Nauki Ścisłe i Nauki o Ziemi

Polish Polar Research

Zawartość

Polish Polar Research | 2014 | No 1

Abstrakt

Micropaleontological and palynological samples from three Cenozoic diamictites at Cape Lamb, Vega Island, James Ross Basin were analysed. Fossiliferous samples yielded reworked and autochthonous a ssemblages of Mesozoic calcareous nannofossils, impoverished Cretaceous foraminifer a together with Neogene species, as well as Late Cretaceous dinoflagellate cysts, pollen, spores and abundant Cenozoic microforaminiferal linings. The recovered nannoflora indicates Early Cretaceous (Hauterivian–Albian) and Late Cretaceous (Santonian–Early Campanian) ages, suggesting an in tensive reworking of marine sediments. The presence of the Early Cretaceous species Nannoconus circularis Deres et Acheriteguy in the diamictite represents its first record for the James Ross Basin. The scarce foraminiferal fauna includes Pullenia jarvisi Cushman, which indicates reworking from lower Maastrichtian–lower Paleocene sediments, and also the Neogene autochthonous Trochammina sp. aff. T. intermedia. The inner−organic layer observed inside this specimen appears to be identical to microforaminiferal linings recovered from the same sample. Palynomorphs found in the studied samples suggest erosion from the underlying Snow Hill Island and the López de Berto − dano Formation beds (upper Campanian–upper M aastrichtian). These recovered assemblages indicate either different periods of deposition or reworking from diverse sources during Cenozoic glaciation, originating in James Ross Island and the Antarctic Peninsula with the influence of local sediment sources.
Przejdź do artykułu

Autorzy i Afiliacje

Andrea Concheyro
Andrea Caramés
Cecilia R. Amenábar
Marina Lescano

Abstrakt

The synsacrum is an important element of the axial skeleton in birds, both volant and flightless. Little is known about the maturation of this complex bone in penguins. In this work, the supposedly ontogenetically youngest known synsacrum of early penguins was described. The analysis of this specimen, collected within the Eocene La Meseta Formation of Seymour (Marambio) Island, Antarctic Peninsula, revealed that this bird had attained at least the fledging stage of growth. Studies of three mature synsacra recovered from the same formation focused on the synsacral canals and, using indirect reasoning, their contents. These analyses revealed that the lumbosacral intumescence of the spinal cord and its extensions, the transverse canals, had been developed roughly like those in extant penguins (and also swifts and cormorants). The neural spine extensions (a non−nervous tissue) tracing the transverse grooves of the dorsal wall of the synsacral canal are currently considered as involved in the control of walking. The presented data suggest that such a sense organ gained its current penguin configuration by the late Eocene.
Przejdź do artykułu

Autorzy i Afiliacje

Piotr Jadwiszczak

Abstrakt

The Passhatten Member (Anisian–Ladinian) is the most westward exposure of the Middle Triassic sedimentary sequence of Spitsbergen. The member has an average organic carbon of 2.21 wt %. The sediments were deposited in a shallow shelf environment under conditions of high biological productivity stimulated by a well−developed upwelling system and an enhanced nutrient supply from land areas. The high biological productivity caused a high supply of organic particles to the shelf bottom. Decomposition of organic matter initiated oxygen deficiency in the bottom waters; however, bottom water dynamics on the shallow shelf temporarily replenished the oxygen. Consequently, the Passhatten Mb section is bioturbated, even in thick black shale horizons and consists of alternately spaced lithological layers with variable organic carbon content. The organic matter is dominated by type II kerogen with a mixture of strongly altered marine and/or land derived organic matter. Calculated initial hydrogen index values suggest oil−prone organic matter similar to kerogen I and II types. The organic matter is in the upper intermediate stage of thermo−catalytic alteration, close to the cata− and metagenetic boundary. Maturity indicators including Rock−Eval, Maximum Temperature, Organic Matter Transformation Ratio, Residual Carbon content, as well as the volume of methane generated suggest mature to overmature organic matter. Methane potential retained in the black shales sequence is significant. Unexpelled gas is estimated at 395 mcf/ac−ft for the examined section.
Przejdź do artykułu

Autorzy i Afiliacje

Przemysław Karcz

Abstrakt

A 2.5−metre−long marine core from Isvika bay in Nordaustlandet (80 ° N, 18 ° E) was AMS 14 C dated and analysed for its sedimentological and magnetic parameters. The studied record was found to cover the entire Holocene and indicates major turnovers in the palaeohydrography and sedimentary depositional history. The area was deglaciated at around 11,300 BP. The early Holocene has indications of rapid melting of glaciers and frequent deposition of ice−rafted debris (IRD). The climatic optimum terminated with a probable glacier re−advance event occurring ca. 5800 cal BP. This event caused the deposition of a diamicton unit in Isvika bay, followed by a shift towards a colder and a more stratified hydrographic set − ting. The reduction in IRD indicates gradual cooling, which led to the stratification of the bay and eventually to more persistent fast sea−ice conditions by 2500 cal BP. For the last 500 years, Isvika has again been seasonally open.
Przejdź do artykułu

Autorzy i Afiliacje

Antti E.K. Ojala
Mateusz Moskalik
Veli-Pekka Salonen
Frauke Kubischta
Markku Oinonen

Abstrakt

Glacially abraded basaltic rock surfaces found within a Little Ice Age (LIA) foreland of Skálafellsjökull (SE Iceland) were studied at eight sites of different age applying different weathering indices. They include surface micro−roughness parameters measured with the Handysurf E35−B electronic profilometer – a new tool in geomorphology, Schmidt hammer rebound (R−values) and weathering rind thickness. Values of these indices obtained from study sites exposed to subaerial weathering for more than ca. 80 years are significantly different than those from younger moraines closer to the glacier snout. Despite a wide scatter of readings within each study site, there is a significant correlation between the ages and the values of the indices. It is concluded that the micro−roughness parameters provided by the Handysurf E35−B profilometer, Schmidt hammer R−values and weathering rind thickness are robust indices of rock surface deterioration rate in short time−scales. There is mounting evidence that rock surface undergoes relatively rapid weathering during first decades since deglaciation.
Przejdź do artykułu

Autorzy i Afiliacje

Maciej Dąbski

Abstrakt

The population structure, seasonal and diel changes in vertical distribution of two siphonophore species, Dimophyes arctica and Pyrostephos vanhoeffeni , in Croker Passage (Antarctic Peninsula) are examined, and compared with the results obtained by other au− thors in various oceanic areas. Zooplankton samples were taken at discrete depth intervals between 0 and 1200 m during day and night shifts, in both summer and winter seasons. Dimophyes arctica was present both in polygastric and eudoxid forms, with the latter being dominant throughout the entire study period. The results obtained demonstrate that Antarctic waters clearly enhance the reproductive ability of this species when compared with specimens from other oceanic regions. Maximum densities of Dimophyes arctica were recorded in December in the 200–400 m depth horizon. However, high concentrations of eudoxids were also recorded at deeper parts of the water column. Pyrostephos vanhoeffeni was, in contrast, most abundant in autumn and winter, and both species were found to proliferate and disperse or sink further down the water column during autumn and winter. Daily vertical migration was observed only during the summer period.
Przejdź do artykułu

Autorzy i Afiliacje

Anna A. Panasiuk-Chodnicka
Maria I. Żmijewska
Maciej Mańko

Abstrakt

The archipelago of Svalbard in the European High Arctic lies on the convergence of the Palaearctic and Nearctic flora and fauna and contains elements of both regions. The island of Hopen is located in the south east of the archipelago within the path of the cold south−westerly flowing East Svalbard Current originating in the Arctic ocean and flowing along the north Russian coast. This current is postulated as a colonization route of the invertebrate fauna of Svalbard. Few reports of the terrestrial invertebrates of Hopen exist and none of the mite suborders Oribatida or Mesostigmata. With the taxonomic confusion existing in the inventories of this important region of the Arctic, new sampling campaigns with species identified by modern taxonomic principles and with material deposited in accessible museums and collections are essential. Identified mites included six species of oribatid mites with Diapterobates notatus dominating, and five species of Mesostigmata with Zercon forsslundi forming the dominant species. None of the species collected was a new record for Svalbard and all have wide circumpolar, Palaearctic or Holarctic distributions. Dispersal to Svalbard from northern Russia is hence neither supported nor rejected. The expected oribatid and mesostigmatid diversity of the island is greater than observed from the limited sampling described here.
Przejdź do artykułu

Autorzy i Afiliacje

Stephen J. Coulson
Heinrich Schatz
Dariusz J. Gwiazdowicz
Torstein Solhøy

Instrukcja dla autorów


The quarterly Polish Polar Research invites original scientific papers dealing with all aspects of polar research. The journal aims to provide a forum for publication of high-quality research papers, which are of international interest.

We warmly welcome review papers and proposals for thematic Special Issues.

Articles must be written in English. Authors are requested to have their manuscript read by a person fluent in English before submission. They should not be longer than 30 typescript pages, including tables, figures and references. However, upon request, longer manuscripts may be considered for publication. All papers are peer-reviewed. With a submitted manuscript, authors should provide e-mail addresses of at least three suggested reviewers.


Submission of the manuscript should be supported with a declaration that the work described has not been published previously nor is under consideration by another journal.

For text submission, Word file format is preferred. Please use the PPRes style template when preparing the final version of your paper. Pay special attention to writing correctly the list of references with doi. Manuscripts which are not prepared in line with the template will be returned to the authors. Please submit your manuscripts using our online submission system.

The journal does not have article processing charges (APCs) nor article submission charges. No honorarium will be paid to authors for publishing papers.





Ta strona wykorzystuje pliki 'cookies'. Więcej informacji