Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2008. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 156-175).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hong Kong, 1993.

Thesis (M.Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1996. / Typescript. Bibliography: leaves 164-169. Also available online.

Thesis (M.S.)--San Diego State University. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves [61]-65).

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.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2004. / Supervisors: Edward C. Theriot and Judith C. Lang. Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences, 1980. / Microfiche copy available in Archives and Science. / Vita. / Bibliography : leaves 227-236. / by Mary Josephine Richardson. / Ph.D.

Intertidal cohesive sediment systems are found throughout the world in areas of low hydrodynamic energy. These systems are ecologically and economically important but are under pressure from global warming, sea level rise and other anthropogenic influences. To protect and conserve these systems it is important to understand the sediment dynamics, especially the erosional properties of the sediment. The study of sediment erosion and transport is complex, encompassing biological, chemical and physical properties of the ecosystem. This thesis contributes towards this area of research, firstly in regard to the methods used to measure sediment erosion on exposed and submerged sediments and secondly with respect to assessing influences upon sediment stability through changes in the ecosystem, comprising of both the sediment environment and the macrofaunal community. Chapter 3: In partnership with Sediment Service a thorough re-evaluation of the Cohesive Strength Meter (CSM), a commercially available device used to measure surface sediment strength, was performed. New components, deployment method and calibration protocol were devised and tested. The new design was not effective, but the deployment and calibration have improved the ease of use and interpretation CSM data. Chapter 4: The study of intertidal sediment stability was conducted during the submerged period of the tidal cycle. Protocols and methods were devised or modified to sample submerged sediments with the aim to determine how sediment properties are affected by submersion and the resulting effect on sediment stability. Sediment stability increased with submersion. The existence of a fine layer of sediment on the surface, similar to the fluff layer found in submerged sediments, is given as a suggested explanation as it may be removed by the incoming tide. However, no other changes in sediment properties were detected. This may be due to flaws in the methods used in detecting fine scale changes in the sediment surface. In situ and laboratory experiments revealed contrasting effects of submersion on sediment stability with disturbance from the sampling and movement of sediment from the field to the laboratory given as an explanation for this. Chapter 5: The influence of the ecosystem engineering polychaete Arenicola marina on sediment properties was examined with an exclusion experiment. A. marina was excluded from five 20m² plots on an intertidal mudflat on the German island of Sylt. A holistic approach was used to measure the ecosystem, including a range of biotic and abiotic sediment properties as well as the macrofauna community. It was hypothesised that A. marina’s exclusion would alter the macrofaunal community and increase sediment stability. However, there was no consistent change in the macrofauna community or sediment environment with the exclusion of A. marina and subsequently no change in sediment stability. Chapter 6: The impact of bait digging for A. marina was examined with six 5m² plots dug up and A. marina removed, the plots were then monitored over a three month period. Bait digging disturbance was expected to have an impact upon the sediment environment and macrofauna community, resulting in a reduction in both sediment stability and microphytobenthic abundance. However, bait digging had minimal impact on the macrofauna community and caused no change in the sediment environment, despite the removal of a large proportion of the A. marina population. No change was recorded in the sediment stability or biomass of the microphytobenthos, indicating that with the exception of removing A. marina, bait digging of this nature was not detrimental to the sediment ecosystem. However, the consequences of larger, longer term digging operations can not be determined from this work and further studies are suggested. The study of intertidal sediment stability was progressed with advances made in methods and protocols. The work highlighted the importance of studying sediment stability as an ecosystem function through a holistic ecosystem approach rather than isolating individual variables.

Magnetismo ambiental é uma área nova e multidisciplinar que estuda propriedades magnéticas de solos, sedimentos, rochas e relaciona essas propriedades com parâmetros ambientais e poluição. Assim a caracterização dos minerais presentes em solos e sedimentos é ferramenta fundamental de estudo, principalmente devido à presença do Fe. Com este objetivo, amostras de sedimentos foram coletadas na forma de testemunhos no Largo de Santa Rita (LSR) e Rio Casqueiro (CS2), Santos, São Paulo (no presente trabalho acrescentamos aos cálculos também a contribuição dos óxidos de ferro) e Ferraz (FZ) e Botany Point (BP), da baia do Almirantado, Ilha Rei George, Antártica Os testemunhos da baia de Santos são semelhantes porque são provenientes de uma região extremamente poluída. De outra forma, os testemunhos da Antártica são semelhantes por serem de regiões sem ocupação humana. Assim um interesse específico em estudar amostras destas regiões é justificado. E amostras isoladas de superfície da plataforma continental do Rio de Janeiro e São Paulo, incluindo amostras da ilha do Cardozo e ilha Anchieta, por apresentarem particularidades interessantes. As amostras foram caracterizadas por Espectroscopia Mössbauer (EM), Susceptibilidade Magnética (SM) e PIXE (Particle Induced X-ray Emission). Esta última técnica permite detectar e quantificar elementos químicos de número atômico acima de 12. Os elementos quantificados nos resultados de PIXE são: em todas as amostras Al, Si, S, Cl, K, Ti, Mn e Fe; no testemunho LSR: P, V, Co ; no testemunho CS2: P, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Br e Zr; no testemunho BP: V, Cr, Co, Cu, Zn, I e W; no testemunho FZ: V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn e I; na amostra PEN: P, Co; na amostra CARD: P e Mo; na amostra P6947: Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br e I; na amostra P6949: Cr, Co, Cu, Zn e La; na amostra P6561: Cr, Co, Ni, Br e I; na amostra P6626: Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, I, Sr e Zr e na amostra P6627: Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, I e Sr. A partir das medidas de EM determinamos as proporções de Fe2+, Fe3+ paramagnético e de Fe3+ ligado aos óxidos de ferro e os identificamos. Determinamos que o óxido de ferro presente nos testemunhos LSR e CS2 é a goethita. O óxido de ferro identificado nas amostras dos testemunhos Ferraz e Botany Point foi a hematita. Esta também foi identificada na amostra da praia do engenho, ilha Anchieta. Em única amostra entre as amostras da plataforma continental foi detectado e quantificado um óxido de ferro. Nas amostras dos testemunhos do litoral de São Paulo, a fase do ferro predominante é a paramagnética, portanto, associamos a fase paramagnética do ferro ao predomínio do intemperismo químico. Por outro lado amostras dos testemunhos da Antártica, a fase do ferro predominante é dos óxidos de ferro, portanto, associamos a fase de óxidos de ferro ao predomínio de intemperismo físico. Assim a presença de ferro amorfo (ferridrita ou fugerita) poderia ser um índice de quantidade de metais de transição presentes na coluna sedimentar. Modelamos o valor da susceptibilidade magnética ponderando as contribuições individuais de cada elemento químico e do Fe3+, do Fe2+ e dos óxidos de ferro. O cálculo da susceptibilidade magnética modelada é a contribuição original deste trabalho, onde verificamos que os picos no valor de Susceptibilidade Magnética correspondem às situações de maior contaminação ambiental. Por fim, concluímos que nossos resultados de Espectroscopia Mössbauer, PIXE e Susceptibilidade Magnética estão de acordo e podem ser usados em modelos com o objetivo de observar impactos ambientais. / Environmental magnetism is a new area that studies magnetic properties of soils, sediments and rocks and relates these properties with environmental parameters and pollution. With this proposal sets of sediments were collected from the Largo Santa Rita(LSR), Santos, São Paulo; from Baia do Almirantado, Rei George, Antarctic, Ferraz (FZ) and Botany Point (BP); Rio Casqueiro, Cubatão, São Paulo (CS2, re-studied in the present work including oxides contribution) and isolated samples of Plataforma Continental. The CS2 and LSR samples are similar from a heavily polluted region. On the other hand, FZ and BP samples are similar from regions without human occupation. Thus a specific interest to study samples from these regions is justified. The samples were characterized by Mössbauer Spectroscopy (MS), Magnetic Susceptibility and PIXE (Particle Induced X-ray Emission). The latter allowed to detect and to quantify the content of chemical elements of atomic number above 12. The presence of trace metals as Al, Si, S, Cl, K, Ti, Mn and Fe was detected and quantified using the PIXE technique in all samples. P, V, Co were detected and quantified in LSR samples. P, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Br and Zr were detected and quantified in CS2 samples. V, Cr, Co, Cu, Zn, I and W were detected and quantified in BP samples. V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and I were detected and quantified in FZ sample. P and Co were detected and quantified in PEN sample. P and Mo were detected and quantified in CARD sample. Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br and I were detected and quantified in P6947 sample. Cr, Co, Cu, Zn and La were detected and quantified in P6949 sample. Cr, Co, Cu, Zn and La were detected and quantified in P6561 sample. Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, I, Sr, Zr and La were detected and quantified in P6626 sample. Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, I e Sr were detected and quantified in P6627 sample. The Mössbauer measurements presents Fe2+ and Fe3+ sites and in some samples an additional sextet, due the presence of goethite for LSR and CS2 samples, hematite for FZ and BP samples. The relative area of paramagnetic iron was larger than the others MS components in samples of São Paulo, Litoral, so we associated chemistry weathering with paramagnetic phases. On the other hand, the iron oxides relative áreas of Antarctic samples were larger than the others MS components, so we associated physical weathering with magnetic iron oxides phases. Thus the paramagnetic iron detected could be a measure of transition metals presence or a pollution index. The peaks of experimental magnetic susceptibility curve were related to pollution. The combined results of MS and PIXE allowed us to perform the fitting of the magnetic susceptibility curve that yield a perfect fit with experimental data. In the particular case of Fe we used the related proportions of Fe2+ and Fe3+ obtained by MS measurements. The iron oxides contributions are also found in literature. The model of magnetic susceptibility is the original contributed of the present work. We can conclude that our results of MS, PIXE and magnetic susceptibility are in good agreement and can be used in models with the objective to study the environmental impacts effects.

Magnetismo ambiental é uma área nova e multidisciplinar que estuda propriedades magnéticas de solos, sedimentos, rochas e relaciona essas propriedades com parâmetros ambientais e poluição. Assim a caracterização dos minerais presentes em solos e sedimentos é ferramenta fundamental de estudo, principalmente devido à presença do Fe. Com este objetivo, amostras de sedimentos foram coletadas na forma de testemunhos no Largo de Santa Rita (LSR) e Rio Casqueiro (CS2), Santos, São Paulo (no presente trabalho acrescentamos aos cálculos também a contribuição dos óxidos de ferro) e Ferraz (FZ) e Botany Point (BP), da baia do Almirantado, Ilha Rei George, Antártica Os testemunhos da baia de Santos são semelhantes porque são provenientes de uma região extremamente poluída. De outra forma, os testemunhos da Antártica são semelhantes por serem de regiões sem ocupação humana. Assim um interesse específico em estudar amostras destas regiões é justificado. E amostras isoladas de superfície da plataforma continental do Rio de Janeiro e São Paulo, incluindo amostras da ilha do Cardozo e ilha Anchieta, por apresentarem particularidades interessantes. As amostras foram caracterizadas por Espectroscopia Mössbauer (EM), Susceptibilidade Magnética (SM) e PIXE (Particle Induced X-ray Emission). Esta última técnica permite detectar e quantificar elementos químicos de número atômico acima de 12. Os elementos quantificados nos resultados de PIXE são: em todas as amostras Al, Si, S, Cl, K, Ti, Mn e Fe; no testemunho LSR: P, V, Co ; no testemunho CS2: P, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Br e Zr; no testemunho BP: V, Cr, Co, Cu, Zn, I e W; no testemunho FZ: V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn e I; na amostra PEN: P, Co; na amostra CARD: P e Mo; na amostra P6947: Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br e I; na amostra P6949: Cr, Co, Cu, Zn e La; na amostra P6561: Cr, Co, Ni, Br e I; na amostra P6626: Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, I, Sr e Zr e na amostra P6627: Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, I e Sr. A partir das medidas de EM determinamos as proporções de Fe2+, Fe3+ paramagnético e de Fe3+ ligado aos óxidos de ferro e os identificamos. Determinamos que o óxido de ferro presente nos testemunhos LSR e CS2 é a goethita. O óxido de ferro identificado nas amostras dos testemunhos Ferraz e Botany Point foi a hematita. Esta também foi identificada na amostra da praia do engenho, ilha Anchieta. Em única amostra entre as amostras da plataforma continental foi detectado e quantificado um óxido de ferro. Nas amostras dos testemunhos do litoral de São Paulo, a fase do ferro predominante é a paramagnética, portanto, associamos a fase paramagnética do ferro ao predomínio do intemperismo químico. Por outro lado amostras dos testemunhos da Antártica, a fase do ferro predominante é dos óxidos de ferro, portanto, associamos a fase de óxidos de ferro ao predomínio de intemperismo físico. Assim a presença de ferro amorfo (ferridrita ou fugerita) poderia ser um índice de quantidade de metais de transição presentes na coluna sedimentar. Modelamos o valor da susceptibilidade magnética ponderando as contribuições individuais de cada elemento químico e do Fe3+, do Fe2+ e dos óxidos de ferro. O cálculo da susceptibilidade magnética modelada é a contribuição original deste trabalho, onde verificamos que os picos no valor de Susceptibilidade Magnética correspondem às situações de maior contaminação ambiental. Por fim, concluímos que nossos resultados de Espectroscopia Mössbauer, PIXE e Susceptibilidade Magnética estão de acordo e podem ser usados em modelos com o objetivo de observar impactos ambientais. / Environmental magnetism is a new area that studies magnetic properties of soils, sediments and rocks and relates these properties with environmental parameters and pollution. With this proposal sets of sediments were collected from the Largo Santa Rita(LSR), Santos, São Paulo; from Baia do Almirantado, Rei George, Antarctic, Ferraz (FZ) and Botany Point (BP); Rio Casqueiro, Cubatão, São Paulo (CS2, re-studied in the present work including oxides contribution) and isolated samples of Plataforma Continental. The CS2 and LSR samples are similar from a heavily polluted region. On the other hand, FZ and BP samples are similar from regions without human occupation. Thus a specific interest to study samples from these regions is justified. The samples were characterized by Mössbauer Spectroscopy (MS), Magnetic Susceptibility and PIXE (Particle Induced X-ray Emission). The latter allowed to detect and to quantify the content of chemical elements of atomic number above 12. The presence of trace metals as Al, Si, S, Cl, K, Ti, Mn and Fe was detected and quantified using the PIXE technique in all samples. P, V, Co were detected and quantified in LSR samples. P, V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Br and Zr were detected and quantified in CS2 samples. V, Cr, Co, Cu, Zn, I and W were detected and quantified in BP samples. V, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn and I were detected and quantified in FZ sample. P and Co were detected and quantified in PEN sample. P and Mo were detected and quantified in CARD sample. Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br and I were detected and quantified in P6947 sample. Cr, Co, Cu, Zn and La were detected and quantified in P6949 sample. Cr, Co, Cu, Zn and La were detected and quantified in P6561 sample. Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, I, Sr, Zr and La were detected and quantified in P6626 sample. Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Br, I e Sr were detected and quantified in P6627 sample. The Mössbauer measurements presents Fe2+ and Fe3+ sites and in some samples an additional sextet, due the presence of goethite for LSR and CS2 samples, hematite for FZ and BP samples. The relative area of paramagnetic iron was larger than the others MS components in samples of São Paulo, Litoral, so we associated chemistry weathering with paramagnetic phases. On the other hand, the iron oxides relative áreas of Antarctic samples were larger than the others MS components, so we associated physical weathering with magnetic iron oxides phases. Thus the paramagnetic iron detected could be a measure of transition metals presence or a pollution index. The peaks of experimental magnetic susceptibility curve were related to pollution. The combined results of MS and PIXE allowed us to perform the fitting of the magnetic susceptibility curve that yield a perfect fit with experimental data. In the particular case of Fe we used the related proportions of Fe2+ and Fe3+ obtained by MS measurements. The iron oxides contributions are also found in literature. The model of magnetic susceptibility is the original contributed of the present work. We can conclude that our results of MS, PIXE and magnetic susceptibility are in good agreement and can be used in models with the objective to study the environmental impacts effects.