Effect of Salinity and Currents on Sea Level Variation Along the Indian Coast: A Numerical Study

The process of upwelling/sinking and associated sea level variations are seen as a response of coastal ocean to pure wind stress forcing. Further,precipitation and monsoonal floods, apart from the marine meteorological parameters, are expected to influence the sea level fluctuations along the coast. This study comprises determining the sea level from the various parameters together with the pure wind stress forcing, which is compared with the observed cycle. However, it is found that there is considerable difference between the computations and observations. This suggests that the sea level is dependent not just on the local forcing alone, but also on the induced background circulation as well. For example, the sea level changes along the east coast of India, particularly the northern region, are more sensitive to freshwater discharge from various rivers joining the Bay of Bengal. This is due to more frequently occurring pre- and postmonsoon cyclonic storms and the associated surges in the Bay of Bengal as compared to the Arabian Sea. Hence the salinity effects are particularly important in the coastal waters off the east coast of India during monsoon months (June-September). For the west coast of India, however, it is expected that the large-scale coastal circulation may play a role in determining sea level changes in addition to other forcings. The salinity effects are negligible along the west coast in the absence of any major river systems that join the Arabian Sea. The local advection currents caused by the offshore directed freshwater discharge from various estuaries joining the coastal bay also seemed to influence the sea level. In order to elucidate the essential dynamics involved and to study the effect of the remote forcing, a three-dimensional baroclinic, nonlinear numerical model is used with appropriate open boundary conditions. The local effect of the current has been incorporated in the west coast model by means of opening a channel at Cochin through which the rainwater is carried away to the model ocean. The low saline plume, cascading from north along the east cost of India, has been incorporated in the east coast model through a proper forcing applied at the northern boundary of the model. With the inclusion of these remote forcings in the models, the disagreement between the simulations and the observations is minimized.     

Effect of Salinity and Currents on Sea Level Variation Along the Indian Coast: A Numerical Study

The process of upwelling/sinking and associated sea level variations are seen as a response of coastal ocean to pure wind stress forcing. Further,precipitation and monsoonal floods, apart from the marine meteorological parameters, are expected to influence the sea level fluctuations along the coast. This study comprises determining the sea level from the various parameters together with the pure wind stress forcing, which is compared with the observed cycle. However, it is found that there is considerable difference between the computations and observations. This suggests that the sea level is dependent not just on the local forcing alone, but also on the induced background circulation as well. For example, the sea level changes along the east coast of India, particularly the northern region, are more sensitive to freshwater discharge from various rivers joining the Bay of Bengal. This is due to more frequently occurring pre- and postmonsoon cyclonic storms and the associated surges in the Bay of Bengal as compared to the Arabian Sea. Hence the salinity effects are particularly important in the coastal waters off the east coast of India during monsoon months (June-September). For the west coast of India, however, it is expected that the large-scale coastal circulation may play a role in determining sea level changes in addition to other forcings. The salinity effects are negligible along the west coast in the absence of any major river systems that join the Arabian Sea. The local advection currents caused by the offshore directed freshwater discharge from various estuaries joining the coastal bay also seemed to influence the sea level. In order to elucidate the essential dynamics involved and to study the effect of the remote forcing, a three-dimensional baroclinic, nonlinear numerical model is used with appropriate open boundary conditions. The local effect of the current has been incorporated in the west coast model by means of opening a channel at Cochin through which the rainwater is carried away to the model ocean. The low saline plume, cascading from north along the east cost of India, has been incorporated in the east coast model through a proper forcing applied at the northern boundary of the model. With the inclusion of these remote forcings in the models, the disagreement between the simulations and the observations is minimized.     

苏北沿岸水的去向与淡水来源估算

本文基于2006—2007年春、夏、秋、冬季CTD观测的盐度资料分析了苏北沿岸水盐度的季节变化特征,并利用冬、夏季盐度场变化估算了苏北沿岸水的淡水来源。结果表明:冬季苏北沿岸水在东北季风的驱动下顺岸南下,在离开苏北浅滩后转向东南进入东海;夏季低盐的苏北沿岸水分多支向北、向东流出沿岸区,后者汇入南黄海夏季冷水团环流中。估算结果表明苏北沿岸水的淡水来源主要是苏北沿岸的入海径流水,约占总量的65%,次之是降水/蒸发量通量和长江冲淡水沿江苏沿岸的北向扩展。     

Hydrographical characteristics and oxygen isotopic signatures of water in a coastal environment (Mangalore) along the southeastern Arabian Sea

Coastal marine environments are important links between the continents and the open ocean. The coast off Mangalore forms part of the upwelling zone along the southeastern Arabian Sea. The temperature, salinity, density, dissolved oxygen and stable oxygen isotope ratio (δ¹⁸O) of surface waters as well as those of bottom waters off coastal Mangalore were studied every month from October 2010 to May 2011. The coastal waters were stratified in October and November due to precipitation and runoff. The region was characterised by upwelled bottom waters in October, whereas the region exhibited a temperature inversion in November. The surface and bottom waters presented almost uniform properties from December until April. The coastal waters were observed to be most dense in January and May. Comparatively cold and poorly oxygenated bottom waters during the May sampling indicated the onset of upwelling along the region. δ¹⁸O of the coastal waters successfully documented the observed variations in the hydrographical characteristics of the Mangalore coast during the monthly sampling period. We also noted that the monthly variability in the properties of the coastal waters of Mangalore was related to the hydrographical characteristics of the adjacent open ocean inferred from satellite-derived surface winds, sea surface height anomaly data and sea surface temperatures.     

EVOLUTIONARY PROCESS OF NORTHERN JIANGSU COASTAL ZONE AND A DYNAMIC EQUILIBRIUM MODEL OF NORTHERN JIANGSU SHOAL

The main portion of the northern Jiangsu coastal zone is the silty plain coast. The dynamic equlibrium has been broken continuously since the Quaternary, especially in the Holocene and the historical periods. In 1855 the Huanghe River (Yellow River) changed its channel entering into sea through the Bohai Sea. We find that the beach strand was then silting up intensely in the north of Qinggang but the coast was caving in and the beach was expanding in the south of Qinggang-. Multiple shoals and submarine ridges off the coast converged into Qionggang and formed a unique coastal landshaft. In this paper we describe the evolutionary process of the northern Jiangsu coastal zone and discuss the formative conditions for the northern Jiangsu shoal. Finally, a dynamic equilibrium model for the northern Jiangsu shoal is presented.     

连云港海域废黄河水下三角洲北翼的沉积特征与空间分布

基于连云港海域浅地层剖面资料解释和16个站位柱状岩心的剖面观察、粒度分析、微体化石鉴定、有孔虫和腹足类纹沼螺的AMS 14C年龄,分析废黄河水下三角洲北翼的沉积结构、厚度和沉积物组成,划分沉积单元及其分布范围;识别海侵沉积区的沉积相,认识其沉积环境特征。结果表明,水下三角洲沉积体可分为三角洲前缘和前三角洲两个沉积单元,两者沿连云港海岸线呈并置关系。三角洲前缘位于埒子口至新淮河口外,为一NNE向进积、NW向倾斜的扇形楔状体,可识别出灌河叶瓣及其以东的叶瓣两个沉积中心。该沉积单元以砂质沉积为主,两个叶瓣之间的分流间湾分布有泥和砂质泥。前三角洲位于三角洲前缘西北侧,大致从埒子口外侧沿海岸带向海州湾展布。该单元为泥质沉积,厚度较薄,其北部的两个柱状岩心所揭示的沉积厚度分别为1.8 m和1.5 m。水下三角洲以北,海侵沙席分布广泛,厚度通常在20 cm左右。其分布在本区具有普遍性,只是在连云港海域被黄河泥沙所覆盖,由此也构成了废黄河水下三角洲的底界面。该界面具有侵蚀残留地貌特征。海侵沙席之下为晚更新世MIS 3阶段中早期的海陆过渡相沉积。沉积物多由黄色粉砂或砂质粉砂组成,含有较丰富的有孔虫、介形虫等,可见淡水纹沼螺。     

南海北部沿岸冬季水位亚潮波动特征研究

用时间序列分析方法研究了南海北部水位亚潮波动的基本特征。结果表明南海北部冬季水位亚潮波动能量以福建南部沿岸最强,广东沿岸仅为台湾海峡南部的一半左右,但二者具有相似的谱特征。各站的功率谱峰均出现在3.2,6.4,3.6和2.3d频带。其中3.2和6.4d波动能量最强。此外,在珠江口附近还有10.7d的较弱谱峰。与东海沿岸冬季情况类似,南海北部沿岸水位波动有很高的空间相关性,说明冬季我国东南沿海的亚潮波动受某一共同机制的控制。分析还表明水位波动一致地从东北向西南传播,但在不同岸段传播特征有相当差异。     

Aerosols over the Arabian Sea: Atmospheric transport pathways and concentrations of dust and sea salt

This paper provides an overview of dust transport pathways and concentrations over the Arabian Sea during 1995. Results indicate that the transport and input of dust to the region is complex, being affected by both temporally and spatially important processes. Highest values of dust were found off the Omani coast and in the entrance to the Gulf of Oman. Dust levels were generally lower in summer than the other seasons, although still relatively high compared to other oceanic regions. The Findlater jet, rather than acting as a source of dust from Africa, appears to block the direct transport of dust to the open Arabian Sea from desert dust source regions in the Middle East and Iran/Pakistan. Dust transport aloft, above the jet, rather than at the surface, may be more important during summer. In an opposite pattern to dust, sea salt levels were exceedingly high during the summer monsoon, presumably due to the sustained strong surface winds. The high sea salt aerosols during the summer months may be impacting on the strong aerosol reflectance and absorbance signals over the Arabian Sea that are detected by satellite each year.     

ARABESQUE: An overview

This special issue reports the results of ARABESQUE, an UK-led, international programme of upper-ocean biogeochemistry in the Arabian Sea region, conducted during two contrasting seasons. The seasons studied were the waning of the southwest monsoon in August/September and the intermonsoon-northeast monsoon transition in November/December 1994. Biogeochemical studies were carried out along three transects in the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea. The main ARABESQUE transect, 1590 km in length, lay orthogonal to the southern Oman coast and spanned a range of conditions that encompassed coastal seasonal upwelling through to oceanic aseasonal oligotrophy of the central Arabian Sea. Surface mixed-layer hydrography, PAR, wind speed and direction fields, and research results obtained during the two seasonal studies are summarised in this paper, which also serves as an introductory overview to ARABESQUE.     

Cheniers on the east coastal plain of China

Three to four cheniers are found in the coastal areas of the Bohai Sea and west Yellow Sea. They are formed in the sheltered low tidal flat coast with low to medium wave energy, large quantity of fine sediment supply and shells, and a coastal slope of 0.9–3.0 ‰. The Huanghe River played a major role in controlling the chenier development by either providing sediment supply or cutting off the supply through shifting of its course. Cheniers may be used to determine the coastal development and dynamic processes.     

阿拉伯海东南海域盐度收支的季节变化

采用SODA海洋同化产品的月平均资料,本文分析了阿拉伯海东南海域表层盐度的季节变化特征,发现局地海面淡水通量不能解释盐度的变化。两个典型区域的表层海水盐度收支分析表明,海洋的平流输送是造成阿拉伯海东南海域盐度冬季降低、夏季升高的主要原因,而淡水通量仅在夏季印度西侧沿岸区域造成盐度降低。冬季,东北季风环流将孟加拉湾北部的低盐水沿同纬度输送到阿拉伯海,然后向北输送,使表层海水盐度降低;夏季,西南季风环流把阿拉伯海西北部的高盐水向南、向东输送,使阿拉伯海东南海域盐度升高。受地理位置因素的影响,阿拉伯海东南海域表层盐度的变化冬季明显强于夏季。     

青岛近海物理-生物地球化学过程及其生态响应

近些年来,夏季黄海浒苔大规模暴发,并在青岛近岸海域大面积聚集,引起了广泛的关注。本文基于在夏季和冬季所获得的多学科调查资料,重点研究了青岛近海的水文-生物地球化学过程及其生态影响,阐明了该海域物理-化学-生物等多参数之间的耦合响应。研究显示,夏季黄海冷水团的边界可扩展至青岛近岸海域,并在局部涌升至上层水体,形成沿岸上升流;该上升流可对上层营养盐产生一定的补充,进而促进浮游植物的繁殖,并于底层海域对应形成溶解氧（DO）和pH的低值。夏季青岛近海的上升流可能还有利于随南风漂移至此的浒苔的生长,并在一定程度上引起浒苔的局地旺发;同时,夏季该海域特定的锋面系统对浒苔聚集的影响也不容忽视。冬季黄海暖流在苏北浅滩外侧向山东半岛南部海域延伸,扩展至青岛近海的暖水舌与近岸低温水之间的锋面特征明显,而且在向岸暖水与近岸冷水间还对应形成了明显的营养盐和叶绿素（Chl-a）锋面。该项研究从多学科交叉的视角,增进了对青岛近海物理、化学和生物过程之间耦合关系的认识。     

2006年夏季珠江冲淡水驱动的上升流

根据珠江口及其附近海域2006年夏季（7-8月）航次水文调查资料,发现调查期间,除了西南季风驱动下的冲淡水东向扩散外,粤西珠江口外冲淡水主要呈西向扩散趋势,并且西向扩散的冲淡水下存在上升流。已有的模型研究中,西南季风下珠江口外没有出现上升流,说明西南季风不是珠江口外上升流产生的主导因素。观测的温盐分布、潜标流速时间序列与走航ADCP流态表明,上升流产生的原因是:（1）口门外冲淡水南向扩展驱动了垂向重力环流;（2）密度跃层以下东北向沿岸流的底边界层Ekman效应;（3）口门外冲淡水团之间的气旋型中尺度涡旋作用。     

A coastal front in the Sea of Iyo

In winter a remarkable coastal front is formed off the southeastern coast of the Kunisaki Peninsula in the Sea of Iyo in the western part of the Seto Inland Sea. This coastal front is generated in late November when the density difference between onshore colder water and offshore warmer water vanishes due to the cooling effect of the cold atmosphere. It barely changes its horizontal position and its sharpness increases until late January. The sea surface begins to be warmed in late February and the coastal front does not exist in mid-March.     

海南岛东南浅海表层沉积物粒度特征及沉积环境

对海南岛东南浅海377组表层沉积物样品(平均水深112.3 m)开展粒度测定及沉积物类型划分,并运用统计规律及沉积输运趋势分析,探讨了底质沉积物分布格局与物质来源及沉积动力环境关系。结果表明,海南岛东南浅海沉积物类型复杂,共分布13种沉积物类型,粒度组成以粉砂和砂为主,平均粒径均值为5.73Φ,优势粒级为细粉砂级(6~8Φ),分选差。不同海域沉积物粒径差异明显,北部近岸以含砾沉积为主,中部呈NE-SW向的砂质沉积区(水深80~120 m),西南近岸滨海、北中部海域以及东南部海域多为粉砂、黏土沉积。结合地理位置、沉积物源及水动力条件差异,研究区划分为3个沉积区:I区主要以含砾粗颗粒沉积为主,受控于海南岛上径流及强风浪作用,物质来源以万泉河等河流输运及岸线侵蚀物质为主,强动力(高能)沉积环境;II区以砂沉积为主,受到表层流及风浪等共同影响,可能主要是残留滨海沉积混入了海南岛径流及岸线侵蚀、少量珠江流域及外海复杂来源等现代细粒物质的混合沉积,中等动力沉积环境;III区以细粒沉积为主,主要受华南近岸流、风浪作用及南海暖流影响,推测物质来源主要为海南岛河流输入、岸线侵蚀及复杂外海来源细粒物质的加入,弱动力(低能)沉积环境。     

Seasonal and spatial distributions of phytoplankton biomass associated with monsoon and oceanic environments in the South China Sea

Seasonal variations of phytoplankton/chlorophyll-a （Chl-a） distribution, sea surface wind, sea height anomaly, sea surface temperature and other oceanic environments for long periods are analyzed in the South China Sea （SCS）, especially in the two typical regions off the east coast of Vietnam and off the northwest coast of Luzon, using remote sensing data and other oceanographic data. The results show that seasonal and spatial distributions of phytoplankton biomass in the SCS are primarily influenced by the monsoon winds and oceanic environments. Off the east coast of Vietnam, Chl-a concentration is a peak in August, a jet shape extending into the interior SCS, which is associated with strong southwesterly monsoon winds, the coastal upwetling induced by offshore Ekman transport and the strong offshore current in the western SCS. In December, high Chl-a concentration appears in the upwelling region off the northwest coast of Luzon and spreads southwestward. Strong mixing by the strong northeasterly monsoon winds, the cyclonic circulation, southwestward coastal currents and river discharge have impacts on distribution of phytoplankton, so that the high phytoplankton biomass extends from the coastal areas over the northern SCS to the entire SCS in winter. These research activities could be important for revealing spatial and temporal patterns of phytoplankton and their interactions with physical environments in the SCS.     

Sea level change and beach process — A case study in south Zhejiang beach -

This paper describes changes in sea level off the coast of China in history and at present. The evidence concerning low sea level during the last glacial phase, Holocene marine transgression which was discovered from sea bottom in East China Sea and China's bordering seas, and their adjacent coastal areas, where, by drilling, relic sediment, peat deposite, and mollusc shell fossils have been obtained, and their dates are deduced through measurement of radiocarbon (C¹⁴), identified that low sea level about 15000 years ago stood in the depth of 150 m below the present level in East China Sea, and that the subsequent transgression carried the sea up to the present sea level 6000 years ago, when the present China's coast and other continent's coasts were outlined. Due to a number of factors, the sea level oscillates seasonally in the border sea of China. Averagely speaking, the annual range of the seasonal changes in sea level is about 35 m off the south Zhejiang coast, where the highest value of 20 cm occurs in September, and the lowest of-15 cm occurs in March. The reason may be mainly due to the seasonal variations of climate and river run-off, as well as the Taiwan Warm Current. Similar seasonal oscillations in sea level also occur in Bohai Gulf, Yellow Sea, East China Sea and the South China Sea. The beach process of south Zhejiang is strongly affected by the seasonal oscillations in sea level. The width of beach is 4 to 6 km, the slope is approximately in 1 : 1000. If the sea level rises or falls 1 cm, the beach submergence or emergence is led to be about 10 m in width. As a result, the relative equilibrium of beach will be changed by the seasonal oscillations in sea level.     

东海西部沿岸海域冬季的逆温跃层现象及其与环流的关系

本文引用《渤海、黄海、东海海洋图集──水文》分册（１９９２）中有关逆温跃层分布变化的图幅以及温盐历史资料,指出东海西部沿岸（２２～３２°Ｎ）冬季出现逆温跃层的区域北起长江口,南到南澳岛以南几乎相联成片的现象,论述了这一分布与中国东南近海冬季潜伏于深底层的暖流水的区域相吻合,从而从水文结构上证实了冬季在深底层粤东沿岸的南海暖流北上通过台湾海峡西部与闽浙沿岸的台湾暖流相接这一环流特征。     

渤黄海沿海2月份海平面异常偏高成因分析

使用1980—2010年的水位、气温、海温、气压和风场资料,对中国渤黄海沿海2月份的海平面变化特征以及异常偏高成因进行了探讨,分析结果表明:近30年,渤黄海沿海2月份海平面呈现明显的上升趋势,2009年和2010年2月份的海平面达到近30年的高值,冬季高海平面导致全年平均海平面偏高。近两年2月份海平面处于多个长周期振动的高位重合期,各振幅叠加的结果近100 mm,对海平面起了明显的抬升作用。高海平面使得辽宁、河北以及山东等沿岸地区的海水入侵距离和土壤盐渍化程度均有所增加,海岸侵蚀加重;上海在2009—2010年连续2年2月份发生了近年较严重的咸潮入侵。2009年和2010年2月份,气压较常年同期显著偏低,冬季季风显著偏弱,是海平面上升的主要原因之一。     

pH variability off Goa (eastern Arabian Sea) and the response of sea urchin to ocean acidification scenarios

The increasing atmospheric CO₂ concentration in the last few decades has resulted in a decrease in oceanic pH. In this study, we assessed the natural variability of pH in coastal waters off Goa, eastern Arabian Sea. pH_T showed large variability (7.6–8.1) with low pH conditions during south-west monsoon (SWM), and the variability is found to be associated with upwelling rather than freshwater runoff. Considering that marine biota inhabiting dynamic coastal waters off Goa are exposed to such wide range of natural fluctuations of pH, an acidification experiment was carried out. We studied the impact of low pH on the local population of sea urchin Stomopneustes variolaris (Lamarck, 1816). Sea urchins were exposed for 210 days to three treatments of pH_T: 7.96, 7.76 and 7.46. Our results showed that S. variolaris at pH_T 7.96 and 7.76 were not affected, whereas the ones at pH_T 7.46 showed adverse effects after 120 days and 50% mortality by 210 days. However, even after exposure to low pH for 210 days, 50% organisms survived. Under low pH conditions (pH_T 7.46), the elemental composition of sea urchin spines exhibited deposition of excess Sr²⁺ as compared to Mg²⁺ ions. We conclude that although the sea urchins would be affected in future high CO₂ waters, at present they are not at risk even during the south-west monsoon when low pH waters reside on the shelf.