Description: We review data on the absorption of anthropogenic CO2 by Northern Hemisphere marginal seas (Arctic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Sea of Okhotsk, and East/Japan Sea) and its transport to adjacent major basins, and consider the susceptibility to recent climatic change of key factors that influence CO2 uptake by these marginal seas. Dynamic overturning circulation is a common feature of these seas, and this effectively absorbs anthropogenic CO2 and transports it from the surface to the interior of the basins. Amongst these seas only the East/Japan Sea has no outflow of intermediate and deep water (containing anthropogenic CO2) to an adjacent major basin; the others are known to be significant sources of intermediate and deep water to the open ocean. Consequently, only the East/Japan Sea retains all the anthropogenic CO2 absorbed during the anthropocene. Investigations of the properties of the water column in these seas have revealed a consistent trend of waning water column ventilation over time, probably because of changes in local atmospheric forcing. This weakening ventilation has resulted in a decrease in transport of anthropogenic CO2 from the surface to the interior of the basins, and to the adjacent open ocean. Ongoing measurements of anthropogenic CO2, other gases and hydrographic parameters in these key marginal seas will provide information on changes in global oceanic CO2 uptake associated with the predicted increasing atmospheric CO2 and future global climate change. We also review the roles of other marginal seas with no active overturning circulation systems in absorbing and storing anthropogenic CO2. The absence of overturning circulation enables anthropogenic CO2 to penetrate only into shallow depths, resulting in less accumulation of anthropogenic CO2 in these basins. As a consequence of their proximity to populated continents, these marginal seas are particularly vulnerable to human-induced perturbations. Maintaining observation programs will make it possible to assess the effects of human-induced changes on the capacity of these seas to uptake and store anthropogenic CO2.

Description: During two Atlantis II/Alvin cruises to the Juan de Fuca Ridge in 1984 active high temperature (140°–284°C) vents were sampled for black smoker particulates using the Grassle Pump. Individual mineral phases were identified using standard X ray diffraction and petrographic procedures. In addition, elemental compositions and particle morphologies were determined by X ray energy spectrometry and scanning electron microscope/X ray energy spectrometry techniques. The vent particulates from the southern Juan de Fuca Ridge vent sites were highly enriched in S, Si, Fe, Zn, and Cu and were primarily composed of sphalerite, wurtzite, pyrite, pyrrhotite, barite, chalcopyrite, cubanite, hydrous iron oxides, and elemental sulfur. Two additional unidentified phases which were prevalent in the samples included an Fe-Si phase and a Ca-Si phase. The grain sizes of the individual particle phases ranged from 〈 2 μm for the sphalerite and Fe oxide particles to 〉 100 μm for the Fe-Si particles. Grain size and current meter data were used in a deposition model of individual phase dispersal. For many of the larger sulfide and sulfate particles, the model predicts dispersal to occur over length scales of only several hundreds of meters. The high-temperature black smokers from the more northerly Endeavour Segment vents were highly enriched in Fe, S, Ca, Cu, and Zn and were primarily composed of anhydrite, chalcopyrite, sphalerite, barite, sulfur, pyrite, and other less abundant metal sulfide minerals. The grain sizes of the individual particles ranged from 〈 10 μm to slightly larger than 500 μm. The composition and size distributions of the mineral phases are highly suggestive of high-temperature mixing between vent fluids and seawater. A series of field and laboratory studies were conducted to determine the rates of dissolution of several sulfate and sulfide minerals. The dissolution rates ranged over more than 3 orders of magnitude, from 3.2 × 10−8 cm s−1 for anhydrite to 1.2 × 10−12 cm s−1 for chalcopyrite. The results indicate that for some minerals, particularly anhydrite and marcasite, total dissolution occurs within a few hours to a few weeks of their formation. For other more stable minerals, including pyrite, sphalerite and chalcopyrite, the time required for total dissolution is much longer, and consequently, individual crystals may be expected to persist in the sediments for considerable periods of time after deposition.