Marine Sciences (01/11:628:200)

Liz Sikes (office: 103 E) extension 932-6555 ext 518 email: sikes@marine.rutgers.edu

Lecture outline October 8, 2004

Ocean Sediments, sediment chemistry and sound

Readings in the text Sverdrup et al. 2004, pp 111-124 (sediments), 144-146 (sound)

I.        Sound in the sea

        How sound travels

        How we put it to use in the ocean

II.      Deep-sea sediments

A.   Classification

            Authigenic

    Lithogenic or terrigenous

    Biogenic

B.    Distribution

General sedimentation pattern on the sea floor

C.    Clays

1)    formation

2)    3 main types

          Chlorite

          Kaolinite

          Illite

          (Montmorillinite)

D.   Biogenic Sediments

1)    Siliceous

          Sources and cycling of silica

          Distribution (productivity related)

2)    Calcareous

          Chemistry and dissolution relationship (controlled by depth and acid base reaction)

          Distribution (bathymetrically related)

3)    Contrast of siliceous and calcareous

Summary and concepts to know in marine geochemistry

Deep sea sediments:

      What are the main types?

      What are the distributions of each main type?

      What determines the distribution of each type on the sea floor?

What role ocean chemistry plays in the distribution on the sea floor of:

                                  siliceous sediments

                                  carbonate sediments

How sound travels and how that is useful in oceanography (and the complications . . .)