Week 2 Flashcards
What does studying oxygen tell us?
Photosynthesis produces oxygen, respiration consumes oxygen.
Can aid understanding of biological processes along various local and global circulation patterns
What does studying helium/tritium tell us?
Underwater hydrothermal vents
How far from the source can we trace their plume? Can gain new information about ocean circulation.
Input sources of Ions in the ocean
mainly from rivers and aerosols
lots of submarine groundwater discharge
minor hydrothermal systems
Output sources of Ions in the ocean
mainly by evaporites and mineral formation
consumption of sediment at plate boundaries
minor from hydrothermal systems
What are the main aerosol inputs?
Mineral dust (Al, Fe)
Important input of particles for some deep sea sediments (“red clays”)
Is submarine groundwater discharge an input or output?
Mostly input, can be a very significant input ~40% of the river flux along eastern N.A. coast
definition: a mixture of fresh groundwater plus salty seawater recycles through coastal sediments
Submarine groundwater discharge (SDG) is important for ______ cycling
carbon
Hydrothermal processes at a high temperature are an input for which ions
Li+, K+, Rb+, Si 4+, Mn 2+, Ca 2+
Hydrothermal processes at a low temperature are an input for which ions
Si and Ca
Evaporites are a long term ____ of ____ from the ocean
output
salt
Carbonate formation is a long term ____ of ____ from the ocean
output
Ca
Hydrothermal processes at a high temperature are an output for which ions
Mg 2+ and SO4 2-
Hydrothermal processes at a low temperature are an output for which ions
Mg 2+
Dissolved organic matter (DOM) = ____ than ~1 um
Particulate organic matter (POM) = ____ than ~1 um
less
greater
___ can sink, ____ mostly does not
POM
DOM
The [K+] in two seawater samples are 10.0µM at location A and 10.5µM at location B.
What do you know about the relative salinity values from the waters at Location A and B? Why?
The salinity at A is lower than that at B, because K+ is a conservative element in seawater.
This is a portrayal of deep water transport (blue arrow, ignore the orange arrow) in the global ocean. Nutrient concentrations (nitrate, phosphate and silicate) are highest in what ocean?
N. Pacific
what is the process and equation responsible for the high nutrient content of water in the deep ocean?
respiration
organic matter + O2 –> CO2 + nutrients + energy
Is silica a conservative or non-conservative element in seawater? Why?
It is not conservative, because it is involved in biological processes.
What was the original use of DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane)?
as a pesticide
The use of DDT was banned world-wide because
It caused cancer in humans.
it caused death of fish, birds and other animals
The origin of most anions in the ocean originally came from
volcanic gases
An example of human input of elements to the ocean is
lead
cadmium
Aerosol input to the oceans include
cosmic dust
mineral dust
volcanic ash
