Articles tagged with Marine Geology
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A new study reveals a surprising link between West Antarctic Ice Sheet retreat and algae growth over the past 500,000 years. Iron-rich sediments from icebergs stimulate algae growth, but in a less bioavailable form than previously assumed.
A new study in Geology suggests that massive undersea volcanism triggered at least four Triassic extinctions. Marine large igneous provinces were found to be a key driver of these events, accounting for half of the extinctions with an identifiable geological trigger.
Researchers discovered chemosynthetic microbial communities formed wrinkle structures in ancient turbidites, which should not have existed in the deep-water setting. The team analyzed geologic evidence and determined that the sediment layers were indeed turbidites with biotic textures.
Researchers at the University of Alberta have found evidence of abiotic nitrogen reduction, a reaction driven by minerals as catalyst, which likely produced necessary nutrients for life. This discovery sheds light on the faint young sun paradox and provides a key piece to understanding how life may have emerged on Earth.
Researchers found three major vent areas aligned with active fault zones, controlled by the island's tectonic fabric. The discovery establishes Milos as a natural laboratory for studying hydrothermal activity, volcanism, and tectonics.
Sixty-million-year-old rock samples have revealed how massive amounts of carbon dioxide are stored in piles of lava rubble on the seafloor. This discovery sheds light on the importance of breccia, a geological sponge for carbon in the long-term carbon cycle.
Scientists have discovered how continents are slowly peeled from beneath the Earth's surface, stripping material that fuels volcanic eruptions over tens of millions of years. This phenomenon, known as a 'mantle wave,' explains why ocean islands contain materials distinctively continental, despite being found in the middle of oceans.
Climate change is projected to decimate mollusk populations in the Western Atlantic, with over 60% of their range expected to be lost. This would have significant impacts on marine ecosystems, as mollusks play critical roles in maintaining water quality and providing habitats for other species.
Researchers found that hydrothermal systems release iron that can be transported far beyond vent sites through environmental parameters and plume chemistry. This process has significant consequences for ocean productivity and the global carbon cycle.
Researchers found similarities in timing and structure of turbidite layers in cores from both fault systems, suggesting seismic synchronization between Cascadia and San Andreas faults. The study, led by Chris Goldfinger, suggests that earthquakes on one fault could draw down resources across the country.
The Red Sea experienced a massive disruption 6.2 million years ago, completely changing its marine life and transforming into a barren salt desert. The catastrophic flood from the Indian Ocean rapidly refilled the basin, restoring normal marine conditions within less than 100,000 years.
The MiningImpact project is investigating the environmental impacts of deep-sea mining on ocean ecosystems. Scientists are studying biodiversity, genetic connectivity, and ecosystem health to develop indicators and threshold values for harm.
Dr. Tanja Stratmann's project investigates how deep-sea sponges have processed nitrogen since ancient times, influencing their ecosystems and shaping past environmental conditions. The study uses incubation chambers and fossilized sponges to determine the role of sponges in past ocean environments.
The 2026 Ocean Sciences Meeting will be held in Glasgow, Scotland from February 22-27, 2025. The event will bring together 6,000 scientists, students, and educators to discuss breaking research on the ocean sciences and critical issues affecting a sustainable future for our oceans.
Marine animals diversified over 500 million years ago, but oxygen levels didn't reach the ocean floor until later. Thallium isotopes show fluctuations in O2 levels at the ocean floor during the Paleozoic era.
The expedition aims to assess the storage potential of rocks and lay the foundation for their geophysical monitoring. Globally, basalt deposits beneath the ocean theoretically have a storage capacity of 40,000 gigatons.
A new study reveals that heat can transform refractory organic matter into forms usable by microbes living far below the seafloor. This process, known as carbon-reactivation, occurs at temperatures above 35 °C and provides a significant energy source for deep Earth ecosystems.
A new deep-sea hydrothermal system was discovered in the Western Pacific, producing massive hydrogen emissions. The Kunlun system is notable for its exceptionally high hydrogen flux and unique geological setting.
Researchers used benthic foraminifera to study the link between Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) strength and oxygen content in the eastern tropical North Atlantic. The study found that weaker AMOCs are associated with more oxygen in the oxygen-minimum zone, which has implications for marine ecosystems.
The Barents Sea system – gateway to the changing Arctic book documents six years of interdisciplinary research on the Barents Sea. Researchers used various platforms, including drones, satellites, and underwater robots, to collect data and make predictions about future changes.
Researchers discovered that a substantial proportion of metals are removed from seawater solution by solid manganese-oxide particles. Chemical reactions in sediment release metals back into solution, which then mix back up through the ocean. This process changes how we view ocean chemistry and its impact on climate.
International collaborations leveraging MBARI’s expertise and advanced technology better understand polar environments, including the Arctic seafloor and Southern Ocean. Researchers study seafloor processes, carbon and climate, and biodiversity in these regions.
Researchers uncover valuable insights into past climate scenarios and marine ecosystems through ancient sediment cores. The study highlights the need for more data to improve future climate models and transform our understanding of Earth's complex life systems.
New research from the University of Sydney reveals that while sea levels can rise without devastating the reef, environmental stressors like poor water quality and warming climates are a greater threat to its survival. The study suggests the modern Great Barrier Reef may undergo significant changes in the next 50-100 years.
The University of Oldenburg has secured funding for three research clusters: Hearing4all, Ocean Floor, and NaviSense. These clusters aim to improve hearing loss prediction, diagnosis, and treatment, as well as animal navigation research. The funding enables the continuation of high-quality research with social relevance.
A 1,200-tonne boulder in Tonga is one of the largest known wave-transported rocks, providing new insights into past tsunamis. Numerical modelling suggests tsunami heights of 50m lasting 90 seconds dislodged the boulder from its cliff-edge origin.
A groundbreaking expedition aims to validate hypotheses about the origin of freshened groundwater in offshore aquifers. Researchers will collect sediment and water samples from beneath the ocean on the New England Shelf, shedding light on the dynamics of these systems and their influence on nutrient and element cycling.
New study models spatial patterns of grazing halos around coral reefs and finds that halo patterns can signal reef resilience. The research suggests that stable halos exist where herbivores are limited by predators, while oscillating halos may indicate a shift in system health.
A study found that microorganisms using the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycle dominate in shallow-water hydrothermal systems. This energy-efficient process enables them to transfer carbon into organic molecules, allowing them to survive in harsh conditions.
Researchers on the SONNE310 expedition investigate canyons on active and passive continental slopes in the southwest Pacific. The study aims to identify factors that determine landslide frequency, size, and location, enhancing global risk assessment and protecting coastal areas.
Researchers have discovered large underwater ice formations at the edge of the Canadian Beaufort Sea, revealing an unanticipated mechanism for submarine permafrost ice formation. The newly formed ice is created by melting ancient permafrost and refreezing as brackish groundwater approaches the seafloor.
Researchers found inorganic nanostructures surrounding deep-ocean hydrothermal vents that mimic molecules essential for life. These structures can harness energy and convert it into electricity, sparking interest in applying this technology to industrial blue-energy harvesting.
A new study provides a complete picture of the last Snowball Earth's end and suggests its connection to the emergence of complex lifeforms. The research focuses on ancient rocks known as cap carbonates, which preserve clues about Earth's atmosphere and oceans.
A team of researchers discovered that a 'tag-team' between the oceans and continents led to severe environmental crises, causing mass extinctions of marine species. The study found that chemical weathering pulses disrupted the oceans, leading to anoxic events that had profound impacts on marine ecosystems.
Researchers questioned the Cascadia subduction zone's earthquake record, finding that turbidite layers showed no better correlation than random chance. The study suggests a need for further research on turbidite layers and their connection to past earthquakes.
The UT Austin expedition aims to investigate how sediments control glacial melt and the future of the Greenland ice sheet. A robotic submersible will gather measurements of the glaciers' underwater walls and sediment-laden meltwater, while surveys and sediment cores will reveal past climate change impacts.
Researchers used drones to map loko iʻa at the community level, providing insights into flooding and future sea level rise impacts. Drones accurately estimated observed flooding during extreme high tide events, while LiDAR models overestimated flooding by two to five times.
A 246 million-year-old nothosaur vertebra was discovered on New Zealand's South Island, shedding new light on early sea reptiles from the Southern Hemisphere. The find reveals that these marine reptiles originated near the equator and rapidly spread to other regions, challenging long-standing hypotheses about their migration patterns.
Research reveals that powerful sediment flows, not methane gas eruptions, maintain prehistoric seafloor pockmarks off the California coast. Sediment gravity flows have caused erosion in the center of each pockmark, maintaining these unique underwater morphologic features over time.
Research in the Alaskan-Aleutian subduction zone found evidence of splay fault uplift generating additional tsunami activity in half of last eight earthquakes. Splay faults can create local tsunamis reaching shores in under 30 minutes, exacerbating coastal destruction.
Researchers have identified heavily used shipping lanes that pass through crucial whale shark feeding grounds, posing a threat to this endangered species. Targeted measures, such as reducing ship speed, could help minimize the impact on the shipping industry while protecting whale sharks.
Scientists used lithium isotope data to show that continental clay export promoted organic carbon burial and thus atmospheric oxygenation during the Cambrian period. This finding challenges traditional views on marine oxygen levels during this time, suggesting a complex interplay between oceanic and atmospheric processes.
Scientists developed a reliable proxy to reconstruct ancient marine oxygen levels, revealing a significant rise during the Late Paleozoic era. This finding suggests early animals evolved in oxygen-poor oceans, providing critical context for studying exoplanet atmospheres.
Researchers reconstructed a Late Holocene-aged subfossil coral death assemblage and compared it to modern reefs in Southeast Florida. The study reveals significant differences in coral composition between the two periods, suggesting that modern reefs may not be able to support range expansions of temperature-sensitive species.
Researchers found a 100-million-year-old endoparasitic marine tapeworm fossil in Kachin amber, providing new information on the early evolution of tapeworms. The discovery shows that amber can preserve internal structures of helminths like tapeworms, shedding light on their taphonomy.
Researchers at Kiel University discovered that porpoises and sand eels create shallow pits in the North Sea seafloor when hunting for buried sand eels. The findings have significant global implications, suggesting that scouring of sediments by vertebrates could modulate the seafloor on a global scale.
The study reconstructs a nearly continuous record of marine oxygen levels through the Phanerozoic using a machine learning approach. Oxygen levels in deep continental shelf seawater were negatively correlated with the production rate of the oceanic crust over timescales of 10–100 million years.
GEOMAR researchers used 3D seismics to recreate the 1650 Kolumbo volcano eruption, finding that a landslide followed by an explosion created the devastating tsunami. The study provides valuable insights for monitoring submarine volcanic activity and potentially developing early warning systems.
Early linguliform brachiopods developed stacked sandwich columns in their shells, increasing toughness and flexibility. These structures may have contributed to the species' widespread dispersal during the Cambrian explosion.
A team of researchers from China and the UK has discovered that a group of ancient marine reptiles used whale-like filter feeding methods 250 million years ago. The Hupehsuchus skull shows adaptations similar to baleen whales, including grooves and notches along the jaws.
A subpolar Atlantic plankton species was found in the central Arctic Ocean during the Last Interglacial period, indicating summers were ice-free. This discovery has implications for understanding Arctic climate dynamics without sea ice.
New research reveals that the Amazon estuary receives significant dissolved neodymium and hafnium from the Rio Pará River, contrary to previous assumptions about suspended solid sources. The findings indicate a revised estimate of global riverine neodymium flux, with concentrations up to three times higher than previously thought.
Two studies by UPV/EHU researchers analyze recent and past oceanographic information off the Basque coast based on microfauna present in sediments. The research found that planktonic foraminifera assemblages are good indicators of ocean currents and water masses reaching the Basque continental shelf today.
Scientists have discovered that sinking seamounts leave behind a trail of soft sediments, which help release tectonic pressure in slow slip earthquakes. This finding can be used to adjust earthquake models and improve understanding of the mechanisms driving earthquakes.
The InVADER Mission successfully deployed a high-tech laser laboratory on the ocean floor, marking a paradigm shift in ocean research and exploration. The Laser Divebot collects compositional data without disturbing the environment, removing the need for physical samples.
Researchers have discovered a unique underwater spring in the Pacific Northwest that could provide insights into earthquake hazards. The Pythia's Oasis seep is sourced from water 2.5 miles beneath the seafloor at the plate boundary, regulating stress on the offshore fault.
A new study finds that supernovae have a persistent influence on marine life's biodiversity, with variations in nearby exploding stars closely following changes in marine genera. Supernovae may regulate climate through cosmic rays, influencing nutrient transport and primary bioproductivity.
Researchers from ETH Zurich, Harvard, and Cambridge join forces to study chemical and physical processes of living organisms and environmental conditions for life on other planets. Synthetic cells enable scientists to deconstruct complex systems, understand basic principles of life and evolution.
Researchers analyzed fossil bed in Nevada's Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park to determine cause of mass extinction. They found evidence that ichthyosaurs died due to migration, not mass stranding or environmental toxins.
Research by University of Texas Institute for Geophysics reveals how ancient global warming affected the Gulf of Mexico's marine life and chemistry. The study found that radiolarians thrived in the Gulf due to nutrient-rich river sediments, providing valuable lessons about current climate change.