Comparison of carbon and opal export rates between summer and spring bloom periods in the region of the Antarctic Polar Front, SE Atlantic.

Although primary production in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current is not above the world average and carbon burial rates are low, 70% of the world's opal burial occurs in this zone and it has been suggested that blooms of large diatoms are responsible for this extraordinary situation. Here we compare export fluxes during bloom and steady-state situations near the Antarctic Polar Front in the SE Atlantic.In a previous expedition during the austral spring, we observed the development of a bloom that led to the sudden export of particles (Rutgers van der Loeff et al., 1997). Here we report the results of a second expedition to the same area in summer (Dec-Jan), 3 years later. 234Th was monitored in the surface water and in Rosette casts down to a water depth of 500m as tracer of export production in an intensive sampling program within a box of 275 x 375 km.The distribution of particulate and dissolved 234Th was remarkably constant over time and location. Total (dissolved + particulate) 234Th activities were depleted relative to its parent 238U at the surface (234Th/238U activity ratio approximately 83%), reaching equilibrium at a depth of around 190m. This constant depletion corresponds to a 234Th export rate of 1115 dpm m-2 d-1, 35% of the value observed during the spring bloom

Sedimentary processes in the Thau Lagoon (France): From seasonal to century time scales

As a part of the MICROBENT programme, an investigation of the sedimentation framework was carried out at the water-sediment interface in the Thau Lagoon (French Mediterranean coast). Two main sites, C4 in the middle of the lagoon and C5 near oyster farms, were visited six times between December 2001 and May 2003. Interface sediments were studied using classical sedimentology parameters (radiography RX, grain size distribution) and analysis of selected radionuclides (234Th, 7Be, 210Pb, 226Ra). On a century time scale, excess 210Pb (210Pbxs) presents classical profiles with an upper mixed layer, followed by an exponential decrease of activities to undetectable levels below 20 – 30 cm. At the central site, C4, cores seem to register episodic changes in mean grain size, presenting recurrently peaks. The upper 10 cm of 210Pbxs profiles at site C5 exhibit a mixed layer associated with coarser sediments: this could be related to biological activity. Sedimentation rates derived from 210Pbxs varied from 0.15 cm y−1 at the edge of the basin, to 0.25 cm y−1 at the central site. On a seasonal time scale, 234Th and 7Be both show significant variations in activities and in penetration within the sediment. Bioturbation rates derived from both radionuclides agree well and range between 1–10 cm2 y−1 at site C4 and 1–31 cm2 y−1 at site C5. 234Th and 7Be fluxes at the water-sediment interface show too seasonal variations, more pronounced for site C5. This latter site presents especially a higher variability that is well marked with season, probably in relation with its position near oyster farms

Low-Background gamma counting at the Kimballton Underground Research Facility

The next generation of low-background physics experiments will require the use of materials with unprecedented radio-purity. A gamma-counting facility at the Kimballton Underground Research Facility (KURF) has been commissioned to perform initial screening of materials for radioactivity primarily from nuclides in the 238U and 232Th decay chains, 40K and cosmic-ray induced isotopes. The facility consists of two commercial low-background high purity germanium (HPGe) detectors. A continuum background reduction better than a factor of 10 was achieved by going underground. This paper describes the facility, detector systems, analysis techniques and selected assay results.Comment: 7 pages, 7 figures. Submitted to NIM

Studi Waktu Tinggal Partikulat Dalam Air Laut Permukaan Semenanjung Muria Melalui Pengukuran 238u Dan 234th

STUDI WAKTU TINGGAL PARTIKULAT DALAM AIRLAUT PERMUKAAN SEMENANJUNG MURIA MELALUIPENGUKURAN 238U Dan 234Th. Konsentrasi 238U dan 234Th dalam air lautpermukaan S. Muria pada kedalaman 0, 5, 10 dan 15 m telah dianalisis. Hasilyang diperoleh menunjukan konsentrasi 238U sebagai fungsi kedalaman relatifhomogen yaitu 29,6 ± 2,3 mBq/L. Konsentrasi 234Th sebagai fungsikedalaman mengalami peningkatan, hal ini memberikan informasi bahwakonsentrasi 234Th yang mengalami scavenging berkurang denganbertambahnya kedalaman air laut. Waktu tinggal partikulat rerata dalam airlaut permukaan yang dihitung berdasarkan nisbah konsentrasi 234Th / 238Uadalah 99 hari.THE STUDY RESIDENCE TIME OF PARTICLES IN SURFACESEA WATER OF MURIA PENINSULA. The concentrations of 238U and234Th in surface sea water of M. Peninsula was analyzed. The resultsindicated that the concentrations of 238U as function of the water depthrelatively homogeneous, that is 29,6 ± 2,3 mBq/L. The concentrations of 234Thincreased as the function of the water depth, indicated that the scavengingproccess is exist. The averages of residence time of particles in sea surfacesea water calculated based on the ratio of 234Th / 238U is 99 days.Teknik nuklir (isotope) mempunyai kontribusi yang besar dala

Metrics that matter for assessing the ocean biological carbon pump

© The Author(s), 2020. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Buesseler, K. O., Boyd, P. W., Black, E. E., & Siegel, D. A. Metrics that matter for assessing the ocean biological carbon pump. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, (2020): 201918114, doi: 10.1073/pnas.1918114117.The biological carbon pump (BCP) comprises wide-ranging processes that set carbon supply, consumption, and storage in the oceans’ interior. It is becoming increasingly evident that small changes in the efficiency of the BCP can significantly alter ocean carbon sequestration and, thus, atmospheric CO2 and climate, as well as the functioning of midwater ecosystems. Earth system models, including those used by the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, most often assess POC (particulate organic carbon) flux into the ocean interior at a fixed reference depth. The extrapolation of these fluxes to other depths, which defines the BCP efficiencies, is often executed using an idealized and empirically based flux-vs.-depth relationship, often referred to as the “Martin curve.” We use a new compilation of POC fluxes in the upper ocean to reveal very different patterns in BCP efficiencies depending upon whether the fluxes are assessed at a fixed reference depth or relative to the depth of the sunlit euphotic zone (Ez). We find that the fixed-depth approach underestimates BCP efficiencies when the Ez is shallow, and vice versa. This adjustment alters regional assessments of BCP efficiencies as well as global carbon budgets and the interpretation of prior BCP studies. With several international studies recently underway to study the ocean BCP, there are new and unique opportunities to improve our understanding of the mechanistic controls on BCP efficiencies. However, we will only be able to compare results between studies if we use a common set of Ez-based metrics.We thank the many scientists whose ideas and contributions over the years are the foundation of this paper. This includes A. Martin, who led the organization of the BIARRITZ group (now JETZON) workshop in July 2019, discussions at which helped to motivate this article. We thank D. Karl for pointing us in the right direction for this paper format at PNAS and two thoughtful reviewers who through their comments helped to improve this manuscript. Support for writing this piece is acknowledged from several sources, including the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s Ocean Twilight Zone project (K.O.B.); NASA as part of the EXport Processes in the global Ocean from RemoTe Sensing (EXPORTS) program (K.O.B. and D.A.S.). E.E.B. was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship through the Ocean Frontier Institute at Dalhousie University. P.W.B. was supported by the Australian Research Council through a Laureate (FL160100131)

Searching for Dark Matter with Paleo-Detectors

A large experimental program is underway to extend the sensitivity of direct detection experiments, searching for interaction of Dark Matter with nuclei, down to the neutrino floor. However, such experiments are becoming increasingly difficult and costly due to the large target masses and exquisite background rejection needed for the necessary improvements in sensitivity. We investigate an alternative approach to the detection of Dark Matter-nucleon interactions: Searching for the persistent traces left by Dark Matter scattering in ancient minerals obtained from much deeper than current underground laboratories. We estimate the sensitivity of paleo-detectors, which extends far beyond current upper limits for a wide range of Dark Matter masses. The sensitivity of our proposal also far exceeds the upper limits set by Snowden-Ifft et al. more than three decades ago using ancient Mica in an approach similar to paleo-detectors.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures. v2: significant revisions. v3: matches the published versio

Cluster decay half lives of trans-lead nuclei within the Coulomb and proximity potential model

Within the Coulomb and proximity potential model (CPPM) the cluster decay process in {199-226}^Fr, {206-232}^Ac, {209-237}^Th, {212-238}^Pa, {217-241}^U, {225-242}^Np, {225-244}^Pu, {231-246}^Am, {202-230}^Ra and {233-249}^Cm isotopes leading to the doubly magic 208^Pb and neighbouring nuclei are studied. The computed half lives are compared with available experimental data and are in good agreement with each other. The half lives are also computed using the Universal formula for cluster decay (UNIV) of Poenaru et al, Universal decay law (UDL) and the scaling law of Horoi et al, and their comparisons with CPPM values are found to be in agreement. The calculations for the emission of 22^O, 20^O, 20^O from the parents {209-237}^Th, {202-230}^Ra and {217-240}^U respectively were the experimental values are not available are also done. It is found that most of the decay modes are favourable for measurement, and this observation will serve as a guide to the future experiments. The odd-even staggering (OES) are found to be more prominent in the emission of odd mass clusters. The Geiger - Nuttall plots of log_10(T_1/2) vs. Q^{-1/2} for various clusters ranging from 14^C to 34^Si from different isotopes of heavy parent nuclei with atomic numbers within the range 87 \leq Z \leq 96 have been studied and are found to be linear. Our study reveals the role of doubly magic 208^Pb daughter nuclei in cluster decay process and also reveal the fact that the role of neutron shell closure is crucial than proton shell closure.Comment: 39 pages, 8 figure