Provenance and depositional setting of the Late MiocenePleistocene clastic sediments in the eastern Arabian Peninsula and western Iraq using rare earth elements geochemistry

The sandstones of the Late miocene–Pliocene Dibdibba Formation in the Najaf–Karbala Plateau and Basra were examined to determine their source rocks and origin. The rare earth elements(REE) and trace elements(Sc, Co, V, and Th) concentrations in these sandstones revealed that they likely derived from a single source. The steep light rare earth elements(LREE) and flat, heavy rare earth element(HREE) patterns, negative Eu anomaly, and high ΣREE contents in sandstones suggest its derivation from a suggests that a passive continental margin environment and originated from felsic source rocks. The average concentration of ΣREE is 93.5 ppm, which is lower than that of the average crustal compositions like Upper Continental Crust and Post Archean Australian Shale. The higher proportion of LREE compared to HREE implies that these sandstones were recycled and derived from a distal source. The Th/Co, Th/Sc, La/Sc, La/Co, Eu/Eu*and(La/Lu)cn elemental ratios indicated that these Late Miocene–Pliocene sandstones were derived from felsic rocks located in the marginal region of the Arabian Shield.

Mineralogy and geochemistry of the Ngaoundaba Crater Lake sediments,northern Cameroon:implications for provenance and trace metals status

This study was conducted on the Ngaoundaba Crater Lake sediments to infer provenance,weathering conditions,organic matter accumulation,and trace metal concentrations.Ngaoundaba Lake sediments were collected using a manual core sampler at 5 to 8 m water depth.Two sediment cores from the littoral and center of the lake were analyzed for grain size distribution,water content(WC),organic matter content,mineralogy,and major and trace element concentrations.The Ngaoundaba sediments were classified as silt and sandy silt.Sediments show high content in organic matter,which is more to the littoral than to the center of the lake,varying from 14.6%to 24%and21.2%to 40.8%,respectively.The grain surface features identified by Scanning Electron Microscopy(SEM)show both chemical and mechanical microtextures with subrounded to angular shape suggesting both proximal and distal sources.The lake sediments are composed of quartz,kaolinite,and hematite,with low amounts of feldspars,rutile,calcite,illite,and ilmenite.Weathering indices such as the chemical index of alteration(CIA),chemical index of weathering(CIW),and index of compositional variability(ICV)indicate moderate to intense chemical weathering in the source area and immature to mature sediments.The geochemical composition indicates that the sediments were derived from felsic to intermediate igneous rocks,such as granitoids,and mafic alkali lavas like basanites.The environmental risk assessment of trace metals obtained by enrichment factor(EF)and geo-accumulation index(I-geo)shows low contamination of the lake sediments.

Control in Beach and Dune Sands of the Gulf of Mexico and the Role of Nearby Rivers

A sedimentological, petrographic, and geochemical study of beach, dune, and river sands was carried out along the northwestern Gulf of Mexico. The main goal of this work is to show how beach and dune sands are controlled texturally, compositionally, and chemically by the nearby rivers for each beach location using a particle size analyser, a polarized microscope, a X-ray fluorescence and ICP mass spectrometer to obtain the following: grain-size values from one river (Carrizal River) are similar in range to their counterpart beach sands but not similar to the dune sands (Barra del Tordo). Rivers (Panuco and Carrizal) are compositionally controlling the quartz and feldspar contents of their counterpart beach and dune sands (i.e., Playa Miramar and Barra del Tordo). Rivers (Soto La Marina River) are directly influencing the composition of the beach sands (La Pesca) based upon the total quartz content, beach and dune sands. The concentration of magnetite grain fractions (Barra del Tordo beach and dune sands) is not under the influence of the nearby river (Carrizal River). In this case the compositional influence of beach and dune sands is related to sediment discharges by other fluvial systems, redistribution of the beach and dune sands along the coast and deflation/winnowing of light minerals. The Eu positive anomaly in the beach and dune sands from the three sites (i.e. Playa Miramar, Barra del Tordo, La Pesca) is linked to an increase in the P(plagioclase)/K(potash feldspar) ratio. The (La/Lu)cn highest ratio for river sands (Carrizal River) suggests quartz enrichment compared to their beach and dune sands counterparts. The (Gd/Yb)cn ratio for one river (i.e., Carrizal River) indicates that it is low in heavy rare earth elements. HREE compared to their beach and dune sands counterparts indicates less concentration of heavy minerals as potential carriers of HREE seawards.

Hydraulic Jump in the Gulf of California

Acoustic Doppler current profiles and water density profiles were measured over the 280 m deep continental slope of the Gulf of California to elucidate the bathymetric effect on zooplankton distribution. These measurements were combined with water velocity and density simulations from the Regional Ocean Model System with and without the influence of Coriolis acceleration. The data revealed an acceleration of the near-bottom flow as it moved toward increasing depths. This acceleration was produced by the adjustment of the isopycnals to bathymetry (hydraulic jump). Zooplankton patches moved downward at the continental slope and then upward, thus exhibiting wave patterns. Model outputs without the effect of Coriolis acceleration also suggested that vertical zooplankton concentration followed a wave pattern. However, when Coriolis acceleration was added to the momentum equation, the horizontal zooplankton distribution was enhanced, which reduced the vertical zooplankton concentration observed over irregular bathymetries. Coriolis acceleration was responsible for horizontal dispersal of up to 20% of the total zooplankton concentration located over the wave trough.

Two Years of Oceanographic and Meteorological Data from the UNAM Buoy Anchored at Socorro Island in the Mexican Pacific

The paper analyzes oceanographic and meteorological data registered by an oceanographic buoy in the Mexican Pacific. In 2005 the Marine Science and Limnology Institute of the National Autonomous University of Mexico moored an oceanographic buoy off the coast of Socorro Island in the Mexican Pacific that transmitted data hourly from July 11, 2005 to November 15, 2007. The buoy recorded oceanographic (current speed and direction, conductivity, temperature, salinity, density, turbidity, pH, fluorescence, sea level, waves, and tides) and meteorological (wind speed and direction, temperature, relative humidity, and pressure) data. Linear spectral analysis and wavelet analysis revealed annual, seasonal, and biweekly frequencies, as well as frequencies associated with the main tidal components, and those corresponding with inertial oscillations and Madden-Julian oscillations.

Recruitment Age of Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931) (Decapoda: Penaeidae) in the Cabeza De Toro-La Joya Buenavista Lagoon System, Oaxaca-Chiapas, Mexico

At present, the fishery of Litopenaeus vannamei continues overexploited in the Gulf of Tehuantepec (GT), Mexico. From the available literature it was demonstrated that marine closure systems implemented in GT have not worked adequately since 1993, because these are completely protecting marine recruitment seasons, and reproductive seasons were only partially considered to protect. Due to these problems, new marine closure systems were proposed in the literature, but they were not accepted by fishermen from GT because they did not include marine and lagoon recruitment information. For this reason, in this study both recruitment types were analyzed with estimations on the recruitment age (RA), and its relationship with total length and weight. To the Cabeza de Toro la Joya Buenavista lagoon system (CTJB-LS), it was concluded that young recruits migration toward outside CTJB-LS elapsed between 3 and 5-m-olds, with the highest recruit flow in 4-m-olds. Thus, this last age was called the RA of L. vannamei (at 106 mm). Maximum marine recruitment ranked from June to July, and maximum reproductive seasons were in October. In both recruitment seasons it was observed that biomass production was different. In marine season RA recorded 8.4 g more than lagoon season at the same size. Results were used in order to discus about atarraya nets uses, and to propose the implementation of a lagoon closure during July inside lagoon systems located in GT. With this proposal artisanal fishermen will be allowed to use atarraya nets with mesh opening of 25.4 mm during June, and they will obtain a good biomass production level as economic support.Additionally, with new marine closure systems shrimp reproductive seasons will be protected (from July to November).

Segregated Distribution of Liriope tetraphylla, Aglaura hemistoma and Nausithoe punctata (Cnidaria) in the Southern Gulf of Mexico

In order to study the segregated distribution of the three most abundant jellyfish species in the southern Gulf of Mexico, a total of 85 stations were sampled during an oceanographic cruise from 19 May to 18 June 2006. Trawling took place from surface to a maximum depth of 200 m, using a Bongo net with a 61 cm mouth diameter and 333 and 500 μm mesh sizes. Temperature and salinity were recorded. Samples were preserved in 4% formalin, neutralized with sodium borate, and changed to 70% ethylic alcohol after 24 hours for conservation. The jellyfish data were standardized to 100 m3 of filtered water. A total of 10,610 jellyfish were collected from the 333 μm mesh size net, of which eight species represented 88.49% of the total density: Aglaura hemistoma, Liriope tetraphylla, Nausithoe punctata, Clytia hemisphaerica, Persa incolorata, Obelia spp., Clytia folleata and Eutima gracilis. The former three species are the subject of this study. The results obtained indicate that the high density areas of these three species have a segregated distribution. Segregation values (White’s index) recorded between pairs of specie were very high: L. tetraphylla - A. hemistoma, 0.88;L. tetraphylla - N. punctata, 0.86 and A. hemistoma - N. punctata, 0.84. The spatial distribution of the high density areas of these species fits well with the three hydrodynamically different areas: A. hemistoma in Campeche Bank, L. tetraphylla on the Campeche and Tabasco shelves and N. punctata in Campeche Bay. This spatial distribution pattern corresponds to their main habitat and reproductive habits of the species, as well as the influence of the hydrodynamics that dominate each area.

Immigration of Post Larvae of Penaeid Shrimp to Terminos Lagoon,Campeche,Mexico:2013 Annual Cycle

Immigration density magnitude and entry sizes of shrimp postlarvae to Terminos Lagoon were analyzed through sixteen fortnightly sampling from March to November in 2013, in three levels in the deepest channel of the Puerto Real inlet. Trapezium nets were used with 1.5 m length, 50 cm mouth diameter and 505 μm mesh, during each sampling 12 casts of 15 minutes/each were made. It was determined the presence of two species Litopenaeus setiferus and Farfantepenaeus duorarum, with total densities of 41.284 and 37.558 Pls 100 m-3 respectively. The annual cycle of immigration of postlarvae was very similar for both species, with a clear pattern of immigration throughout the year, linked to climatic variation, with the highest densities (88%) during rainy season. There were two periods of maximum density, related to the periods of greatest reproduction of these species. The density variation among cast reflects the presence of at least two and probably more postlarvae banks, located some closer than others to the mouth of the lagoon and with different densities in them. The average sizes of the two species were 7.9 mm total length of L. setiferus and 9.0 mm of F. duorarum. The differences in income sizes of both species seem to indicate the habitat preference of adult populations, L. setiferus occurring in more coastal areas than F. duorarum. Considering the variation in density and sizes throughout each sampling period, it is evident that the larvae on the banks belong to different cohorts and that have coincided in their location in front of the mouth.

Geochemistry and mineralogy of beach sediments in the northern Gulf of Mexico,Tamaulipas state,Mexico:implication for provenance

Geochemical and mineralogical studies were performed in the La Pesca(LP)and Tesoro Altamira(TA)beach sediments,located in the Tamaulipas state,northern Gulf of Mexico.The main aim of this study is to infer the weathering history and provenance and to discriminate the tectonic environment of the beach sediments.The sediments are composed of quartz with small amounts of accessory minerals such as plagioclase,calcite,orthoclase,microcline,and zircon.Both beach sediments are classified as fine-grained and very well sorted,however LP has coarse skewed and leptokurtic sediments,whereas TA has fine-skewed and very leptokurtic sediments.The chemical index of weathering(CIW’)indicates intense weathering in the source area.The quartz grain microtextures in the LP and TA are classified into mechanical,chemical,and mechanical/chemical origin.Mechanical features such as fractures,pits,percussion marks,abrasion fatigue,and V-shaped marks favor high-energy littoral,fluvial,subaqueous-marine,and aeolian environments.The chemical features indicate solution pits and crystalline overgrowth,which suggests a silica saturated marine environment.The mechanical/chemical features display adhering particles and elongated depressions suggest formation in a sub-aqueous nearshore marine environment.Major and trace elements-based provenance discrimination diagrams indicate a felsic source derived from the Mesa Central(MC),Sierra Madre Oriental(SMOr)and Oaxaquia terranes.The major and trace element concentrations imply a passive margin setting for the northern Gulf of Mexico,which is consistent with the general geology.

Organophosphate Pesticides in Coastal Lagoon of the Gulf of Mexico

The worldwide use of semi-persistent organophosphate pesticides has become increasingly frequent and notorious. Their presence is registered in both continental and coastal waters;the latter ones are known for their subtly balanced environmental richness, difficult to recover once lost. These xenobiotics compounds reach the coastal zone through rivers that have crossed human settlements, as well as through peripheral run-off water used to exterminate agricultural pests. In Mexico, a developing country, the use of pesticides for several decades has not been adequately regulated, which is why various coastal ecosystems are the accumulation areas of these agrochemicals used in the continent. In the Gulf of Mexico, one of the coastal systems of high fishing importance for many years is the lagoon of Alvarado and receives the discharges of two great rivers, Blanco, Limón and Papaloapan, which travel more than 200 km from its source to the sea, crossing large extensions of farmland where there are also livestock activities and the use of these pesticides. For this reason, the objective of this work was to determine the presence of organophosphate pesticides in the Alvarado lagoon at the Gulf of Mexico as a potential aspect of high impact contamination. Five pesticides have been identified in the lagoon sediments, of which the most important and highest concentrations are Dimethoate and Chlorpyrifos, with 75.65 - 79.0 ng/g and 0.17 - 0.23 ng/g respectively, both internationally classified as moderately toxic. These concentrations were comparable to levels in other world regions with intense agricultural activity and vector control like the Mediterranean Sea and the lagoon of Alvarado was evidenced as a hot spot for the accumulation of these organophosphates with the high risk for the benthic organisms and for the human health when consuming these fishery products.

Sand Waves Generation: A Numerical Investigation of the Infiernillo Channel in the Gulf of California

The effect of the coastal geometry on sand bed forms generation has been investigated for a tidal dominated area. Different hypothetical geometries of coastal channels with flat bottoms and unlimited sediment availability were exposed to strong oscillatory tidal currents to simulate the interaction of hydrodynamics and the bedload sediment transport. The hypothetical geometries stand for the idealization of the principal geographic features of the Infiernillo Channel, a coastal area of the Gulf of California where sandbanks and sand waves have been observed. A depth integrated hydrodynamic-numerical model and a parameterized formula to estimate the bedload sediment transport were applied coupled with a sediment conservation equation to determine the sea bottom morphodynamics. Model predictions in the Infiernillo Channel were compared to available satellite imagery. This investigation demonstrates that a vertical integrated numerical model is able to reproduce the development of incipient sand waves that exist in the Infiernillo Channel. Incipient sandbanks and shoals were also simulated. Sand waves with wavelengths of about 200 m were calculated on the same locations where sand waves actually exist. A crucial finding of this research was to show that the geometry of a shallow water basin and the presence of tidal velocity gradients associated with abrupt changes in the coastline alignment were critical in determining the sand-bed pattern generation. We demonstrate that a vertical variation of tidal currents is not necessary to generate sand waves.

Detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology and geochemistry of the Riachuelos and Palma Sola beach sediments,Veracruz State,Gulf of Mexico:a new insight on palaeoenvironment

Zircons are abundant in the beach sediments.In this study,surface microtexture,mineralogy,bulk sediment geochemistry,trace element composition and U−Pb isotopic geochronology of detrital zircons collected from the Riachuelos and Palma Sola beach areas,southwestern Gulf of Mexico were performed to infer the sediment provenance and palaeoenvironment.The zircon microtexture was categorized as mechanically-and/or chemically-induced features.The weathering index values for the Riachuelos(~72−77)and Palma Sola(~71−74)beach sediments indicated moderate weathering of both of the two source areas.The major and trace element data of bulk sediments suggested passive margin settings for the two areas.The trace elemental ratios and chondrite-normalized rare earth element(REE)patterns of bulk sediments revealed that the sediments were likely sourced by felsic and intermediate igneous rocks.And the zircon Th/U ratios(mostly more than 0.2)and zircon REE patterns(with negative Eu and positive Ce anomalies)suggested a magmatic origin for both of the beach sediments from these two areas.Two distinct zircon age peaks respectively belonging to the Paleozoic and the Cenozoic were identified both in the Riachuelos and Palma Sola beach sediments.Zircon geochronology comparison research between the Riachuelos−Palma Sola beach sediments and potential source areas in SW Gulf of Mexico revealed that the source terrane supplied the Paleozoic zircons of this study was identified as the Mesa Central Province(MCP),and the Cenozoic zircons were transported from the nearby Eastern Alkaline Province(EAP).Moreover,although the Precambrian zircons were very few in the studied sediments,their geochronology and geochemistry results still could infer that they were contributed by the source terranes of Grenvillian igneous suites in the Oaxaca and the Chiapas Massif Complexes.