Effects of Sediment-induced Stratification on Floc Breakup in an Idealized Tidal Estuary： A Numerical Modelling Study

Floc breakup dynamics are studied by a sediment transport numerical model in an idealized tidal estuary that has a constant water depth and rapid flocculation of cohesive sediments. The focus is placed on the effects of boundary layer stratification induced by a bottom nepheloid layer on floc breakup and size distribution in the water column. In a neutrally stratified estuary, the floc size distribution follows a parabolic function with maximum values at the surface and bottom. The sediment-induced stratification in the bottom boundary layer increases the median floc sizes. Furthermore, sediment-voided convection caused by the settling lutocline generates significant turbulent kinetic energy dissipation and reduces floc size at the depth where the convective mixing happens. Below that depth, a weak local maxima in the floc size is predicted due to presence of the lutocline. The effect of sediment-stratified bottom boundary layer on the floc breakup can be consistently approximated by a linear regression between the maximal floc size and flux Richardson number.     

TRANSPORT OF SUSPENDED MATTER FROM THE CHANGJIANG RIVER TO THE EAST CHINA SEA SHELF

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Summer sea ice characteristics of the Chukchi Sea

During August 1999, we investigated sea ice characteristics; its distribution, surface feature, thickness, ice floe movement, and the temperature field around inter-borders of air/ice/seawater in the Chukchi Sea. Thirteen ice cores were drilled at 11 floe stations in the area of 72°24′ 77°18′N, 153°34′ 163°28′W and the ice core structure was observed. From field observation, three melting processes of ice were observed; surface layer melting, surface and bottom layers melting, and all of ice melting. The observation of temperature fields around sea ice floes showed that the bottom melting under the ice floes were important process. As ice floes and open water areas were alternately distributed in summer Arctic Ocean; the water under ice was colder than the open water by 0.4 2.8℃. The sun radiation heated seawater in open sea areas so that the warmer water went to the bottom when the ice floes move to those areas. This causes ice melting to start at the bottom of the ice floes. This process can balance effectively the temperature fluctuating in the sea in summer. From the crystalline structure of sea ice observed from the cores, it was concluded that the ice was composed of ice crystals and brine-ice films. During the sea ice melting, the brine-ice films between ice crystals melted firstly; then the ice crystals were encircled by brine films; the sea ice became the mixture of ice and liquid brine. At the end of melting, the ice crystals would be separated each other, the bond between ice crystals weakens and this leads to the collapse of the ice sheet.     

Thermohaline structure inhomogeneity associated with polynia at the northern margin of Emery Ice-shelf

Based on the hydrographic data in austral summer during the 22nd Antarctic Expedition of China(2005/2006),some features can be found about the northern margin of Emery ice shelf as follows.The heat content in the surface layer(0-50 m) at the eastern end and the western end of the ice-shelf margin is much higher than that at the middle.The upper mixing-layer depth and the seasonal thermocline depth at the middle of the ice-shelf northern margin are much shallower than those at the both ends.However there is much less difference between the middle and the ends in the bottom layer.The remote sensing photos show that the inhomogeneity in the surface-layer water is closely related to the spatial distribution of the floes and polynia in the area.     

ON THE VERTICAL STRUCTURE OF TIDAL CURRENTS IN SHALLOWWATER NEAR THE CHANGJIANG RIVER ESTUARY

This research on the vertical structure of tidal current in shallow water near the Changjiang River estuary is based on a great deal of observation data of current obtained recently, and a simple mathematic model. The essential features of the structure are: (1) the maximum velocity decreases with depth, the shallower the water, the lower the velocity; (2) the orientation of maximum velocity continuously deviates from the surface to the bottom to the left at the western side of the mouth bar and to the right at the eastern side; (3) the time of maximum velocity leads steadily with depth; (4) in general, tidal currents rotate clockwise, the nearer the sea-bed, the narrower the ellipse of the tidal current; (5) the ratio W1/W2 varies non-linearly with depth, and is smaller in the middle layer than at the surface and bottom. Bottom friction is the main cause of the vertical structure.     

Modeling the Water-Flushing Properties of the Yangtze Estuary and Adjacent Waters

As a multi-branch estuary system, the Yangtze Estuary presents distinctive characteristics of hydrodynamic processes through co-action among river runoff, tides, wind-waves, and gravitational circulation. To study the pathways of flushing water along all of the estuary's branches and analyze their differences, especially those due to the influence of seawater intrusion and discharge variations, a free surface flow modeling suite TELEMAC-MASCARET involving passive tracers was applied to the Yangtze Estuary and the adjacent waters. The open boundary conditions were provided by the Nao.99 b model(Matsumoto et al., 2000), which was calibrated using observed velocity and salinity data obtained in March 2002. The water age, which was used as the diagnostic tool to study the flushing efficiency of the water body across the estuary, was solved by additional advection-diffusion-reaction equations implemented in the TELEMAC modeling system. The transport properties were investigated under different river discharge scenarios, which represented seasonal impacts; aspects relating to the influence of tide, surface wind stress, and density-induced circulation on age were also investigated. Model results showed that river runoff is one of the dominant factors influencing the spatial distribution of the mean age, while tidal force is another important factor. The horizontal freshwater age distribution demonstrated similarity compared with the salinity distribution; the vertical age distribution resembled the stratification pattern of salinity in all branches where stratification persists. An experimental numerical simulation of tracing saltwater age from the lower reaches of the estuary was conducted, and implicated the connectivity with transport processes of freshwater from upstream. Additionally, a particle tracking algorithm was used to analyze the dynamic characteristics of the four passages. The South Passage and South Channel were found to be significant as main water flow passages, while salinity intrusion in the North Branch was found to cause a return flow that partially joins the South Branch flushing water.     

Impact of Kuroshio on the dissolved oxygen in the East China Sea region

A marine survey was conducted from 18 May to 13 June 2014 in the East China Sea(ECS)and its adjacent Kuroshio Current to examine the spatial distribution and biogeochemical characteristics of dissolved oxygen(DO) in spring. Waters were sampled at 10-25 m intervals within 100 m depth, and at 25-500 m beyond 100 m. The depth, temperature, salinity, and density(sigma-t) were measured in situ with a conductivity-temperature-depth(CTD) sensor. DO concentrations were determined on board using traditional Winkler titration method. The results show that in the Kuroshio Current, DO content was the highest in the euphotic layer, then decreased sharply with depth to about 1 000 m, and increased with depth gradually thereafter. While in the ECS continental shelf area, DO content had high values in the coastal surface water and low values in the near-bottom water. In addition, a low-DO zone of f the Changjiang(Yangtze) River estuary was found in spring 2014, and it was formed under the combined influence of many factors, including water stratification, high primary productivity in the euphotic layers, high accumulation/sedimentation of organic matter below the euphotic layers, and mixing/transport of oceanic current waters on the shelf. Most notable among these is the Kuroshio intruded water, an oceanic current water which carried rich dissolved oxygen onto the continental shelf and alleviated the oxygen deficit phenomenon in the ECS, could impact the position, range, and intensity, thus the formation/destruction of the ECS Hypoxia Zone.     

Numerical simulation of the transport and diffusion of dissolved pollutants in the changjiang (Yangtze) river estuary

Based on a coupled hydrodynamic-ecological model for regional and shelf seas (COHERENS), a three-dimensional baroclinic model for the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary and the adjacent sea area was established using the sigma-coordinate in the vertical direction and spherical coordinate in the horizontal direction. In the study, changing-grid technology and the “dry-wet” method were designed to deal with the moving boundary. The minimum water depth limit condition was introduced for numerical simulation stability and to avoid producing negative depths in the shallow water areas. Using the Eulerian transport approaches included in COHERENS for the advection and dispersion of dissolved pollutants, numerical simulation of dissolved pollutant transport and diffusion in the Changjiang River estuary were carried out. The mass centre track of dissolved pollutants released from outlets in the south branch of the Changjiang River estuary water course has the characteristic of reverse current motion in the inner water course and clockwise motion offshore. In the transition area, water transport is a combination of the two types of motion. In a sewage-discharge numerical experiment, it is found that there are mainly two kinds of pollution distribution forms: one is a single nuclear structure and the other is a double nuclear (dinuclear) structure in the turbid zone of the Changjiang River estuary. The rate of expansion of the dissolved pollutant distribution decreased gradually. The results of the numerical experiment indicate that the maximum turbid zone of the Changjiang River estuary is also the zone enriched with pollutants. Backward pollutant flow occurs in the north branch of the estuary, which is similar to the backward salt water flow, and the backward flow of pollutants released upstream is more obvious.     

Modeling transportation of suspended solids in Zhujiang River estuary, South China

A three-dimensional transportation model for suspended solids （SS） in Zhujiang （Pearl） River estuary, South China, was developed by coupling with a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model. The model was validated using hourly measured data of sediment contents during 25-26, July 1999. The results showed that modeled contents matched well with measured ones and that the modeled top layer distribution agreed with the remotely sensed image of suspended solids in summer. The modeled results showed clearly the layers of suspended solids in depth, with larger sediment contents in lower layers though in the interface between salt water and freshwater the lowest contents appeared in middle layer. In overall, the suspended solids inflow from 8 rivers,transport southwestward, and carried by strong coastal flow in Zhujiang River estuary. Contours of sediment contents in the estuary spread further to the open sea during ebb tide rather than flood tide which reflects that the suspended solids in the estuary are land sourced.     

The upper mixed layer during coastal upwelling events on the northern portugal shelf

The upper mixed layer (UML) depth obtained from temperature is very close to that from density:the maximum is about 15m. This indicates that temperature is a good indicator of mixed layer during measurements. When the surface heat flux is balanced by a cross-shore heat flux, the surface mixed layer depth obtained from the WM model (Weatherly and Martin, 1978),hPRT, is roughly the same as observed. The mixed layer depth calculated from the PWP model (Price, Weller and Pinkel, 1986) is close to the depth obtained from thermistor chain temperature data. The results show that both the WM model and PWP model can provide a good estimate of stratification in the study area during the cruise. The value of log( h/u3) is about 9.5 in the study area, which shows that the study area is strongly stratified in summer. Observations on the northern Portugal shelf reveal high variability in stability, giving rise to semi-diurnal, semi-monthly and diurnal oscillations, and long term variations. The fortnightly oscillatio     

Numerical simulation on the process of saltwater intrusion and its impact on the suspended sediment concentration in the Changjiang (Yangtze) estuary

To study the relationship between sediment transportation and saltwater intrusion in the Changjiang (Yangtze) estuary, a three-dimensional numerical model for temperature, salinity, velocity field, and suspended sediment concentration was established based on the ECOMSED model. Using this model, sediment transportation in the flood season of 2005 was simulated for the Changjiang estuary. A comparison between simulated results and observation data for the tidal level, flow velocity and direction, salinity and suspended sediment concentration indicated that they were consistent in overall. Based on model verification, the simulation of saltwater intrusion and its effect on sediment in the Changjiang estuary was analyzed in detail. The saltwater intrusion in the estuary including the formation, evolution, and disappearance of saltwater wedge and the induced vertical circulation were reproduced, and the crucial impact of the wedge on cohesive and non-cohesive suspended sediment distribution and transportation were successfully simulated. The result shows that near the salinity front, the simulated concentrations of both cohesive and non-cohesive suspended sediment at the surface layer had a strong relationship with the simulated velocity, especially when considering a 1-hour lag. However, in the bottom layer, there was no obvious correlation between them, because the saltwater wedge and its inducing vertical circulation may have resuspended loose sediment on the bed, thus forming a high-concentration area near the bottom even if the velocity near the bottom was very low during the transition phase from flood to ebb.     

Estimates of reynolds stress and TKE production in the seasonally stratified East China Sea

During the two cruises in March and July of 2011, the tidal cycling of turbulent properties and the T/S profiles at the same location in seasonally stratified East China Sea (ECS) were measured synchronously by a bottom-mounted fast sampling ADCP (acoustic Doppler current profiler) and a RBR CTD (RBR-620) profiler. While focusing on the tide-induced and stratification’s impact on mixing, the Reynolds stress and the turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) production rate were calculated using the ‘variance method’. In spring, the features of mixing mainly induced by tides were clear when the water column was well-mixed. Velocity shear and turbulent parameters intensified towards the seabed due to the bottom friction. The components of the velocity shear and the Reynolds stress displayed a dominant semi-diurnal variation related to velocity changes caused by the flood and ebb of M₂ tide. Stratification occurred in summer, and the water column showed a strongly stratified pycnocline with a characteristic squared buoyancy frequency of N² ～ (1–6) × 10^?3 s^?2. The components of the velocity shear and the Reynolds stress penetrated upwards very fast from the bottom boundary layer to the whole water column in spring, while in summer they only penetrated to the bottom of the pycnocline with a relatively slow propagation speed. In summer, the TKE production within the pycnocline was comparable with and sometimes larger than that in the well-mixed bottom layer under the pycnocline. Considering the associated high velocity shear, it is speculated that the mixing in the pycnocline is a result of the local velocity shear.     

The suspended sediment concentration distribution in the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea and East China Sea

The distribution of the suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in the Bohai Sea, Yellow Sea and East China Sea (BYECS) is studied based on the observed turbidity data and model simulation results. The observed turbidity results show that (i) the highest SSC is found in the coastal areas while in the outer shelf sea areas turbid water is much more difficult to observe, (ii) the surface layer SSC is much lower than the bottom layer SSC and (iii) the winter SSC is higher than the summer SSC. The Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) is used to simulate the SSC distribution in the BYECS. A comparison between the modeled SSC and the observed SSC in the BYECS shows that the modeled SSC can reproduce the principal features of the SSC distribution in the BYECS. The dynamic mechanisms of the sediment erosion and transport processes are studied based on the modeled results. The horizontal distribution of the SSC in the BYECS is mainly determined by the current-wave induced bottom stress and the fine-grain sediment distribution. The current-induced bottom stress is much higher than the wave-induced bottom stress, which means the tidal currents play a more significant role in the sediment resuspension than the wind waves. The vertical mixing strength is studied based on the mixed layer depth and the turbulent kinetic energy distribution in the BYECS. The strong winter time vertical mixing, which is mainly caused by the strong wind stress and surface cooling, leads to high surface layer SSC in winter. High surface layer SSC in summer is restricted in the coastal areas.     

Seasonal distribution and relationship of water mass and suspended load in North Yellow Sea

The concentration of suspended load can be determined by its linear relationship to turbidity. Our results present the basic distribution of suspended load in North Yellow Sea. In summer, the suspended load concentration is high along the coast and low in the center of the sea. There are four regions of high concentration in the surface layer: Penglai and Chengshantou along the north of the Shandong Peninsula, and the coastal areas of Lüshun and Changshan Islands. There is a 2 mg/L contour at 124°E that separates the North Yellow Sea from regions of lower concentrations in the open sea to the west. And there is a 2 mg/L contour at 124°E that separates the North Yellow Sea from regions of lower concentrations in the open sea to the west. The distribution features in the 10 m and bottom layer are similar to the surface layer, however, the suspended load concentration declines in the 10 m layer while it increases in the bottom layer. And in the bottom layer there is a low suspended load concentration water mass at the region south of 38°N and east of 123°E extending to the southeast. In general, the lowest suspended load concentration in a vertical profile is at a depth of 10 to 20 m, the highest suspended load concentration is in the bottom near Chengshantou area. In winter, the distribution of suspended load is similar to summer, but the average concentrations are three times higher. There are two tongue-shaped high suspended load concentration belt, one occurring from surface to seafloor, extends to the north near Chengshantou and the other invades north to south along the east margin of Dalian Bay. They separate the low suspended load concentration water masses in the center of North Yellow Sea into east and west parts. Vertical distribution is quite uniform in the whole North Yellow Sea because of the cooling effect and strong northeast winds. The distribution of suspended load has a very close relationship to the current circulation and wind-induced waves in the North Yellow Sea. Because of this, we have been able to show for the first time that the distribution of suspended load can be used to identify water masses.     

Investigation of the thermodynamic processes of a floe-lead system in the central Arctic during later summer

Thermodynamic processes of a system involving a floe and a small lead in the central Arctic were investigated during the ice-camp period of the third Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition from 20 to 28 August, 2008. The measurements included surface air temperatures above the floe, spectral albedo of the lead, seawater temperatures in the lead and under the ice cover, and the lateral and bottom mass balance of the floe. The surface air temperature at 1.15 m remained below 0℃ throughout the observation period and sea ice had commenced its annual cycle of growth in response to autumn cooling during the study. The surface of the lead was frozen by 23 August, after which the spectral albedo of the thin-ice-covered lead in the band of 320-950 nm was 0.46 ±0.03, the seawater temperatures both in the lead and under the ice cover, as well as the vertical seawater-temperature gradient in the lead decreased gradually, and the oceanic heat under the ice was maintained at a low level approaching 0 W/m2. By the end of the measurement, the thickness of the investigated floe had reached its annual minimum, while the lateral of the floe was still in the melting phase, with a mean melting rate of 1.0 ±0.3 cm/d during the measurement, responding to an equivalent latent heat flux of 21 ±6 W/m2. The lateral melting of the floe had made a more significant contribution to the sea-ice mass balance than the surface and bottom melting in the end of August.     

地热回灌井井底压强新解

前人对地热回灌井的井底压强评价主要通过水位和井内水温、密度分布进行相对静态计算。为了更客观地研究井底压强计算,该文进行了更全面的分析。当在对模拟地热回灌井的尾水出水口压力进行计算时,发现了尾水对下部水柱产生13.07 m水柱当量压强,并结合估计的回灌平衡状态下井内温度(密度)分布,计算出井底压强及其他相关数据,并与静井状态进行了对比,认为在回灌井结构不变的前提下,井底的压强主要由尾水出水口压力、动水位和温度(密度)分布共同决定。     

Distribution of dissolved inorganic nitrogen over the continental slope of the Yellow Sea and East China Sea

Based on survey data from April to May 2009, distribution and its influential factors of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) over the continental slopes of the Yellow Sea (YS) and East China Sea (ECS) are discussed. Influenced by the Changjiang (Yangtze) River water, alongshore currents, and the Kuroshio current off the coast, DIN concentrations were higher in the Changjiang River estuary, but lower (<1 μmol/L) in the northern and eastern YS and outer continental shelf area of the ECS. In the YS, the thermocline formed in spring, and a cold-water mass with higher DIN concentration (about 11 μmol/L) formed in benthonic water around 123.2°E. In Changjiang estuary (around 123°E, 32°N), DIN concentration was higher in the 10 m layer; however, the bottom DIN concentration was lower, possibly influenced by mixing of the Taiwan Warm Current and offshore currents.     

黄土中古土壤CaCO3淀积层及其意义

西安东郊黄土中古土壤ＣａＣＯ３和淋滤裂隙等的研究表明,使ＣａＣＯ３发生迁移的水为重力水,ＣａＣＯ３淀积层的顶界代表重力水淋溶亚带的底界,也是重力水发生突变的分界。薄膜水不具淋溶作用,也不会引起ＣａＣＯ３的淀积。由ＣａＣＯ３淀积深度可知,中更新世温湿期降水分配不均,雨季与旱季分明,增加的降水量主要集中在雨季降落;温湿期与冷干期的差别主要在雨季,旱季差异小。     

Geochemical Characteristics and Sources of Some Chemical Components in Sediments of Zhuiiang（Pearl） River Estuary

Sediment cores with length of 25 - 45cm at 12 stations in Zhujiang(Pearl) River Estuary were sampled in summer of 1999. Chemical components (Al2O3 , Fe2O3, CaO, TiO2, Cu, Pb, Cr, Zn, Co, Ni, V, Ba, Sr and Y) and grain sizes were analyzed. Sediments in Zhujiang River Estuary are characterized by relatively coarse grain size. The grain sizes of the sediments in the area outside the estuary are relatively finer than those in the north part of the estuary but coarser than those in the middle of Lingdingyang and have a trend similar to the spatial distribution trend of some chemical components such as Fe2O3, Al2O3, TiO2, V, Cu, Ni, Zn and Y. This showed that grain size is an important factor that controls the spatial distribution and depth profile of chemical elements in the Zhujiang River Estuary. Frequent re-suspension, re-transportation and redistribution of settled sediment on estuary floor could be deduced from the spatial distributions and depth profiles of chemical components. Except for CaO and Sr, the chemical components always enrich at the west side of, in the middle of, and at the north side of, the estuary. Fe2O3, Al2O3, Ti, V, Cr, Ni, Zn, Cu and Y in Zhujiang River Estuary sediments mainly result from rock and soil weathering except that parts of Cr, Ni, Zn Cu and Y are anthropogenic. CaO and Sr in sediments originate from marine source. Although Co as well as Pb derives from anthropogenic sources, human activities related to Co might differ from the activities related to Pb.     

The main phosphorous sources in the Changjiang estuary

Analysis using historical data on the phosphate sources in Changjiang （Yangtze River） estuary show that phosphate was supplied equally from the east, south, west and north of the estuary. These sources include the Changjiang River, the Taiwan Warm Current （TWC）, a cyclone-type eddy, and the 32°N Upwelling, supplying different phosphates in different times, ways and intensities. The magnitude of their supplying phosphate concentration was related with the size in the order of the Changjiang River 〈 the TWC 〈 the 32°N Upwelling 〈 the cyclone-type eddy, and the duration of the supplying was： the Changjiang River 〉 the TWC 〉 the cyclone-type eddy 〉 the 32°N Upwelling. The four sources supplied a great deal of phosphate so that the phosphate concentration in the estuary was kept above 0.2 pmol/L in previous years, satisfying the phytoplankton growth. The horizontal and vertical distribution of the phosphate concentration showed that near shallow marine areas at 122°E/31°N, the TWC in low nutrient concentration became an upwelling through sea bottom and brought up nutrients from sea bottom to marine surface. In addition, horizontal distribution of phosphate concentration was consistent with that of algae： Rhizosolenia robusta, Rhizosolenia calcaravis and Skeletonema, which showed that no matter during high water or low water of Changjiang River, these species brought by the TWC became predominant species. Therefore, the authors believe that the TWC flowed from south to north along the coast and played a role in deflecting the Changjiang River flow from the southern side.