• Ocean Science Journal
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.167-176
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• 2005

A time-series sediment trap was deployed at 1,034 m water depth in the eastern Bransfield Strait for a complete year from December 25, 1998 to December 24, 1999. About 99% of total mass flux was trapped during an austral summer, showing distinct seasonal variation. Biogenic particles (biogenic opal, particulate organic carbon, and calcium carbonate) account for about two thirds of annual total mass flux $(49.2\;g\;m^{-2})$, among which biogenic opal flux is the most dominant (42% of the total flux). A positive relationship (except January) between biogenic opal and total organic carbon fluxes suggests that these two variables were coupled, due to the surface-water production (mainly diatoms). The relatively low $\delta^{13}C$ values of settling particles result from effects on C-fixation processes at low temperature and the high $CO_2$ availability to phytoplankton. The correspondingly low $\delta^{l5}N$ values are due to intense and steady input of nitrates into surface waters, reflecting an unlikely nitrate isotope fractionation by degree of surface-water production. The $\delta^{l5}N$ and $\delta^{l3}C$ values of sinking particles increased from the beginning to the end of a presumed phytoplankton bloom, except for anomalous $\delta^{l5}N$ values. Krill and the zooplankton fecal pellets, the most important carriers of sinking particles, may have contributed gradually to the increasing $\delta^{l3}C$ values towards the unproductive period through the biomodification of the $\delta^{l3}C$ values in the food web, respiring preferentially and selectively $^{12}C$ atoms. Correspondingly, the increasing $\delta^{l5}N$ values in the intermediate-water trap are likely associated with a switch in source from diatom aggregates to some remains of zooplankton, because organic matter dominated by diatom may be more liable and prone to remineralization, leading to greater isotopic alteration. In particular, the tendency for abnormally high $\delta^{l5}N$ values in February seems to be enigmatic. A specific species dominancy during the production may be suggested as a possible and speculative reason.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.442-453
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• 2002

A total of 64 species belonging to 23 genera of diatom fossils are identified from the Core GC 98-06 in the southern Drake Passage, Antarctica. The diatom assemblages are dominated by Actinocyclus actinochilus, Coscinodiscus asteromphalus, Eucampia antarctica, Fragilariopsis kerguelensis, Thalassiosira lentiginosa, T. ritscheri and T. anguste-lineata, which are about 73% of the assemblage. Open water species are more abundant than sea ice species in the diatom assemblages of the core. Fragilariopsis. kerguelensis and Thalassiosira lentiginosa are valuable indicators of the habitats. Especially, F. kerguelensis represent the influence of waters from the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Sea ice taxa represents the influence of cold waters from Bransfield Strait Water and melt water from the sea-ice at during warm periods. The reworked diatoms such as Denticulopsis dimopha (Miocene) and D. hustedtii (Pliocene) are occurred with Quaternary species (Actinocyclus actinochilus, Fragilariopsis kerguelensis, Thalassiosira lentiginosa, and T. glacilis). The presence of reworked diatoms indicates the transportation of the older diatoms into the Drake passage from the circumference sediments, due to strong bottom current activity of Antarctic circumpolar deep water.

• Proceedings of the KSEEG Conference
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• 2007.04a
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• pp.434-435
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• 2007

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• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.190-197
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• 2015

This study investigated the paleoclimatic change using diatoms that were extracted from the high-resolution laminated layers of diatom ooze sediment cores GC08-EB01 in the eastern basin of the Bransfield Strait, Antarctica. The range of diatom valves per gram of dry sediment was from $0.4-4.2{\times}10^8g^{-1}$ in quantitative diatom assemblage analysis. Laminations are classified using visually dominant diatom species and terrigenous content. Biogenic diatom ooze laminae characterised by bloom of Corethron crilophilum, Eucampia antarctica, Fragilariopsis curta, F. kerguelensis, Odontella weissflogii, Proboscia inermis, R. styliformis, Thalassiosira antarctica, and Chaetoceros resting spores. Terrigenous laminae characterised by mixed diatom assemblage. The ratio of (Fragilariopsis curta+F. cylindrus)/Thalassiosira antarctica increase in horizons, suggesting increased sea-ice cover in the study area during the late Holocene (cold events). As a result, five cold events are identified on the basis of frequency of the critical taxa throughout the section.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.75-86
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• 2005

Acoustic survey for density and biomass estimate of Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, was conducted in the large area between South Shetland Islands and South Orkney Islands, during November 30-December 30, 2002. Considering oceanographic and geographic properties, the study area was divided into six sub-regions. Acoustic system and frequency used in the survey were quantitative echo sounder (Simrad Ek 500) and 38, 120-kHz split beam transducers. In order to discriminate krill aggregations in all acoustic signal, difference of mean volume backscattering strength $({\Delta}MVBS)$ method of the two frequencies was introduced. Averaged krill density for the overall surveyed area was $23.5g/m^2$, and spatially averaged estimates of krill density were $44.9g/m^2$ (north of the South Shetland Islands), $30.3g/m^2$ (Bransfield Strait), $11.3g/m^2$ (near the Elephant Island), $13.6g/m^2$ (north of the Elephant Island), $18.1g/m^2$(between Elephant Island and South Orkney Islands) and $21.7g/m^2$(northwest of the South Orkney Islands) at each sub-area. In the two sub-regions with surveyed area, estimated krill biomass in the north of the Elephant Island was 0.315 million tones with a CV of 18.35% $(6,766mile^2)$, and between Elephant Island and South Orkey Islands was 1.26 million tones with a CV of 9.45% $(20,299mile^2)$. As a whole, the krill density in the early summer season was low level, comparing with that of January-February. This suggested that major krill swarms in the around South Shetland Islands were reached in the mid-summer seasons from western part of the Antarctic Peninsula, and the low krill density also affects the density variation of the krill between Elephant Island and South Orkney Islands.