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standardization of environmental data and information - International ...

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Figure 2<br />

Areas with claims registered by ISA.<br />

Generally, bottom-sediment chemistry is stable. Bacterial activity<br />

acts to oxidise the organic material present, <strong>and</strong> oxygen concentrations<br />

decline with sediment depth. Ammonia concentrations in DOMES samples<br />

showed significant enrichment over near-bottom water, presumably a result<br />

<strong>of</strong> metabolic activity.<br />

Detailed sampling <strong>of</strong> the bottom in the CCFZ is reported in several<br />

papers 15 . These collections indicate that the sediments consist<br />

predominantly <strong>of</strong> recent <strong>and</strong> Pleistocene pelagic radiolarian, calcareousargillaceous<br />

<strong>and</strong> argillaceous ooze with highly variable nodule abundances<br />

(from 0 to more than 15 kilograms per square metre). The bulk density <strong>of</strong><br />

the sediments may vary within the range 1.1-1.62 (mean value 1.19<br />

grams/cm), with moisture contents <strong>of</strong> 52-85% (mean <strong>of</strong> about 76%) <strong>and</strong><br />

porosities <strong>of</strong> 71-93% (average porosity <strong>of</strong> about 87%). The diatomaceousargillaceous<br />

ooze pelite fractions (less than 0.01 mm) comprise 50-85% <strong>of</strong><br />

the sediments <strong>and</strong> have a dry specific gravity <strong>of</strong> 0.4-0.9. The argillaceous<br />

INTERNATIONAL SEABED AUTHORITY 114

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