeng Xue ◽  
Yang Yang ◽  
Peipei Zhao ◽  
Dongyun Wei ◽  
Jianhua Gao ◽  
...  

Humans have been sailing across seas and oceans for thousands of years. However, the story of large ships capable of affecting coastal ecology and shelf sedimentary processes is only about 100 years old. Modern large seagoing vessels with a draft of 10–20 m can cause resuspension of seabed sediment, erosion of the channel slope and shoal, enhancement of seafloor sediment activity and thickening of the active layer, thereby having a significant impact on seabed topography and sedimentation processes. However, little is known about the effects of this anthropogenic agent on shelf sedimentation due to limited observational data. Here, two sediment cores were collected from a shipping lane used by vessels of 5,000- to 50,000-ton off the coast of China to analyze their sedimentary properties, with focus on both the grain size and elements. It was found that ship disturbance selectively modified the sedimentary record, with the fine-grained sediment becoming increasingly unstable. In addition, there was a reduction in grain size of sediment finer than 6.25 Φ, which decreased by 11% after the disturbance by ship. Biogenic elements that were closely related to the ecological environment were significantly altered, with Br/Cl, Si/Ti, and Ca/Ti ratios all becoming significantly smaller. This indicated that frequent disturbance caused by ships had reduced the productivity in the waters near the shipping lane. In terms of sensitivity to the effects of ship navigation, the sedimentation response was relatively rapid and began to emerge from the commencement of ship navigation, whereas the ecological response became evident later than the sedimentation response and only appeared after a significant growth in the maritime transportation of China. Following the comparison of the two sediment cores, we propose that the constant rate of supply (CRS- with ship disturbance)–constant initial concentration (CIC- without ship disturbance) dual dating model be used to establish a dating framework in waters frequently disturbed by ship. This type of anthropogenic sedimentary dynamic process and its sedimentary–ecological effects deserve attention on this era where there is a surge in shipping globally. Shipping lanes present an excellent area for quantitative studies on the impacts of human activity and defining the Anthropocene in the context of shipping.

2016 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 157
Author(s):  
A. Karditsa ◽  
S. E. Poulos

Grain size trend analysis is a method that determines sediment transport direction, based on the relationship of grain size parameters (mean size, sorting, skewness). The application of the method in the seabed sediments of Alexandroupolis Gulf showed that there are three different sub areas of distinctive sediment movement of bottom sediments (water depths <40 m):(i) the eastern part, which is mainly influenced by the Evros river water/sediment influxes; (ii) the central part that is primarily controlled by the wave activity; and, (iii) the western part that is mainly influenced by the wind driven and/or thermo-saline coastal circulation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Adam Soule ◽  
Michael Zoeller ◽  
Carolyn Parcheta

AbstractHawaiian and other ocean island lava flows that reach the coastline can deposit significant volumes of lava in submarine deltas. The catastrophic collapse of these deltas represents one of the most significant, but least predictable, volcanic hazards at ocean islands. The volume of lava deposited below sea level in delta-forming eruptions and the mechanisms of delta construction and destruction are rarely documented. Here, we report on bathymetric surveys and ROV observations following the Kīlauea 2018 eruption that, along with a comparison to the deltas formed at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō over the past decade, provide new insight into delta formation. Bathymetric differencing reveals that the 2018 deltas contain more than half of the total volume of lava erupted. In addition, we find that the 2018 deltas are comprised largely of coarse-grained volcanic breccias and intact lava flows, which contrast with those at Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō that contain a large fraction of fine-grained hyaloclastite. We attribute this difference to less efficient fragmentation of the 2018 ‘a‘ā flows leading to fragmentation by collapse rather than hydrovolcanic explosion. We suggest a mechanistic model where the characteristic grain size influences the form and stability of the delta with fine grain size deltas (Pu‘u ‘Ō‘ō) experiencing larger landslides with greater run-out supported by increased pore pressure and with coarse grain size deltas (Kīlauea 2018) experiencing smaller landslides that quickly stop as the pore pressure rapidly dissipates. This difference, if validated for other lava deltas, would provide a means to assess potential delta stability in future eruptions.


Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 653
Author(s):  
Shereef Bankole ◽  
Dorrik Stow ◽  
Zeinab Smillie ◽  
Jim Buckman ◽  
Helen Lever

Distinguishing among deep-water sedimentary facies has been a difficult task. This is possibly due to the process continuum in deep water, in which sediments occur in complex associations. The lack of definite sedimentological features among the different facies between hemipelagites and contourites presented a great challenge. In this study, we present detailed mudrock characteristics of the three main deep-water facies based on sedimentological characteristics, laser diffraction granulometry, high-resolution, large area scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the synchrotron X-ray diffraction technique. Our results show that the deep-water microstructure is mainly process controlled, and that the controlling factor on their grain size is much more complex than previously envisaged. Retarding current velocity, as well as the lower carrying capacity of the current, has an impact on the mean size and sorting for the contourite and turbidite facies, whereas hemipelagite grain size is impacted by the natural heterogeneity of the system caused by bioturbation. Based on the microfabric analysis, there is a disparate pattern observed among the sedimentary facies; turbidites are generally bedding parallel due to strong currents resulting in shear flow, contourites are random to semi-random as they are impacted by a weak current, while hemipelagites are random to oblique since they are impacted by bioturbation.


1987 ◽  
Vol 33 (115) ◽  
pp. 274-280 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Cole

AbstractThis paper presents and discusses the results of constant deformation-rate tests on laboratory-prepared polycrystalline ice. Strain-rates ranged from 10−7to 10−1s−1, grain–size ranged from 1.5 to 5.8 mm, and the test temperature was −5°C.At strain-rates between 10−7and 10−3s−1, the stress-strain-rate relationship followed a power law with an exponent ofn= 4.3 calculated without regard to grain-size. However, a reversal in the grain-size effect was observed: below a transition point near 4 × 10−6s−1the peak stress increased with increasing grain-size, while above the transition point the peak stress decreased with increasing grain-size. This latter trend persisted to the highest strain-rates observed. At strain-rates above 10−3s−1the peak stress became independent of strain-rate.The unusual trends exhibited at the lower strain-rates are attributed to the influence of the grain-size on the balance of the operative deformation mechanisms. Dynamic recrystallization appears to intervene in the case of the finer-grained material and serves to lower the peak stress. At comparable strain-rates, however, the large-grained material still experiences internal micro-fracturing, and thin sections reveal extensive deformation in the grain-boundary regions that is quite unlike the appearance of the strain-induced boundary migration characteristic of the fine-grained material.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. M. Praveen ◽  
T. V. Venkatesha

Zn-Fe alloy electrodeposition was carried out in the presence of condensation product 2-{[(1E)-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)methylidene]amino}-3-hydroxypropanoic acid formed between veratraldehyde and serine in acid sulphate bath. Hull cell was used for optimizing the operating parameters and bath constituents. During deposition, the potential was shifted towards cathodic direction in the presence of addition agents and brightener. The polarization studies show that deposition taking place in basic bath and optimum bath was 1.08 and 1.15 V, respectively. Current efficiency and throwing power were reached around 85% and 26%, respectively. The SEM images of bright deposit indicated its fine-grained nature and appreciable reduction in the grain size. XRD studies have showed that the grain size of the deposit generated from optimum bath was 16 nm. UV-visible spectroscopic studies confirm the formation of complex between metal ion and brightener.


2010 ◽  
Vol 638-642 ◽  
pp. 2389-2394 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masahide Gotoh ◽  
Katsuhiro Seki ◽  
M. Shozu ◽  
Hajime Hirose ◽  
Toshihiko Sasaki

The fine-grained rolling steels NFG600 and the conventional usual rolling steels SM490 were processed by sand paper polishing and mechanical grinding to compare the residual stress generated after processing. The average grain size of NFG600 and SM490 is 3 μm and 15μm respectively. Therefore improvement of mechanical properties for such fine-grained steels is expected, it is important to understand the residual stress state of new fine-grained materials with processing. In this study, multi axial stresses of two kinds of specimens after polishing and grinding were measured by three kinds of analysis methods including cos-ψ method. As a result, as for σ33, the stress of NFG was compression, though that of SM490 was tension.


Author(s):  
Sunal Ahmet Parasiz ◽  
Reid VanBenthysen ◽  
Brad L. Kinsey

Sheet metal forming often consists of bending processes in which gradients of deformation exists through the thickness of the workpiece in a localized deformation area. In microscale bending, these deformation gradients become much steeper, as the changes in the deformation occur over short distances (in the order of micrometers). In addition, with miniaturization, the number of grains that are present through the thickness decreases significantly. In this research, the effect of grain size and specimen size on the deformation distribution through the thickness of microbent sheet specimens was investigated via microhardness evaluations. It was found that the deformation distribution, i.e., hardness profile, is not affected significantly by the grain size when the sheet thickness is large (for 1.625 mm specimens) or by miniaturization of the specimen size when the grain size is fine. However, the deformation distribution of the coarse grained specimens deviates from the fine grained ones and from the 1.625 mm thick sheet specimens when the specimen size is miniaturized.


2005 ◽  
Vol 37 (1) ◽  
pp. 55-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
V.V. Ivanov ◽  
S.Y. Ivin ◽  
V.R. Khrustov ◽  
Y.A. Kotov ◽  
A.M. Murzakaev ◽  
...  

Gasproof thin-wall tubes of fine-grained ceramics based on zirconia and gadolinia have been produced by magnetic pulsed compaction and thermal sintering. Data on their structures and electric characteristics are presented. The tubes with a diameter of ~ 15 mm, wall thickness of ~ 0.7 mm, and length up to 80 mm are characterized by an uniform porous-free structure with a mean grain size in the range of 100 - 300 nm. The obtained ceramics possess high electrolytic properties.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meghana Ranganathan ◽  
Brent Minchew ◽  
Colin Meyer ◽  
Matej Pec

&lt;p&gt;The initiation and propagation of fractures in floating regions of Antarctica has the potential to destabilize large regions of the ice sheet, leading to significant sea-level rise. While observations have shown rapid, localized deformation and damage in the margins of fast-flowing glaciers, there remain gaps in our understanding of how rapid deformation affects the creep and toughness of ice. Here we derive a model for dynamic recrystallization in ice and other rocks that includes a novel representation of migration recrystallization, which is absent from existing models but is likely to be dominant in warm areas undergoing rapid deformation within the ice sheet. We show that, in regions of elevated strain rate, grain sizes in ice may be larger than expected (~15 mm) due to migration recrystallization, a significant deviation from solid earth studies which find fine-grained rock in shear zones. This may imply that ice in shear margins deforms primarily by dislocation creep, suggesting a flow-law exponent of n=4 in these regions. Further, we find from existing models that this increase in grain size results in a decrease in tensile strength of ice by ~75% in the margins of glaciers. Thus, we expect that this increase in grain size makes the margins of fast-flowing glaciers less viscous and more vulnerable to fracture than we may suppose from standard model parameters.&lt;/p&gt;


Author(s):  
Pedro Dinis ◽  
Amílcar Armando ◽  
João Pratas

The Mussulo lagoon is a coastal environment located near Luanda, one of the SW African cities that has been growing more rapidly during the last decades. Geochemical, mineralogical, and grain-size data obtained for the lagoon sediments are analyzed together, in order to establish the factors that control the distribution of some potentially toxic elements (PTEs). Sediments from northern location tend to be enriched in feldspar and, despite some variability in grain-size distributions, in fine-grained detrital minerals; southern lagoon sediments display very homogenous grain-size distribution and are enriched in minerals associated with salt precipitation (halite and gypsum). Multivariate statistics reveal a close link between some PTEs, namely Co, Hg, Ni, and Pb, for which an anthropogenic source can be postulated. On the other end, As seems to be associated with natural authigenic precipitation in southern lagoon sectors. Sediments enriched in clay also tend to yield more Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu, but it is unclear whether their sources are natural or anthropogenic. Hazard indexes calculated for children are higher than 1 for As and Co, indicating potential non-carcinogenic risk. For the other elements, and for adults, there is no potential carcinogenic or non-carcinogenic risk.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document