ALBERT

Description: A large deposit of ferromanganese oxide coated sands and scattered manganese nodules occurs in the northern portion of Lake Ontario. The Mn and Fe contents of the concretions are similar to those in concretions from other environments, while their Ni, Cu, and Co contents are lower than in deep-sea nodules, but higher than in most previously described lacustrine concretions. Pb and Zn are high in the coatings and exceed the concentrations found in many previously analyzed Mn deposits. Within the deposit, Mn, Ni, Co, and Zn contents are correlated, and they vary inversely with Fe. Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, and Pb are present in the interstitial waters of the sediments underlying the deposit in higher concentrations than in the overlying lake waters, thus providing a potential source of metals for concretion formation.The origin and compositional variations in the deposit possibly can be explained in terms of the fractionation and precipitation of Fe and Mn as a result of redox variations in the lake sediments. Eh increases from south to north across the deposit in such a way that iron may be selectively oxidized and precipitated in the south and manganese, in the north. The upward diffusion of Mn, Fe, and associated elements from the underlying sediments probably provides the principal source of the metals in the south of the deposit, while metal-enriched bottom waters are probably the principal source in the north.

Description: Summaries of the transition element chemistry of oceanic ferro-manganese deposits report compositional trends related to water depth and to geographic proximity to continental margins1-4. Explanations of compositional variations include continental source influence3, 5, 6, diagenetic environmental control of manganese mineralogy that regulates the trace metal composition1, 3, 7, ionic mobility in interstitial solutions during diagenesis3, 8-10, and volcanic or hydrothermal influence3, 11-14. Glasby15 rejects a significant pressure control on manganese oxide mineralogy on thermodynamic grounds.

Description: The distribution of Mn and Fe in water, sediments, hydroxide nodules and crusts of Eningi-Lampi ore-bearing lake is regular, and concordant from the source to the areas of accumulation of these components. Mn-Fe hydroxide nodules and crusts occur at the water-sediment interface, and more rarely in the upper (0-5 cm) film of brown watery mud. The leading role in the formation of Mn-Fe nodules and crusts is played by the chemosorption and auto-catalytic oxidation in the course of interaction of component-bearing solutions with active surfaces. This is considered to be the basic process for the model of ferromanganese ore formation in recent basins. Despite the differences in the physico-geographical and geochemical characteristics of lakes, mediterranean seas and oceans, the formation of ferromanganese hydroxide nodules and crusts in these basins may be explained by this model.

Description: The Dellwood Seamount Area, an area of approximately 10,000 square km., about 185 km. west of the northern tip of Vancouver Island is located at or near the northernmost end of the Juan de Fuca plate. The main purpose of the study was to test the hypothesis that the Dellwood Knolls mark the site of a short spreading segment connected to the Explorer Spreading Segment at one end by a transform fault trending along the southwestern slope of Paul Revere Ridge; and meeting the Queen Charlotte right lateral transform fault at the other end. An analysis of more than 950 km. of continuous seismic reflection profiles, in conjunction with other geophysical data, shows that (i) the Revere -Dellwood fault zone is a dextral transform fault zone connecting the Explorer and Dellwood spreading segments. (ii) The Queen Charlotte transform fault dies out at the southeastern end of the Scott Channel near the northeastern end of the Dellwood Spreading Segment. (iii) In the channel between the Dellwood Knolls (one of two possible locations of the Dellwood Spreading Segment), the sediments and volcanic basement are cut by normal faults, a feature which is characteristic of spreading centres with median valleys. The heat flow in this channel and in the Revere - Dellwood fault zone is high. (iv) The lower continental slope sediments west of Queen Charlotte Sound is faulted and crumpled and may be the northerly extension of the Scott Islands fault, zone and a site of slow contemporaneous or recently ceased subduction. The deformation of the thick turbidite sequence in the Winona Basin may also be due to subduction. Basalt from the area is chemically intermediate between tholeiitic and alkalic types. That from the Northwest Dellwood Knolls, however, is least differentiated and less than 1 myr. old in contrast to basalt from the sediment-draped Southeast Dellwood Knolls, the latter basalt having Mn-coating up to 50 mm. thick and is thus relatively old. This suggests that spreading may be occurring at the Northwest Dellwood Knolls and not in the channel between the knolls. The texture of basalts from the Dellwood Seamount Range vary depending on size of pillow and depth below pillow surface, but the mineralogy is essentially similar. An unusual rock probably best described as a plagio-clase-olivine basalt porphyry was also recovered from the Dellwood Seamount Range. Non-volcanic rocks recovered include glacial erratics, an authigenic sandstone comprising glacial fragments in an iron-rich cement, a laminated limonitic sediment and manganese nodules. The Dellwood Spreading Segment may have originated by left lateral transcurrent offset from the Explorer Spreading Segment, the offset caused by a change in the direction of motion of the Juan de Fuca plate.

Description: The usefulness of cosmogenic beryllium-10 (half life = 2.5 Ma) for studying the rates of accumulation of ferromanganese nodules is reported based on its measured depth distribution in the top 20 mm of these deposits. Accumulation rates have been obtained in the range of 1 to 4 mm/Ma, which are in good agreement with rates determined using the 230Th method on the same nodules. The use of 10Be offers promise in extending the dating to the outer few cm of the nodules. This contrasts with conventional methods using 230Th and 231Pa isotopes which, due to their comparatively short half lives, are limited to a few mm at the surface of the nodules. Detailed studies of 10Be in the manganese deposits coupled with other trace element analyses should prove valuable in understanding the processes of formation of these deposits and the chronology of events recorded by them.

Description: Site 76 was selected in order to core a thick sequence of sediments north of the Tuamotu ridge that had been crossed by Glomar Challenger justprior to the termination of Leg 8 in Tahiti. Two holes at this site continuously cored 27 meters of lower Pliocene to Recent phillipsitic clay and calcareous nannofossil ooze interbedded with calcareous turbidites. The drill bit was stopped by a silicified calcareous turbidite of Early Pliocene age.

Description: Site 79 is located on the crest of the equatorial Pacific sediment belt (Ewing and others, 1968) and is the westernmost of a series of sites (79, 81, 82 and 83) that follow the crest of this belt eastward to and across the crest of the oceanic ridge, locally known as the East Pacific Rise. The purpose of these sites is two-fold: 1) to study variations in biostratigraphy and sediment type from west to east across the Pacific and 2) to paleontologically date basement and determine the rate of spreading of the Pacific plate since the time of deposition of the oldest sediments at Site 77.

Description: The principal objective at this site was the recovery of Mesozoic sediment and a sample of Horizon B (or basement). The location chosen for drilling is about 40 nautical miles southeast of San Salvador in 4914 meters of water. Aside from the possibility of recovering the oldest Atlantic sediment, drilling at this site was expected to produce interesting samples for comparison stratigraphically and lithologically with those of Holes 4 and 5 of Leg 1.

Description: In view of the fact that thick sections of Neocomian and Jurassic limestone were found in the region off the Bahama Islands (Holes 99A, 100 and 101) a hole was selected for drilling between New York and Bermuda at a position where knowledge might be gained about the structure and composition of the lower continental rise hills. In addition, such a hole would ascertain the age of the crust.

Description: Orphan Knoll is a pronounced submarine feature at the foot of the continental rise and bounded on its northeast side by the 4000-meter deep abyssal plain of the Labrador Basin. It lies isolated on the ocean floor some 550 kilometers northeast of Newfoundland and 350 kilometers north of Flemish Cape. The DSDP drilling site 111 was originally chosen by the Atlantic Advisory Panel on the basis of Charcot's Flexotir continuous seismic profile provided by CNEXO.

Description: Seismic reflection profiles across the Labrador Sea by Vema-19 and Charcot-S had revealed a rugged basement topography almost entirely buried by sediments up to 2000 meters thick. It was first suggested that this was the median valley of a mid-Labrador Sea ridge where oceanic crust was generated during the last phase of opening of the Labrador Sea but which is now virtually inactive and covered by sediment. The choice of a site where basement could be dated by sampling sediments that were believed to be the same age as the basement was difficult. Site 113 was eventually chosen in a local valley 8 kilometers south of a small knoll believed, from the Vema-ll record, to be a basement high.

Description: The principle objective at Site 118 was to sample a formation in the Bay of Biscay which had been tentatively ascribed to Lower Cretaceous or older sediments. However it was not clear that this corresponding seismic layer was not in fact part of an extremely irregular igneous basement structure, at least at the western end of the bay.

Description: Leg 14 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project completed 9 holes; 7 were located off NW Africa, 1 in Ceara Abyssal Plain, and 1 on Demerara Rise. Quaternary and Pliocene sediments consist of nanno chalk oozes and brown clay. The facies boundary (CCD) is near 5000 meters. Sedimentation rates are between 10 and 30 meters/million years (m/My) for chalk ooze and 2 to 4 m/My for pelagic clay. Redeposition off the Amazon produces terrigenous and bioclastic turbidite sequences with rates increasing, on the average, from 50 to 150 m/My. Small manganese nodules (coarse sand and small pebbles) are common in sediments associated with hiatuses at Sites 135 (Eocene-Miocene, Core SW1), 136 (Late Cretaceous- Miocene, Cores 3 to 6), and to a lesser extent at 141 (Middle Miocene-Pliocene, Core 7). Additional occurrences were noted in the pelagic clays at Site 137 (Late Cretaceous to Miocene). At 135-8 (Cenomanian) micro-nodules occur within a mixture of siltstone fragments, compressed planktonic foraminifera, fish debris, as well as chert pebbles and other redeposited components. Manganese concretions are generally younger than Turonian and are restricted to the predominantly oxidized part of the sequences, that is, where sediments are mostly red, brown, or yellow-colored.

Description: This paper, explores the possibility of using manganese nodules for studying the rates of authigenic removal of trace elements to the ocean floor, i.e. considering only trace elements in hydrogenous phases (Goldberg, 1964) in sediments. It follows the then recent detailed investigations of physiochcmical properties of manganese nodules made by others. In view of the various arguments the developed regarding a slow and possibly entirely authigcnic growth of manganese nodules, the authors were led to the measurements of a host of trace elements in several already radiomctrically dated manganese nodules and sediments.

Description: ur continuous photographic transects (45 to 90 km in extent) were made with deep-towed, wide-angle cameras over the manganese pavement region of the Blake Pla¬teau. The photos indicate that the pavement is covered by discontinuous, mobile sand patches and that zones of transition exist between the pavement and manganese-nodule areas.

Description: Manganese nodules collected off Baja California have layers (zones) which are texturally and compositionally distinct. Massive and mottled zones consist mostly of cryptocrystalline todorokite and birnessite containing relatively high concentrations of Mn, Ni and Cu. Compact, columnar and laminated zones consist mostly of more iron- rich opaque amorphous material. Within these two groups the individual zones can be distinguished in part by their clay content. These results indicate that systematic research on nodule chemistry, mineralogy, growth rates and beneficiation should include careful analysis of individual layers within the nodules.

Description: Occurrences and associations of ferro-manganese deposits at relatively shallow depths in the Hawaiian Archipelago were revealed by a series of cruises on the R/V Teritu. The deposits are accreting principally on the three prominent terrace levels around all of the Islands-at 400 to 800 meters, 1200 to 1600 meters, and 2400 meters as crusts and pavements. In some instances, examples of deposits at low depth demonstrate the rapid growth of ferro-manganese oxides and the importance of seed material for manganese coating to grow on artificial seeds. A large number of iron and steel samples encrusted with ferromanganese deposits have been collected by divers during the past year off Oahu beaches.

Description: A study of the distribution, dispersal and composition of surficial sediments in the Strait of Georgia, B.C., has resulted in the understanding of basic sedimentologic conditions within this area. The Strait of Georgia is: a long, narrow, semi-enclosed basin with a restricted circulation and a single, main, sediment source. The Fraser. River supplies practically all the sediment now being deposited in the Strait of Georgia, the bulk of it during the spring and summer freshet. This river is building a delta into the Strait from the east side near the south end. Ridges of Pleistocene deposits within the Strait and Pleistocene material around the margins, like bedrock exposures, provide local sources of sediment of only minor importance. Rivers and streams other than the Fraser contribute insignificant quantities of sediment to the Strait. Sandy sediments are concentrated in the vicinity of the delta, and in the area to the south and southeast. Mean grain size decreases from the delta toward the northwest along the axis of the Strait, and basinwards from the margins. Silts and clays are deposited in deep water west and north of the delta front, and in deep basins northwest of the delta. Poorly sorted sediments containing a gravel component are located near tidal passes, on the Vancouver Island shelf area, on ridge tops within the Strait, and with sandy sediments at the southeastern end of the study area. The Pleistocene ridges are areas of non-deposition, having at most a thin veneer of modern mud on their crests and upper flanks. The southeastern end of the study area contains a thick wedge of shandy sediment which appears to be part of an earlier delta of the Fraser River. Evidence suggests that it is now a site of active submarine erosion. Sediments throughout the Strait are compositionally extremely similar, with-Pleistocene deposits of the Fraser River drainage basin providing the principal, heterogeneous source. Gravels and coarse sands are composed primarily of lithic fragments, dominantly of dioritic to granodloritlc composition. Sand fractions exhibit increasing simplicity of mineralogy with decreasing grain-size. Quartz, felspar, amphibole and fine-grained lithic fragments are the dominant constituents of the finer sand grades. Coarse and medium silt fractions have compositions similar to the fine sands. Fine silts show an increase in abundance of phyllosilicate material, a feature even more evident in the clay-size fractions on Montmorillonite, illite, chlorite, quartz and feldspar are the main minerals in the coarse clay fraction, with minor mixed-layer clays and kaolinite. The fine clay fraction is dominated by montmorillonite, with lesser amounts of illite and chlorite. The sediments have high base-exchange capacities, related to a considerable content of montmorillonite. Magnesium is present in exchange positions in greater quantity in Georgia Strait sediments than in sediments from the Fraser River, indicating a preferential uptake of this element in the marine environment. Manganese nodules collected from two localities in the Strait imply slow sediment accumulation rates at these sites. Sedimentation rates on and close to the delta, and in the deep basins to the northwest, are high.

Description: Iron-rich sediments similar to those forming on other active mid-oceanic ridges have been found in the Median Valley of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge near 45 °N. The sediments are enriched in arsenic and mercury, and are thought to have formed largely as a result of submarine hydrothermal activity associated with the generation of new ocean floor at the ridge crest.

Description: In 1970, the United States put forward the first detailed and comprehensive proposal for a regime which would apply to the mining of manganese nodules in the area beyond national jurisdiction. The United States' draft Convention on the International Seabed Area made a significant contribution towards moving the U.N. Seabed Committee from the stage of engaging in general debate to making specific proposals. In the U.S. draft, an "International Seabed Resource Authority" would have the power to license the mining of manganese nodules and would carry on certain supervisory activities in connection therewith. In the planning of the expected fast-approaching exploitation stage for manganese nodules the U.N. Seabed Committee collected and prepared documents and data in 1972 for an initial session of the Law of the Sea Conference which was expected to take place in 1973.

Description: A detailed description of the ores of Lake Storsjoen was given by Vogt J. H. L., 1915 who pointed out that the ores may be divided into two principal types; first, iron ore with 2% or less of manganese (ex: Ertemalm), and, second, ores with manganese contents of up to 30% (ex: Korinter). The iron-rich ore sometimes occurs as a conglomerate embedded in manganese-rich ores, clearly demonstrating that two distinctly different precipitates are involved. In the iron-rich ore, a concentric structure is common of which light brown layers of loose, almost dusty material alternate with hard and brittle black layers, the thickness of each being 0.5 mm or less. The analyses presented in this paper seem to demonstrate that the composition of the sedimentary ores of Lake Storsjden could result from fluctuations in the composition of ground waters feeding the lake.

Description: Concentrations of tin in sea water decreased from estuarine and shelf (0.02-0.04 µg/kg) to surface Atlantic waters (0.009 µg/kg). Mean contents (ppm) in other materials included: ultramafic rocks, 0.8; basalts, 1.7; silicic rocks, 2.5; red clays, 3.4; amphibolites, 1.2. Oceanic ferromanganese deposits contained from 0.2 to 5.8 ppm; tin and cobalt contents were correlated.

Description: The processes of formation of iron-manganese nodules and crusts have been studied on an example of the Eningi-Lampi lake, Central Karelia, where the relationships between the source of the ore, sedimentary materials and areas of their accumulation prove relatively simple and apparent. Nodules and crusts are composed mostly by birnessite, amorphous hydrous ferric oxides and hydro-goethite. They occur, as a rule, on the surface of relatively coarse-grained sediments, at the ground-water interface. Considerably in a lesser extent are found the nodules in the upper part (0ó5 cm) of the red-brown flooded watery mud covering dark-green, black muds. The nucleus of nodules, or the basis of crusts of iron-manganese hydroxides are various, frequently altered, fragments of rocks, sometimes pieces of wood. Distribution of Mn and Fe in sediments and waters of the lake is considered. It is shown that the Mn/Fe ratio decreases considerably in waters, sediments and nodules of the lake while moving off a distance from the source. The main role in the process of formation of iron-manganese nodules belongs to the selective chemosorption interaction (with auto-catalytic oxidation) of component-bearing solutions with active surfaces.

Description: The exponential decreases with depth of 10Be , 230Th and 231Pa in two manganese nodules from the central North Pacific is interpreted in terms of slow growth of the nodules: at average rates of millimeters per million years. It is observed in one specimen (Mn 139): 10Be-based rate 230Th-based rate 〈 231Pa-based rate. This suggests that diffusion-mixing may have modified the depth gradients of these nuclides, such that the true rate would be close to or even lower than the observed 10Be rate of 1.3 mm/10-6 yr. Quantitative assessment using a diffusion-decay model indicates that in Mn 139, 230Th and 231Pa could have been subjected to diffusion-like transport with an effective diffusion coefficient of about 1 10power8xcm-2/yr. After correction for this effect, the 230Th and 231Pa data give a concordant rate of 1.9 mm/10-6 yr, about 2-3 times lower than their uncorrected values. The small and variable amounts of integrated dpm/cmSUP-2 of 10Be, 230Th excess and 231Pa excess found in nodules are best explained by their incorporating only a fraction of the nuclides supplied due to frequent coverage of sediments. The alternative explanation of young 'exposure' ages is refutable on several grounds. Among these, it is shown that diffusion of nuclides required by the exposure-age concept yields depth profiles that are not of the commonly observed exponential form.

Description: During the 1971 WALDA expedition of the R/V Jean Charcot in the Equatorial and South Atlantic, manganese nodules were recovered at Station 24 - DS 17 at the base of the continental platform off the coast of Angola. They were analysed at the Laboratoire de Géochimie des Eaux, Université Paris VII Denis Diderot.

Description: Bathymetry, seismic reflection profiles, magnetic data, and dredged basalt indicate that two centres of spreading have existed near the northern end of Juan de Fuca Ridge in the last 0.7 m.y. (Brunhes Geomagnetic Polarity Epoch). A short-lived eastern branch functioned only in the early part of the Brunhes Epoch. More prolonged and recent activity has occurred on the western branch, and has involved extrusion of basalt, rifting, and uplift. The anomalous relief of the northern end of Juan de Fuca Ridge compared to the ridge further south is the result of a tectonic event which occurred 100,000-350,000 years ago. Prior to this, turbidites were deposited over most of the northern part of the ridge, which consisted of a series of basement ridges and valleys of subdued relief trending NNE parallel to the magnetic anomalies. During the event, the igneous basement together with the overlying turbidites was faulted, tilted, and uplifted along the primary structural trends. The basement relief was increased in places to more than 2 km. Subsequent turbidite deposition has been confined to valleys. The Sovanco Fracture Zone between Juan de Fuca and Explorer Ridges also suffered uplift. The tectonic disturbance may have resulted from an increase in spreading rate or the change in location of the axis of spreading on Juan de Fuca Ridge, or compressional interaction between Explorer sub-plate to the north and Sovanco Fracture Zone and the northern end of Juan de Fuca Ridge. Sovanco Fracture Zone, consisting of a WNW-trending basement ridge (Sovanco Ridge) with complex associated magnetic anomalies, may have originated as a strike-slip fault or fault-zone trending east-west about 5 m.y. ago. Location of present transform movement within the fracture zone is equivocal, but apparently trends NW. A specimen of basalt from the eastern end of Sovanco Ridge yielded a fission track age of 〈309,000 years. Basalts dredged from 13 locations on Juan de Fuca Ridge, Sovanco Ridge, and Heck and Heckle Seamount Chains on the western flank of Juan de Fuca Ridge are low-potassium tholeiites of the ocean ridge type. Twenty-seven representative specimens of fresh basalt, as well as 15 samples of glass selvages and altered basalt, were analyzed for 9 major elements by an atomic absorption technique set up by the author. The analyses are closely similar, showing no well-developed differentiation trend. They straddle the boundary between the olivine-normative and quartz-normative fields, and the basalts may have been derived by segregation from the mantle at a depth of about 15 km. A specimen from NE of the eastern spreading centre yielded a fission track age of 0.95 ± 0.53 m.y. which is in reasonable agreement with the age of 0.7-0.9 m.y. predicted by the magnetic anomaly time scale. Increasing thicknesses of Fe-Mn coatings on dredged basalts indicate that the two NW-trending seamount chains increase in age away from the crest of Juan de Fuca Ridge. The seamounts originated and grew to virtually their present sizes while still at or near the ridge crest. Reflection profiles across the continental slope indicate that it has formed by folding, reverse faulting, and uplift of strata of Cascadia Basin. Internal deformation has caused these sediments to behave as acoustical basement in the structures beneath the slope but their sedimentary nature has been confirmed by dredging. The presence of magnetic anomalies 5-8 m.y. old beneath the lower and middle continental slope indicates subduction. The magnetic basement dips below the slope at an angle of more than 10°.

Description: The described sample comes from an outcrop situated in the internal part of the Briançonnais area (Acceglio zone), on the right bank of the high Ubaye valley at 400 m North of the hamlet of Combe Brémond. Two levels of manganese rich and iron rich limestones have been studied and chemically analysed. Rhodonite and pyrosmalite minerals have been identified.

Description: Quantitative analysis of vertical distribution of copepod families revealed a pattern of variation with depth (from the surface to the greatest ocean depths) in the trophic structure of this taxocenosis in the pelagic Pacific.

Description: Siliceous skeletons were investigated in two core profiles (9 cores), one off Cap de Sines, Portugal and the other off Cap de Mazagan, Morocco. Total number of skeletons was determined per gram of dried sediment at different core depths of the fraction 〉21 µ. Results are compared with a core profile from the Arabian Sea. Diatoms are of four groups: (A) marine-planktonic, B) marine-benthic, (C) freshwater and (D) Tertiary species (Trinacria e.g.). Species from groups (B), (C) and (D) are redeposited in all cores taken at a water depth of greater than 100 m. Small numbers of Silicoflagellates and Radiolarians were found throughout the cores from the Ibero-Moroccan shelf. In the Arabian Sea core, Radiolarians were concentrated in distinct horizons in which Tertiary material was redeposited (40-50, 140-150, 250-260 cm). The number of siliceous skeletons per gram of dried sediment decreases more or less rapidly with increasing depth in all cores. Whereas about 2500 skeletons were found in sediments close to the surface, approximately 100 skeletons only were found in deeper (〉40 cm) layers. Deeper horizons with more than 100 specimens were interpreted as redeposited material. This sediment contained robust skeletons, resistant against dissolution, as well as benthic and Tertiary material. The decrease of siliceous skeletons relative to core depth depends upon the sedimentation rate. Where the sedimentation rate is high, the opal dissolution zone extends down to 30-60 cm, where the sedimentation rate is low, it is located at 10-30 cm. Below these depths opals disappears. These zones also have approximately the same age (4000 years) everywhere. Siliceous skeletons dissolve differentially, first the Silicoflagellates disappear, second the Diatoms, third the Radiolarians, and fourth the Sponge Spicules. Surface structure of skeletons from near the opal dissolution zones are similar to those of skeletons treated with NaOH. Tertiary diatoms (Trinacria e. g.) and benthic diatoms (Campylodiscus e.g.) dissolve less rapidly than skeletons of modern planktonic diatoms (Coscinodiscus e.g.). The time control of the opal dissolution zones appeared rather independent of various oceanic influences. No evidence was found for effects from upwelling either off Portugal or off Morocco. No difference in dissolution rates was recorded between the abyssal plains lying off these two areas. Likewise, there was no change in solution rates from Pleistocene to Holocene within either one of the abyssal plains. The Mediterranean outflow, which is enriched in dissolved silica, apparently had no effect on dissolution rates of siliceous skeletons in the sediment.

Description: Sediment samples from the southern West-Pakistan and the adjacent shelf have been studied for their heavy mineral contents and compositions. It is shown that the sediment load of the Indus river has influenced the sedimentation in the shelf areas south, southwest and in front of the Indus delta to a greater extent than in northerly direction. In the northern shelf region the smaller local rivers have dominated the marine sedimentation.

Description: The sandfraction of the sediment was analysed in five cores, taken from 65 m water depth in the central and eastern part of the Persian Gulf. The holocene marls are underlayn by aragonite muds, which are probably 10-11,000 years old. 1. The cores could be subdivided into coarse grained and fine grained layers. Sorting is demonstrated by the following criteria: With increasing median values of the sandfraction - the fine grained fraction decreases within each core; - the median of each biogenic component, benthonic as well as planktonic, increases; - the median of the relict sediment, which in core 1179 was carried upward into the marl by bioturbation, increases; - the percentages of pelecypods, gastropods, decapods and serpulid worms in the sandfraction increase, the percentages of foraminifera and ostracods decrease; - the ratios of pelecypods to foraminifera and of decapods to ostracods increase; - the ratios of benthonic molluscs to planktonic molluscs (pteropods) and of benthonic foraminifera to planktonic foraminifera increase (except in core 1056 and 1179); - the ratio of planktonic molluscs (pteropods) to planktonic foraminifera increases; - the globigerinas without orbulinas increase, the orbulinas decrease in core 1056. Different settling velocities of these biogenic particles help in better understanding the results : the settling velocities, hence the equivalent hydrodynamic diameters, of orbulinas are smaller than those of other globigerinas, those of planktonic foraminifera are smaller than those of planktonic molluscs, those of planktonic molluscs are smaller than those of benthonic molluscs, those of pelecypods are smaller than those of gastropods. Bioturbation could not entirely distroy this “grain-size-stratification". Sorting has been stronger in the coarse layers than in the finer ones. As a cause variations in the supply of terrigenous material at constant strength of tidal currents is suggested. When much terrigenous material is supplied (large contents of fine grained fraction) the sedimentation rates are high: the respective sediment surface is soon covered and removed from the influence of tidal currents. When, however, the supply of terrigenous material is small, more sandy material is taken away in all locations within the influence of terrigenous supply. Thus the biogenic particles in the sediment do not only reflect the organic production, but also the influence of currents. 2. There is no parameter present in all cores that is independently variable from grain size and can be used for stratigraphic correlation. The two cores from the Strait of Hormus were correlated by their sequences of coarse and fine grained layers. 3. The sedimentation rates of terrigenous material, of total planktonic and benthonic organisms and of molluscs, foraminifera, echinoids and ophiuroids are shown in table 1 (total sediment 6.3-75.5 cm/1000 yr, biogenic carbonate 1.9-3.6 cm/1000 yr). The sedimentation rates of benthonic organisms are nearly the same in the cores of the Strait of Hormus, whereas near the Central Swell they are smaller. In the upper parts of the two cores of the Strait of Hormus sedimentation rates are higher than in the deeper parts, where higher median values point to stronger reworking. 4. The sequence of coarse and fine grained intervals in the two cores of the Hormus Strait, attributed to variations in climate, as well as the increase of terrigenous supply from the deeper to the upper parts of the cores, agrees with the descriptions in the literature of the post Pleistocene climate as becoming more humid. The rise of sea level is sedimentologically not measurable in the marly sediments - except perhaps for the higher content of echinoids in the lower part of core 1056. These may be attributed to the influence of a migrating wave-base. 5. The late Pleistocene aragonite mud is very fine grained (〉 50%〈 2 p) and poor in fossils (0.5-1.8%) biogenic particles of total sediment. The sand fraction consists almost entirely of white clumps, c. 0.1 mm in diameter (1177), composed of aragonite needles and of detrital minerals with the same size (1201). The argonite mud was probably not formed in situ, because the water depth at time of formation was at most 35 m at least 12 m. The sorting of the sediment (predominance of the fine grained sand), the absence of larger biogenic components and of pellets, c. 0.2-0.5 mm in diameter, which are typical for Recent and Pleistocene locations of aragonite formation, as well as the sedimentological conditions near the sampling points, indicate rather a transport of aragonite mud from an area of formation in very shallow waters. Sorting as well as lenticular fabric in core 1201 point to sedimentation within the influence of currents. During alternating sedimentation - and reworking processes the aragonitic matrix was separated from the silt - and sand-sized minerals. The lenses grade into touches because of bioturbation. 6. In core 1056 D2 from Hormus Bay the percentages of organic carbon, total nitrogen and total carbonate were determined. With increasing amounts of smaller grain sizes the content of organic matter increases, whereas the amount of carbonate decreases. The amounts of organic carbon and of nitrogen decrease with increasing depth, probably due to early-diagenetic decomposition processes. Most of the total nitrogen is of organic origin, only about 10% may well be inorganically fixed as ammonium-nitrogen. In the upper part of the core the C/N-ratio increases with increasing depth. This may be connected with a stronger decomposition of nitrogen-containing organic compounds. The general decrease of the C/N-ratios in the lower part of the core may be explained by the relative increase of inorganically fixed ammonium-nitrogen with decreasing content of organic matter.

Description: Recent nannoplankton from the "Meteor”-stations M 242, M 243 and M 245 in the northern Arabian Sea were studied by means of the light and electron microscope, and 19 species were found. The nannoplankton assemblage of the northern Arabian Sea is compared with those of the eastern and western Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Gephyrocapsa oceanica (Kamptner), Cyclococcolithus leptoporus (Murray & Blackman), Emiliania huxleyi (Lohmann), Helicopontospbaera kamptneri (Hay & Mohler), and Umbilicosphaera mirabilis (Lohmann) are the most common species in the northern Arabian Sea. Reworked nannoplankton and nannoplankton species agglutinated by tintinnids are discussed.

Description: The studies described here base mainly on sedimentary material collected during the "Indian Ocean Expedition" of the German research vessel "Meteor" in the region of the Indian-Pakistan continental margin in February and March 1965. Moreover,samples from the mouth of the Indus-River were available, which were collected by the Pakistan fishing vessel "Machhera" in March 1965. Altogether, the following quantities of sedimentary material were collected: 59.73 m piston cores. 54.52 m gravity cores. 33 box grab samples. 68 bottom grab samples Component analyses of the coarse fraction were made of these samples and the sedimentary fabric was examined. Moreover, the CaCO3 and Corg contents were discussed. From these investigations the following history of sedimentation can be derived: Recent sedimentation on the shelf is mainly characterized by hydrodynamic processes and terrigenous supply of material. In the shallow water wave action and currents running parallel to the coast, imply a repeated reworking which induces a sorting of the grains and layering of the sediments as well as a lack of bioturbation. The sedimentation rate is very high here. From the coast-line down to appr. 50 m the sediment becomes progressively finer, the conditions of deposition become less turbulent. On the outer shelf the sediment is again considerably coarser. It contains many relicts of planktonic organisms and it shows traces of burrowing. Indications for redeposition are nearly missing, a considerable part of the fine fraction of the sediments is, however, whirled up and carried away. In wide areas of the outer shelf this stirring has gained such a degree that recent deposits are nearly completely missing. Here, coarse relict sands rich in ooids are exposed, which were formed in very shallow stirred water during the time when the sea reached its lowest level, i.e. at the turn of the Pleistocene to the Holocene. Below the relict sand white, very fine-grained aragonite mud was found at one location (core 228). This aragonite mud was obviously deposited in very calm water of some greater depth, possibly behind a reef barrier. Biochemic carbonate precipitation played an important part in the formation of relict sands and aragonite muds. In postglacial times the relict sands were exposed for long periods to violent wave action and to areal erosion. In the present days they are gradually covered by recent sediments proceeding from the sides. On the continental margin beyond the shelf edge the distribution of the sediments is to a considerable extent determined by the morphology of the sea bottom. The material originating from the continent and/or the shelf, is less transported by action of the water than by the force of gravity. Within the range of the uppermost part of the continental slope recent sedimentation reaches its maximum. Here the fine material is deposited which has been whirled up in the zone of the relict sands. A laminated fine-grained sediment is formed here due to the very high sedimentation rate as well as to the extremely low O2-content in the bottom water, which prevents life on the bottom of the sea and impedes thus also bioturbation. The lamination probaly reflects annual variation in deposition and can be attributed to the rhythm of the monsoon with its effects on the water and the weather conditions. In the lower part of the upper continental slope sediments are to be found which show in varying intensity, intercalations of fine material (silt) from the shelf, in large sections of the core. These fine intercalations of allochthonous material are closely related to the autochthonous normal sediment, so that a great number of small individual depositional processes can be inferred. In general the intercalations are missing in the uppermost part of the cores; in the lower part they can be met in different quantities, and they reach their maximum frequency in the upper part of the lower core section. The depositions described here were designated as turbid layer sediments, since they get their material from turbid layers, which transport components to the continental slope which have been whirled up from the shelf. Turbidites are missing in this zone. Since the whole upper continental slope shows a low oxygen-content of the bottom water the structure of the turbid layer sediments is more or less preserved. The lenticular-phacoidal fine structure does, however, not reflect annual rhythms, but sporadic individual events, as e.g. tsunamis. At the lower part of the continental slope and on the continental rise the majority of turbidites was deposited, which, during glacial times and particularly at the beginning of the post-glacial period, transported material from the zone of relict sands. The Laccadive Ridge represented a natural obstacle for the transport of suspended sediments into the deep sea. Core SIC-181 from the Arabian Basin shows some intercalations of turbidites; their material, however, does not originate from the Indian Shelf, but from the Laccadive Ridge. Within the range of the Indus Cone it is surprising that distinct turbidites are nearly completely missing; on the other hand, turbid layer sediments are to be found. The bottom of the sea is showing still a slight slope here, so that the turbidites funneled through the Canyon of the Swatch probably rush down to greater water depths. Due to the particularly large supply of suspended material by theIndus River the turbid layer sediments show farther extension than in other regions. In general the terrigenous components are concentrated on the Indus Cone. It is within the range of the lower continental slope that the only discovery of a sliding mass (core 186) has been located. It can be assumed that this was set in motion during the Holocene. During the period of time discussed here the following development of kind and intensity of the deposition of allochthonous material can be observed on the Indian-Pakistan continental margin: At the time of the lowest sea level the shelf was only very narrow, and the zone in which bottom currents were able to stir up material by oscillating motion, was considerably confined. The rivers flowed into the sea near to the edge of the shelf. For this reason the percentage of terrigenous material, quartz and mica is higher in the lower part of many cores (e.g. cores 210 and 219) than in the upper part. The transition from glacial to postglacial times caused a series of environmental changes. Among them the rise of the sea level (in the area of investigation appr. 150 m) had the most important influence on the sedimentation process. In connection with this event many river valleys became canyons, which sucked sedimentary material away from the shelf and transported it in form of turbidites into the deep sea. During the rise of the sea level a situation can be expected with a maximum area of the comparatively plane shelf being exposed to wave action. During this time the process of stirring up of sediments and formation of turbid layers will reach a maximum. Accordingly, the formation of turbidites and turbid layer sediments are most frequent at the same time. This happened in general in the older polstglacial period. The present day high water level results in a reduced supply of sediments into the canyons. The stirring up of sediments from the shelf by wave action is restricted to the finest material. The missing of shelf material in the uppermost core sections can thus be explained. The laminated muds reflect these calm sedimentation conditions as well. In the southwestern part of the area of investigation fine volcanic glass was blown in during the Pleistocene, probably from the southeast. It has thus become possible to correlate the cores 181, 182, 202. Eolian dust from the Indian subcontinent represents probably an important component of the deep sea sediments. The chemism of the bottom as well as of the pore water has a considerable influence on the development of the sediments. Of particular importance in this connection is a layer with a minimum content of oxygen in the sea water (200-1500 m), which today touches the upper part of the continental slope. Above and beyond this oxygen minimum layer somewhat higher O2-values are to be observed at the sea bottom. During the Pleistocene the oxygen minimum layer has obviously been locatedin greater depth as is indicated by the facies of laminated mud occuring in the lower part of core 219. The type of bioturbation is mainly determined by the chemism. Moreover, the chemism is responsible for a considerable selective dissolution, either complete or partial, of the sedimentary components. Within the range of the oxygen minimum layer an alkaline milieu is developed at the bottom. This causes a complete or partial dissolution of the siliceous organisms. Here, bioturbation is in general completely missing; sometimes small pyrite-filled burrowing racks are found. In the areas rich in O2 high pH-values result in a partial dissolution of the calcareous shells. Large, non-pyritized burrowing tracks characterize the type of bioturbation in this environment. A study of the "lebensspuren" in the cores supports the assumption that, particularly within the region of the Laccadive Basin, the oxygen content in the bottom sediments was lower than during the Holocene. This may be attributed to a high sedimentation rate and to a lower O2-content of the bottom water. The composition of the allochthonous sedimentary components, detritus and/or volcanic glass may locally change the chemism to a considerable extent for a certain time; under such special circumstances the type of bioturbation and the state of preservation of the components may be different from those of the normal sediment.

Description: Pollen analytical studies were carried out on two sediment cores from Outer Flensburg Fjord taken by N. Exon (1972). 1) Based on the occurrence of Fagopyrum, the lower peat horizon (ca. 40 cm below mean sea level) of the inner lagoon near Beveroe developed after 1400 AD. The dominance of Pinus indicates that its formation may have taken place as late as the end of the 17th. Century. 2) Core No. 10872 from a water depth of 26.5 m contains the pollen zones VIII through the beginning of XI (Overbeck, 1950). Although salinity maxima fall in zone IX, they are not reflected in the pollen curves which show the normal picture found in South Jütland.