ABSTRACT Micronekton and macrozooplankton were sampled from the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP) and eastern Ross Sea regions. Samples were collected over the course of six research cruises to the Southern Ocean. Four of those cruises were conducted in the Marguerite Bay region of the WAP during the austral fall and winter of 2001 and 2002. A fifth cruise sampled faunal assemblages at nine sites, ranging from Joinville Island at the northern tip of the WAP to Charcot Island near the southern extent of the WAP, during austral fall 2010. A sixth cruise was conducted in the pack ice within the offshore, continental slope, and continental shelf zones of the Eastern Ross Sea during austral summer 1999/2000. The purpose of this dissertation was to describe the macrozooplanktonic/ micronektonic faunal assemblages present in each of those regions and relate differences in species composition and distribution patterns to local bathymetry, hydrography, and physical conditions. A variety of multivariate techniques were used to identify unique multispecies assemblages and to quantify the contributions of both oceanic and neritic species to the assemblages within each study region. The invertebrate micronekton/macrozooplankton communities found in the Marguerite Bay region of the WAP during the 2001/2002 cruises were a mixture of oceanic and neritic fauna: a direct result of local hydrographic conditions. Near the shelf break and in the outer reaches of the Marguerite Trough, a deep canyon transecting the shelf in a south-southeast direction, the communities were more diverse, dominated by oceanic species such as the euphausiid, Euphausia triacantha, the salp, Salpa thompsoni, and, an amphipod, Themisto gaudichaudii. The assemblages present in the nearshore fjords exhibited lower diversity and were dominated by neritic species such as the euphausiid, E. crystallorophias, and the mysid, Antarctomysis ohlinii. At the mid-shelf and mid-trough locations, the assemblages were composed of a variable mixture of oceanic and neritic fauna. The faunal mixing and overall species composition in those areas is the result of episodic Circumpolar Deep Water (CDW) intrusions onto the shelf via deep bathymetric features such as the Marguerite Trough. Distinct multispecies assemblages were identified at Joinville, Croker Passage, Marguerite Bay, Charcot Island, and from a region that included samples from sites near Anvers Island, Renaud Island and the Marguerite Trough. Assemblages at Joinville and Croker Passage were both dominated by E. superba and S. thompsoni, but hydrographic conditions at Joinville favored a neritic assemblage, underscored by the substantial numbers of the nototheniid fish, Pleuragramma antarcticum. The assemblage at Croker Passage was more oceanic in nature with major inputs from the myctophid fish, Electrona antarctica and the amphipod, T. gaudichaudii. Marguerite Bay and Charcot Island were well-mixed assemblages with strong representation by both neritic and oceanic fauna. The mid-peninsula assemblage was also oceanic in character, being overwhelmingly dominated by the euphausiid, Thysanoessa macrura, and T. gaudichaudii. Pleuragramma antarcticum were captured at five sites: Joinville, Croker Passage, Marguerite Bay, and the two sites near Charcot Island. They were completely absent at the two sites near Anvers Island, at Renaud Island, and in the Marguerite Trough. In the eastern Ross Sea, cluster analyses identified three primary groups, which were characterized as oceanic, mixed, and neritic assemblages due partly to their geographical location, but mostly to their faunal composition. The oceanic assemblage contained the highest number of taxa and was dominated by oceanic fauna, such as the hydrozoans Diphyes antarctica and Calycopsis borchgrevinki, and the scyphozoan Atolla wyvillei. Top contributors in the mixed assemblage included those species that dominated in the oceanic assemblage as well as substantial contributions from E. superba and the tunicate, Ihlea racovitzai. The neritic assemblage was overwhelmingly dominated by E. crystallorophias and E. superba. The physical environment strongly impacted micronektonic/ macrozooplanktonic distributions and densities in the eastern Ross Sea. Changes in faunal composition were directly related to temperature differences encountered at the shelf break and the subsequent filtering out of oceanic fauna from cold, shelf waters where endemic fauna were most prevalent.

No description available.

This contribution aims to publicize the efforts made in the identification of gas hydrates in the Uruguayan continental shelf, analyze the most outstanding aspects related to its energy potential, as well as include this topic in other areas of knowledge for a comprehensive understanding of the subject. The hydrates, crystalline solid formed mainly by water and natural gas, are reservoirs of carbon that occur naturally in the continents in permafrost areas, and at sea, in the offshore basins of continental margins. They contain more than twice the total carbon in the world, surpassing the conventional hydrocarbon reserves. Principal energy programs foresee its commercial exploitation by 2015. International research programs include not only the energy aspect, but studying such systems considering their participation in the global carbon cycle, climate change and benthic communities associated with them. In our country, several seismic surveys showed evidence of the presence of gas hydrates in continental shelf and the surrounding area. The first survey was carried out by Brazil in the south of the Brazilian continental shelf, ANCAP then showed the continuity of the hydrate layer on the Uruguayan continental shelf and estimated the gas potential of the mineralized layer (87 TCF). Finally, the BGR survey verified the existence of seismic evidence of gas hydrates layer and the presence of free gas below these. The typical seismic response of gas hydrate and free gas is the BSR (Bottom Simulating Reflector) and is interpreted as a positive intensity reflection, followed by a negative intensity, showing the wave passage from a high acoustic impedance zone to a low acoustic impedance zone.

Magistro baigiamajame darbe “D-6 naftos telkinio eksploatacija tarptautinės jūrų teisės požiūriu” analizuojami tarptautinės teisės šaltiniai, reglamentuojantys jūrinių naftos platformų statybą, eksploataciją bei atsakomybę už jų sukeltą žalą kitai valstybei. Nagrinėjama kurios tarptautinės sutartys, kiti teisės aktai yra privalomi Rusijos Federacijai ir turi būti taikomi eksploatuojant naftos telkinius Baltijos jūros kontinentiniame šelfe Rusijos jurisdikcijos zonoje. Taip pat darbe yra nurodomi atvejai, kuriais Rusija nesilaikė jai privalomų tarptautinės teisės normų projektuodama, statydama ir eksploatuodama naftos platformą D-6. Analizuojama, ar Rusijos Federacija būtų atsakinga prieš Lietuvos Respubliką už žalą, kuri gali kilti eksploatuojant D-6 naftos platformą. Tuo tikslu nagrinėjami du atsakomybės taikymo pagrindai: atsakomybė už tarptautinės teisės normų pažeidimus ir atsakomybė už kitos valstybės interesams padarytą žalą veiksmais, kurių nedraudžia tarptautinė teisė. Vertinant “griežtos” atsakomybės taikymo principą analizuojamas JT Tarptautinės teisės komisijos darbas šioje srityje. Siekiama nustatyti, ar yra susiformavęs tarptautinis paprotys, numatantis tokią valstybės atsakomybę už sukeltą žalą. Darbo pabaigoje pateikiamos išvados. Remiantis atlikto tyrimo rezultatais konstatuojama, kad projektuojant ir statant D-6 naftos platformą buvo pažeistos tarptautinės teisės normos, tačiau šiuo metu eksploatuojant platformą Rusija laikosi tarptautinės teisės reikalavimų... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The Master’s thesis “D-6 oil fields exploitation in the background of the international maritime law” analyzes sources of the international law governing construction and exploitation of offshore platforms as well as responsibility for the damages to other countries caused by such platforms. The thesis also analyzes which international treaties and other legislation are mandatory to the Russian Federation and must be followed in exploiting oil fields continental shelf in the Baltic Sea in the area of the Russian jurisdiction. Besides, the thesis provides for the cases where Russia violated mandatory legislation in planning, erecting and exploiting oil platform D-6. Furthermore, the thesis analyzes whether the Russian Federation would be liable against the Republic of Lithuania for the damages which may arise from exploitation of D-6 oil platform. To that end, the thesis analyzes two principles of liability: liability for violations of the international legislation and liability for the damages to the interests of the other country resulting from the actions not prohibited by the international law. For assessment of the principle of application of “strict” liability, the work done by the UN International Law Commission is analyzed. Attempts are made to find out whether there is an international custom providing for the country’s liability for the caused damages. The thesis is finalized by the findings. Taking into consideration the research results it is stated that planning... [to full text]

Baigiamajame darbe analizuojamos Teismo nagrinėtų ginčų dėl kontinentinio šelfo delimitavimo priimtų sprendimų nuostatos, kuriose išaiškintos pagrindinės delimitavimo taisyklės. Kadangi 1958 m. Konvencija dėl kontinentinio šelfo bei 1982 m. Jūrų teisės konvencija numato tik abstrakčius kontinentinio šelfo delimitavimo principus, teismo sprendimuose pateikiamas šių principų turinys. Darbe analizuojama, kurios teisės normos yra reikšmingiausios delimituojant kontinentinį šelfą, akcentuojami jų nustatymo kriterijai, reikšmingos aplinkybės bei šių normų taikymo ypatumai. Antroje darbo dalyje nustatytos taisyklės taikomos konkrečios srities – Egėjo jūros kontinentinio šelfo delimitavimui, siekiant išsiaiškinti, kokie sunkumai kyla praktiškai įgyvendinant Teismo sprendimuose išaiškintas normas. Atsižvelgiant į iškeltą tikslą bei uždavinius, nustatyta, kad Teismas sprendimuose apibrėžė pagrindines teisės normas, reglamentuojančias kontinentinio šelfo delimitavimą. Tačiau dėl skirtingų faktinių aplinkybių, dažnai pasitaiko jų taikymo išimčių. Teismo sprendimuose pasigesta detalesnių kriterijų, kurias remiantis būtų nustatoma salų įtaka kontinentinio šelfo delimitavimui, kriterijų, kuriais vadovaujantis būtų išskiriamos pagrindinių delimitavimo taisyklių išimtys. Dėl to kyla sunkumų, kai šias teisės normas reikia pritaikyti konkrečiai situacijai. Tikėtina, kad visus šiuos neaiškumus užpildys vėlesnė Teismo praktika. / This thesis investigates provisions of Court-analysed disputes regarding continental shelf delimitation made decisions, where the main rules of delimitation are being explained. As main international conventions - 1958 Convention on the Continental Shelf and 1982 Law of the Sea Convention - cover general principles of continental shelf delimitations only, the court decisions are accompanied with the content of these principles. This work analyses which rules of law are the most important when delimitating continental shelf, emphasising criteria used to establish them, influential circumstances and peculiarities of their application. In the second part of the thesis the rules identified are being applied to a particular case of continental shelf delimitation in the Aegean Sea, aiming to determine potential problems that may arise trying to apply the court-specified rules of law in practice. With reference to the set objective and tasks it was established that the Court in its decisions has defined legal standards regulating the delimitation of the continental shelf. However, due to different factual circumstances, exceptions with regard to application thereof are rather frequent. The Court decisions were found to be lacking more detailed criteria which would serve as a basis for the determination of islands’ influence on the delimitation of the continental shelf, as well as criteria which would help to identify the exceptions to the main delimitation rules. Therefore... [to full text]

One of the central purposes of the international law of the sea is to define various maritime zones, their extent and limits. One of these zones is the continental shelf. The continental shelf in modern international law has two aspects: The continental shelf within 200 nautical miles from the shore of coastal States and the continental shelf beyond that limit. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea provides that information on the limits of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles shall be submitted by the coastal State to a scientific and technical commission, namely the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. The Commission is responsible for making recommendations to coastal States on matters related to the establishment of the outer limits of their continental shelves beyond 200 nautical miles. If the limits of the shelf established by a coastal State are on the basis of the recommendations, they are final and binding. The establishment of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles has two main features: The establishment of the boundary line between the continental shelf and the international seabed area and the establishment of the boundary between the continental shelf of adjacent or opposite coastal States. Many questions concerning the relationship between these procedures have been left unanswered as well as the relationship between the Commission and international courts and tribunals. This thesis analyses the role of coastal States, the Commission and international courts and tribunals in the establishment of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles and the interplay between them. It explores how the various sources of international law have contributed to the establishment of the current legal framework. The thesis explores the differences between the delineation and delimitation of the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles. It demonstrates that the role of the Commission is to curtail extravagant claims to the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles and protect the territorial scope of the international seabed area. It also shows that the role of international courts and tribunals in this field is essentially the same as their role in other types of disputes. It explains that the establishment of the boundary line between the continental shelf and the international seabed area and the establishment of the boundary between the continental shelf of adjacent or opposite coastal States is a separate process. Furthermore, it clarifies that the three-stage boundary delimitation method is applicable beyond 200 nautical miles. It also displays that no special rule of customary international law has evolved that is solely applicable to delimitations regarding the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles. The thesis addresses the interaction of the various mechanisms within the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea concerning the continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles. Its main conclusion is that despite the possibility for tension to arise the relationship between the institutions is clear and precise and they together form a coherent system where each separate institution plays its own part in a larger process.

Holocene shoreline sequences and associated shelf stratigraphy are described from a high gradient, high wave energy shelf offshore the central KwaZulu-Natal and northern KwaZulu-Natal coastlines. These are examined using high resolution single-channel seismic and multibeam bathymetric means in order to describe the shallow stratigraphy and seafloor geomorphology of each area. The development and preservation of two distinct planform shorelines at -100 m (northern KwaZulu-Natal) and -60 m (northern KwaZulu-Natal and central KwaZulu-Natal) is described. The shallow seismic stratigraphy of northern KwaZulu-Natal comprises three seismic units (Units 1-3) corresponding to calcarenite barriers (Unit 1), back barrier lagoonal sediments (Unit 2) and the contemporary highstand sediment wedge (Unit 3). At intervening depths between each shoreline the shelf is characterised by erosional surfaces that reflect ravinement processes during periods of slowly rising sea level. Where shorelines are not preserved, areas of scarping in the ravinement surface at depths coincident to adjoining shorelines are apparent. These areas represent rocky headlands that separated the sandy coastal compartments where the shorelines formed and are a function of the high gradient. In central KwaZulu-Natal where the shelf is notably wider and gentler, shoreline building was more intense. Five major seismic units are identified (Units 1-5) with several subsidiary facies. The formation of the -60 m barrier complex (Unit 2) in central KwaZulu-Natal was accompanied by the simultaneous formation of a back-barrier system comprising lake-lagoon depressions (Unit 3) and parabolic dune fields aligned to the local aeolian transport direction, formed on a widened coastal plain. On the seaward margins of the barrier, gully and shore platform features developed coevally with the barrier system. Several relict weathering features (Unit 4) are associated with the barrier and reflect similar processes observed in contemporary aeolianite/beachrock outcrops on the adjacent coastline. The two submerged shoreline sequences observed are attributed to century to millennial scale periods of stasis during which shoreline equilibrium forms developed and early diagenesis of beachrock and aeolianite occurred. These extensive phases of shoreline development are thought to have occurred during periods of stillstand or slowstand associated with the Bølling-Allerod Interstadial (~14.5 ka BP) and the Younger Dryas Cold Period (~12.7-11.6 Ka BP). Shoreline preservation in such an environment is considered unlikely as a result of intense ravinement during shoreline translation, coupled with the high energy setting of the KwaZulu-Natal shelf. Preservation of both the 100 m and 60 m shorelines occurred via overstepping where preservation was promoted by particularly rapid bouts of relative sea-level rise associated with meltwater pulses 1A and 1B (MWP-1A and -1B). This was aided by early cementation of the shoreline forms during stillstand. Differences in shelf setting have led to variations in the style of barrier preservation and associated transgressive stratigraphies between the central KwaZulu-Natal and northern KwaZulu-Natal shelves. The main differences include a much thicker post-transgressive sediment drape, higher degrees of transgressive ravinement and an overall simplified transgressive system’s tract (TST) architecture on the steeper and narrower continental shelf of northern KwaZulu-Natal. In comparison, the central KwaZulu-Natal shelf’s 60 m shoreline complex reflects more complicated equilibrium shoreline facets, large compound dune fields formed in the hinterland of the shoreline complex, higher degrees of preservation and a more complicated transgressive stratigraphy. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2013.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Santa Cruz, 1999. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 175-180).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2007. / Martial Taillefert, Committee Member ; Jay Brandes, Committee Member ; Markus Huettel, Committee Member ; Philip Froelich, Committee Member ; Ellery Ingall, Committee Member ; Richard A. Jahnke, Committee Chair.

A faixa urbanizada da orla na costa sul – oriental e leste do Estado do Rio de Janeiro sofre constantemente com a destruição de calçadões, ruas, muros e casas em eventos oceanográficos extremos. Essas construções, na maior parte dos casos estão localizadas muito próximas ao limite com a praia, dentro da faixa de não edificação prevista no Projeto Orla do Ministério do Meio Ambiente. A região apresenta forte crescimento populacional com principais atividades econômicas associadas à exploração de petróleo nas cidades de Macaé e Rio das Ostras, ao turismo da Região dos Lagos, além do centro urbano de Niterói já consolidado. A identificação de jazidas de material semelhante ao original para recuperação de praias como opção de mitigação, representa uma alternativa para manter a função de proteção exercida pelas mesmas e de seu uso para o lazer. Nesse sentido, este estudo tem como objetivo analisar a compatibilidade de sedimentos superficiais da plataforma continental interna com as areias de praias urbanas, situadas entre as cidades de Niterói e Macaé – RJ, através da comparação de parâmetros estatísticos da distribuição granulométrica das areias desses dois ambientes. Para a caracterização sedimentar das praias alvo, foram coletadas amostras da face praial de 16 praias situadas nos principais núcleos urbanos deste segmento do litoral fluminense. Os dados granulométricos dos sedimentos superficiais da antepraia e plataforma continental interna entre Niterói e Macaé são secundários, de campanhas oceanográficas pretéritas. Tais dados foram filtrados e digitalizados, somando um total de aproximadamente 1200 pontos de coleta que vão desde a barra leste da Baia da Guanabara até a Restinga de Jurubatiba. Onze áreas granulometricamente compatível com as diferentes praias da região de estudo foram identificadas próximo à isóbata de -20 m ao largo da costa de Niterói e Maricá, de Cabo Frio e Búzios e entre Rio das Ostras e Macaé, representando potenciais estoques de sedimento para utilização em projetos de recuperação dessas praias. / The urbanized coastline of east and south-east littoral of the state of Rio de Janeiro suffers constantly with the destruction of houses, walls and streets in extreme oceanographic events. These constructions, in most cases are located very close to the limit with the beach, inside of the range of no building suggest by Projeto Orla – Ministry of Environment. This region has strong population growth with major economic activities associated with oil exploration in the city of Macae and Rio das Ostras, industry of tourism in Lakes Region and the urban center of Niteroi already consolidated. The identification of sand deposits with similar granulometric characteristics to the native material to nourishment project as a mitigation option, represented an alternative to maintain the protective function of the beach and use for recreation. The objective of this study is analyze the compatibility of surface sediments of the inner continental shelf and sands of urban beaches, located between the cities of Niteroi and Macae – RJ, through of comparison the statistical parameters of size distribution of the sands of these two environments. For the characterization of sedimentary beaches were sampled from the beach face of 16 beaches located in the major urban centers of this segment of the coastline of Rio de Janeiro’s state. The granulometric data of surface sediments of the inner continental shelf between Niteroi an Macae are secondary from preterits oceanographic campaigns. These datas were filtered and digitized with a total of approximately 1200 collection points ranging from east bar of Guanabara Bay to the Restinga de Jurubatiba. Eleven areas granulometrically compatible with the different beaches were identified near the -20 meters isobaths near the coast of Niteroi and Marica, Cabo Frio and Buzios and between Rio das Ostras and Macae, representing a potential borrow areas for use in nourishment projects in this region.