Annual report on the scientific work undertaken at Davis Station in 1985

Brief description

This is a scanned copy of the annual report on the scientific work undertaken at Davis Station in 1985. The report was written by J.B. Gallagher.

Paraphrased from the introduction:

This report describes the work undertaken at Davis from January 1985 to November 1985.

Aims of the program:

1) Description of the seasonal circulation patterns within Ellis Fjord. This was done by measuring the salinity temperature profiles at selected stations down the length of the fjord, its entrance and the sea.

2) Origin, age, circulation and mixing rates of the meromictic basin. The deep waters of the meromictic basin have a salinity of approximately 1.4 the salinity of sea water. It's possible that this may be due to old sea water left behind after an isostatic uplift with subsequent concentration through evaporation.

Calculation of mixing rates and description of the water circulation will explain why the basin is so stable.

3) Recent sedimentation rates within the meromictic basin. Sediment was collected from 110m for 137Cs analysis - the peak in the profile should indicate the age of that layer of sediment as 1963, during which atmospheric bomb tests released large quantities of 137Cs into the atmosphere.

4) Biogeochemistry of sulphur, iron, manganese, aluminium and carbon within the meromictic basin. The deep waters of the meromictic basin are anoxic (from 45m). This gave an ideal opportunity to study the cycling of the above redox active elements.

5) Collection and processing of water for trace element analysis and organometallics.

Lineage

Progress Code: completed

Statement: The quality of the scanned pages may vary. An OCR process has been run over the document.