The effect of horizontal Coriolis force on internal wave-mean flow interaction

-In this paper, an improvement and revision of the theory of Miiller (1974, 1976), has been made under two conditions: (1) the horizontal component of the Coriolis force has been taken into account in the equations of motion for the internal wave field; and (2) the role of internal waves with frequencies close to the inertial frequency has been considered. The values of the viscosity coefficients and the diffusivity coefficients obtained in this paper are: Theappearance of the cross-diffusion (vc) of momentum is a natural result from the effect of the horizontal Coriolis force. Therefore the role of the horizontal shear of the mean flow cannot be absolutely separated from that of the vertical shear. So far in testing Muller's theory, the approximation of effective wave stress obtained by Ruddick and Joyce (1979) was extensively used, but it has to be revised under the conditions of this paper. The revised approximation shows that the internal waves with low frequencies close to the inertial frequency pl     

Uncertainties in global mapping of Argo drift data at the parking level

We used Argo float drift data to estimate average ocean currents at 1000 dbar depth from early 2000 to early 2010. Our estimates cover the global oceans, except for marginal seas and ice-covered regions, at a resolution of 1 degree in latitude and longitude. The estimated flow field satisfies the horizontal boundary condition of no flow through the topography, and is in geostrophic balance. We also estimated the uncertainty in the average flow field, which had a typical magnitude of 0.03 ms⁻¹. The uncertainty is relatively large (>0.03 ms⁻¹ in both the zonal and meridional directions) near the Equator and in the Southern Ocean. The array bias, which is the bias due to the horizontal gradient in the spatial density of the float data, is generally negligible, with an average magnitude outside the equatorial region of 0.007 ms⁻¹, becoming relatively large (>0.01 ms⁻¹) only near the coastal regions. The measurement uncertainty is assumed to be spatially uniform and includes errors due to the Argos positioning system, internal clock drift, unknown surface drift before submerging or after surfacing, and unknown drifts during ascent and descent between the surface and the parking depth. We found that the overall uncertainty was not sensitive to the assumed value of the measurement uncertainty (ɛ _m )^1/2 when (ɛ _m )^1/2 < 0.01 ms⁻¹ but it increased with (ɛ _m )^1/2 for (ɛ _m )^1/2 > 0.01 ms⁻¹.     

Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and its carbon isotopic composition in sediment pore waters from the Shenhu area,northern South China Sea

The Shenhu area is one of the most favorable places for the occurrence of gas hydrates in the northern continental slope of the South China Sea. Pore water samples were collected in two piston cores (SH-A and SH-B) from this area, and the concentrations of sulfate and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and its carbon isotopic composition were measured. The data revealed large DIC variations and very negative δ ¹³C-DIC values. Two reaction zones, 0–3 mbsf and below 3 mbsf, are identified in the sediment system. At site SH-A, the upper zone (0–3 mbsf) shows relatively constant sulfate and DIC concentrations and δ ¹³C-DIC values, possibly due to bioturbation and fluid advection. The lower zone (below 3 mbsf) displays good linear gradients for sulfate and DIC concentrations, and δ ¹³C-DIC values. At site SH-B, both zones show linear gradients, but the decreasing gradients for δ ¹³C-DIC and SO₄ ²⁻ in the lower zone below 3 mbsf are greater than those from the upper zone, 0–3 mbsf. The calculated sulfate-methane interface (SMI) depths of the two cores are 10.0 m and 11.1 m, respectively. The depth profiles of both DIC and δ ¹³C-DIC showed similar characteristics as those in other gas hydrate locations in the world oceans, such as the Blake Ridge. Overall, our results indicate an anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) process in the sediments with large methane flux from depth in the studied area, which might be linked to the formation of gas hydrates in this area.     

丰、枯水期长江口邻近海域浮游植物群落结构特征及其环境影响初探

通过2013年3月和8月在长江口及其邻近海域进行的多学科综合调查,研究了枯水期和丰水期浮游植物的群落结构和空间分布特征,并探讨了影响其分布的环境因子效应。枯水期共发现浮游植物3门41属80种（不包括变种和变型）,以硅藻为主,主要优势种为具槽帕拉藻（Paralia sulcata）;浮游植物细胞丰度介于0.15×103~16.35×103 cells/L,平均值为（3.24±3.14）×103 cells/L;浮游植物细胞丰度在长江口外东北部海域形成高值,垂直变化较小,硅藻刻画了浮游植物的空间分布。丰水期共发现浮游植物4门67属135种（不包括变种和变型）,甲藻物种数量和细胞丰度均升高,主要优势种为东海原甲藻（Prorocentrum donghaiense）和骨条藻（Skeletonema sp.）;浮游植物细胞丰度介于0.2×103~1 925.45×103 cells/L,平均值为（41.67±186.00）×103 cells/L;浮游植物细胞丰度在长江口外形成南北两个高值区,随水深增加,细胞丰度逐渐降低。浮游植物的空间分布受长江口冲淡水影响,与盐度和浊度有显著的相关性;N/P比影响浮游植物群落结构,随着N/P比升高,甲藻的相对丰度升高,硅藻的相对丰度逐渐降低。浮游植物在层化水体的上层大量繁殖是底层低氧形成的必要条件,硅藻具有较高的沉降速率,因而以硅藻为主的群落更利于低氧的形成。     

Volume and heat transports and material fluxes in the East China Sea during April 1994

INTRODUCTIONTherehavebeenmanystudiesandcomputationsonVToftheKuroshiointheEastChinaThisprojectwassupportedbytheNationalNaturalScienceFoundationofChinaundercontractNo.49476278.Asanditsvacation.Forexample,(1)basedonhydrographicobservationsatactionG(PN)f...     

Mixed and mixing layer depths simulated by an OGCM

The global distributions of the mixed layer depth h _D , representing the depth of uniform density, and the mixing layer depth h _K , representing the depth of active turbulent mixing, were simulated using an ocean general circulation model (OGCM), and compared with each other, as well as with the mixed layer depth from the climatological data h _D *. The comparison between h _D and h _D * suggested that the threshold density difference Δ σ _θ should decrease from 0.09 kg m⁻³ to 0.02 kg m⁻³ with increasing latitude for consistent comparison between two mixed layer depths, due to the different nature of density profiles depending on latitude. The comparison between h _D and h _K revealed that h _K is deeper than h _D in the region where strong subsurface shear is present, such as the equatorial ocean and the region of the western boundary current. On the other hand, h _K is shallower than h _D in the high latitude ocean during convective cooling and early restratification.     

副热带东北太平洋混合层深度及其对潜沉的影响

The present climate simulations of the mixed layer depth(MLD) and the subduction rate in the subtropical Northeast Pacific are investigated based on nine of the CMIP5 models. Compared with the observation data,spatial patterns of the MLD and the subduction rate are well simulated in these models. The spatial pattern of the MLD is nonuniform, with a local maximum MLD(140 m) region centered at(28°N, 135°W) in late winter. The nonuniform MLD pattern causes a strong MLD front on the south of the MLD maximum region, controls the lateral induction rate pattern, and then decides the nonuniform distribution of the subduction rate. Due to the inter-regional difference of the MLD, we divide this area into two regions. The relatively uniform Ekman pumping has little effect on the nonuniform subduction spatial pattern, though it is nearly equal to the lateral induction in values. In the south region, the northward warm Ekman advection(–1.75×10~(–7) K/s) controls the ocean horizontal temperature advection(–0.85×10~(–7) K/s), and prevents the deepening of the MLD. In the ensemble mean, the contribution of the ocean advection to the MLD is about –29.0 m/month, offsetting the sea surface net heat flux contribution(33.9 m/month). While in the north region, the southward cold advection deepens the MLD(21.4 m/month) as similar as the heat flux(30.4 m/month). In conclusion, the nonuniform MLD pattern is dominated by the nonuniform ocean horizontal temperature advection. This new finding indicates that the upper ocean current play an important role in the variability of the winter MLD and the subduction rate.     

A model for wave growth in fetch-limited conditions

In this paper, it is held that the universal relationships of wave growth in fetch-limited conditions , i. e.,(f|~) p=A(x|~)-Band (m|~)0= C(x|~) Dshould satisfy the Toba 3/2 power law and the wave energy balance equation. In the ideal generation situation, theoretically it can be derived that the ideal fetch-limited wave growth relationship should have D=3B and D B =1, (i.e., B = 0.25, D = 0.75 ) and A3C=2. 1×l(T4C~(1/2)_d , where Cd is the drag coefficient. The 3/2 power law, the wave energy balance equation and the decrease of wave steepness with increasing fetch have became three requirements which should be satisfied by fetch-limited wave growth algorithms. A semi-empirical and semi-theoretical model for fetch-limited wave growth is presented. In the application to the slanting wind situation an un(?)ersal relationship of dimensionless wave energy vs dimensionless peak frequency is presented and the comparisons show that the model is in good agreement with observations.     

Relationships between suspended particulate material, light attenuation and Secchi depth in UK marine waters

Measurements of sub-surface light attenuation (K_d), Secchi depth and suspended particulate material (SPM) were made at 382 locations in transitional, coastal and offshore waters around the United Kingdom (hereafter UK) between August 2004 and December 2005. Data were analysed statistically in relation to a marine water typology characterised by differences in tidal range, mixing and salinity. There was a strong statistically significant linear relationship between SPM and K_d for the full data set. We show that slightly better results are obtained by fitting separate models to data from transitional waters and coastal and offshore waters combined. These linear models were used to predict K_d from SPM. Using a statistic (D) to quantify the error of prediction of K_d from SPM, we found an overall prediction error rate of 23.1%. Statistically significant linear relationships were also evident between the log of Secchi depth and the log of K_d in waters around the UK. Again, statistically significant improvements were obtained by fitting separate models to estuarine and combined coastal/offshore data – however, the prediction error was improved only marginally, from 31.6% to 29.7%. Prediction was poor in transitional waters (D = 39.5%) but relatively good in coastal/offshore waters (D = 26.9%).SPM data were extracted from long term monitoring data sites held by the UK Environment Agency. The appropriate linear models (estuarine or combined coastal/offshore) were applied to the SPM data to obtain representative K_d values from estuarine, coastal and offshore sites. Estuarine waters typically had higher concentrations of SPM (8.2–73.8 mg l⁻¹) compared to coastal waters (3.0–24.1 mg l⁻¹) and offshore waters (9.3 mg l⁻¹). The higher SPM values in estuarine waters corresponded to higher values of K_d (0.8–5.6 m⁻¹). Water types that were identified by large tidal ranges and exposure typically had the highest K_d ranges in both estuarine and coastal waters. In terms of susceptibility to eutrophication, large macrotidal, well mixed estuarine waters, such as the Thames embayment and the Humber estuary were identified at least risk from eutrophic conditions due to light-limiting conditions of the water type.     

孔压探杆贯入及潮汐作用下超孔压响应规律研究

Excess pore water pressure is an important parameter that can be used to analyze certain physical characteristics of sediment. In this paper, the excess pore water pressure of subseafloor sediment and its variation with tidal movement was measured following the installation of a wharf in Qingdao, China by using a fiber Bragg grating(FBG) piezometer. The results indicated that this FBG piezometer is effective in the field. The measured variation of excess pore water pressure after installation is largely explained by the dissipation of excess pore water pressure. The dissipation rate can be used to estimate the horizontal consolidation coefficient, which ranged from1.3×10~(–6) m~2/s to 8.1×10~(–6) m~2/s. The measured values during tidal phases are associated with the variability of tidal pressure on the seafloor and can be used to estimate the compressibility and the permeability of the sediment during tidal movement. The volume compression coefficient estimated from tidal oscillation was approximately2.0×10~(–11) Pa~(–1), which was consistent with the data from the laboratory test. The findings of this paper can provide useful information for in situ investigations of subseafloor sediment.     

多肽菌素在长牡蛎人工育苗生产中的应用

多肽菌素作为一类具有抗菌活性的生物短肽,是一种可以替代抗生素的生物肽。为了推广多肽菌素在水产养殖中的应用,本研究以长牡蛎(Crassostreagigas)人工育苗为基础,以添加2×10_(–6) mol/L青霉素钠为对照组,以添加5个不同浓度(2×10_(–6)、4×10_(–6)、6×10_(–6)、8×10_(–6)、10×10_(–6) mol/L)多肽菌素为实验组,研究多肽菌素在长牡蛎人工育苗生产中的应用。结果显示:(1)在长牡蛎种贝培育方面,培育前8天各组差异不显著(P 0.05),培育后期添加6×10_(–6) mol/L多肽菌素组存活率均最高,对照组最低,且培育至32天时该实验组均显著高于其他组(P0.05)。(2)在长牡蛎幼虫培育方面,幼虫壳高日增长量在添加6×10_(–6) mol/L多肽菌素组中最大,为11.57μm/d,而对照组仅为9.61μm/d;幼虫存活率方面对照组始终最低,而添加6×10_(–6) mol/L与8×10_(–6) mol/L多肽菌素组均保持较高存活率,显著高于对照组(P 0.05)。(3)在长牡蛎幼虫附着变态方面,添加6×10_(–6) mol/L多肽菌素组附着率最高、附着时间最短,且均与对照组差异显著(P0.05)。(4)在长牡蛎稚贝培育方面,稚贝壳长日增长量实验组均高于对照组,且随添加浓度的上升,日增长量也随之增加;稚贝存活率在添加6×10_(–6) mol/L多肽菌素组达到最高,与对照组差异显著(P0.05)。结果表明,使用多肽菌素与使用青霉素钠相比,多肽菌素显著提高了整个牡蛎培育过程中的存活率、生长速度、及附着变态率,这也为多肽菌素在贝类育苗生产中的推广提供了基础依据。     

Egg production rate of the copepod <Emphasis Type="Italic">Calanus sinicus</Emphasis> off the Korean coast of the Yellow Sea during spring

The egg production rate (EPR) of Calanus sinicus was measured from March 2007 to April 2010 at three stations along the Korean coast of the Yellow Sea (in coastal waters off Saemangum, Yeongheungdo, and Asan Bay) to estimate in situ maximum egg production rate (MEPR) and to understand whether the females were limited in their growth or fecundity in the field. The mean EPR of C. sinicus at each sampling date ranged from 10.3–34.9 eggs female⁻¹ d⁻¹ (mean 23.4 eggs female⁻¹ d⁻¹), and the EPR of individual copepods ranged from 0–81 eggs female⁻¹ d⁻¹. The mean EPR was positively correlated with the body weight of female copepods. The MEPR at each sampling date ranged from 40–81 eggs female⁻¹ d⁻¹ (mean 50.4 eggs female⁻¹ d⁻¹). Over 84% of eggs spawned hatched successfully. The weight-specific growth rate (WSGR) ranged from 0.038–0.111 d⁻¹ (mean 0.082 d⁻¹), indicating that 3.8–11.1% of the carbon in an adult female was produced daily as female growth. The WSGR was negatively correlated with water temperature. The ratio of mean EPR to observed mean MEPR ranged from 20–70% (mean 46%), indicating that ∼54% of a female’s growth might be limited in the field. We suggest that the ratio of observed EPR to mean MEPR of copepod can be applied to understand how the copepod responds to environmental changes, as well as EPR and hatching success.     

<Superscript>234</Superscript>Th/<Superscript>238</Superscript>U disequilibrium and particulate organic carbon export in the northern South China Sea

We utilized ²³⁴Th, a naturally occurring radionuclide, to quantify the particulate organic carbon (POC) export rates in the northern South China Sea (SCS) based on data collected in July 2000 (summer), May 2001 (spring) and November 2002 (autumn). Th-234 deficit was enhanced with depth in the euphotic zone, reaching a subsurface maximum at the Chl-a maximum in most cases, as commonly observed in many oceanic regimes. Th-234 was in general in equilibrium with ²³⁸U at a depth of ∼100 m, the bottom of the euphotic zone. In this study the ²³⁴Th deficit appeared to be less significant in November than in July and May. A surface excess of ²³⁴Th relative to ²³⁸U was found in the summer over the shelf of the northern SCS, most likely due to the accumulation of suspended particles entrapped by a salinity front. Comparison of the ²³⁴Th fluxes from the upper 10 m water column between 2-D and traditional 1-D models revealed agreement within the errors of estimation, suggesting the applicability of the 1-D model to this particular shelf region. 1-D model-based ²³⁴Th fluxes were converted to POC export rates using the ratios of bottle POC to ²³⁴Th. The values ranged from 5.3 to 26.6 mmol C m⁻²d⁻¹ and were slightly higher than those in the southern SCS and other oligotrophic areas. POC export overall showed larger values in spring and summer than in autumn, the seasonality of which was, however, not significant. The highest POC export rate (26.6 mmol C m⁻²d⁻¹) appeared at the shelf break in spring (May), when Chl-a increased and the community structure changed from pico-phytoplankton (<2 μm) dominated to nano-phytoplankton (2–20 μm) and micro-phytoplankton (20–200 μm) dominated.     

2014年春季季风间期东印度洋赤道及其邻近海域硅藻群落

2014年4月10日至5月13日在东印度洋赤道区及其邻近海域(10.08°N-6.00°S,80.00°~96.10°E)进行硅藻物种组成和群落结构的调查。分析了45个网采样品,共鉴定出浮游硅藻34属113种(包括变种、变形及未定名种),大部分物种为热带外洋性种以及暖海外洋性种,与该海区的热带及亚热带的环境特征一致。优势种为佛氏梯形藻(Climacodium frauenfeldianum)、地中海细柱藻(Leptocylindrus mediterraneus)、密聚角毛藻(Chaetoceros coarctatus)、美丽漂流藻(Planktoniella foromsa)、大西洋角毛藻那不勒斯变种(Chaetoceros atlanticus var. neapolitanus)、距端假管藻(Pseudosolenia calcar-avis,即距端根管藻Rhizosolenia calcaravis)、圆柱几内亚藻(Guinardia cylindrus)、达蒂角毛藻(Chaetoceros dadayi)、伏氏海线藻(Thalassionema frauenfeldii)、离心列海链藻(Thalassiosira excentrica)、瘤面角毛藻(Chaetoceros bacteriastroides)以及笔尖根管藻粗径变种(Rhizosolenia styliformis var. latissima)等。硅藻的平均细胞丰度为1.855×103个/m3,其平面分布不均匀,赤道断面细胞丰度较低,高值区出现在海区北部。聚类分析发现有7种生态类群,这些硅藻的种类和丰度平面分布与上层水体(200 m以浅)温度、盐度及营养盐的水柱平均值有较好的对应关系。     

Additional flux arising from unresolved scales in eddying ocean models

An analysis is presented of snapshot data (eastward and northward velocity components: u and v; tracer such as potential temperature: τ) from an eddy-resolving (Rgrid: 1/12°) ocean model experiment, in order to explore a method for improving eddy-permitting model performance. Horizontal 3 × 3 R-grid averages give the eddy-permitting grid (P-grid: 1/4°) variables: 〈u〉, 〈v〉, and 〈τ〉, where 〈〉 denotes the spatial P-grid scale average. The difference between the horizontal tracer flux across the boundary face of a P-grid and that across the corresponding faces of R-grids is estimated as F_2E. It is found that the correlations among the gradients of u, v, and τ give a good approximation F_2C to the estimated flux F_2E. The approximated flux is a function of these gradients and the grid size. A method is presented for implementing the F_2C for density to an eddying ocean model as an additional advection. Practical experiments were conducted with a realistic configuration. It is shown that the zonal mean isotherms in the Kuroshio extension region are more flattened in the run using the proposed method than in another run using the conventional horizontal biharmonic operator, suggesting that the additional flux correction leads to an enhancement of sub-basin scale mixing.     

Cold deep water in the South China Sea

Two deep channels that cut through the Luzon Strait facilitate deep (>2000 m) water exchange between the western Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea. Our observations rule out the northern channel as a major exchange conduit. Rather, the southern channel funnels deep water from the western Pacific to the South China Sea at the rate of 1.06 ± 0.44 Sv (1 Sv = 10⁶ m³s⁻¹). The residence time estimated from the observed inflow from the southern channel, about 30 to 71 years, is comparable to previous estimates. The observation-based estimate of upwelling velocity at 2000 m depth is (1.10 ± 0.33) × 10⁻⁶ ms⁻¹, which is of the same order as Ekman pumping plus upwelling induced by the geostrophic current. Historical hydrographic observations suggest that the deep inflow is primarily a mixture of the Circumpolar Deep Water and Pacific Subarctic Intermediate Water. The cold inflow through the southern channel offsets about 40% of the net surface heat gain over the South China Sea. Balancing vertical advection with vertical diffusion, the estimated mean vertical eddy diffusivity of heat is about 1.21 × 10⁻³ m²s⁻¹. The cold water inflow from the southern channel maintains the shallow thermocline, which in turn could breed internal wave activities in the South China Sea.     

Trophic coupling between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Synechococcus</Emphasis> and pigmented nanoflagellates in the coastal waters of Taiwan,western subtropical Pacific

In our attempt to characterize the interaction of trophic coupling between Synechococcus and pigmented nanoflagellates (PNFs), successive size-fraction experiments were performed at a coastal station on the northeast coast of Taiwan from June, 2005 to January, 2006. By estimating the growth rate and grazing rate of Synechococcus in the presence of nanoflagellates of different sizes, we truncated the food web by removing organisms with different body sizes (<2 μm, <5 μm, <10 μm, and <20 μm). The growth rates of Synechococcus ranged from −0.016 to 0.051 h⁻¹ during the experimental period, suggesting that temperature was a primary mechanism controlling Synechococcus growth. In addition to size and relative biomass of pigmented nanoflagellates and Synechococcus, it is suggested that community structures played an important role in trophic link. Furthermore, we conclude that the trophic cascading effect in the northeast coast of Taiwan includes: 1) high grazing rates at night in the warm season; 2) the Synechococcus biomass generally exceeds the grazing threshold (6 × 10⁴ cells mL⁻¹); and 3) the biomass ratio of <5 μm PNFs to >5 μm PNFs should be 1:1 to 2:1.     

黄海苏北浅滩海域春夏季浮游植物时空分布及其控制生态因子

The Subei Shoal is a special coastal area with complex physical oceanographic properties in the Yellow Sea. In the present study, the distribution of phytoplankton and its correlation with environmental factors were studied during spring and summer of 2012 in the Subei Shoal of the Yellow Sea. Phytoplankton species composition and abundance data were accomplished by Uterm?hl method. Diatoms represented the greatest cellular abundance during the study period. In spring, the phytoplankton cell abundance ranged from 1.59×10~3 to 269.78×10~3 cell/L with an average of 41.80×10~3 cell/L, and Skeletonema sp. and Paralia sulcata was the most dominant species. In summer, the average phytoplankton cell abundance was 72.59×10~3 cell/L with the range of 1.78×10~3 to 574.96×10~3 cell/L, and the main dominant species was Pseudo-nitzschia pungens, Skeletonema sp., Dactyliosolen fragilissima and Chaetoceros curvisetus. The results of a redundancy analysis(RDA) showed that turbidity,temperature, salinity, pH, dissolved oxygen(DO), the ratio of dissolved inorganic nitrogen to silicate and SiO_4-Si(DIN/SiO_4-Si) were the most important environmental factors controlling phytoplankton assemblages in spring or summer in the Subei Shoal of the Yellow Sea.     

2006年冬季北黄海网采浮游植物群落结构

根据2006年12月30日—至2007年1月17日北黄海的调查资料,对该海域浮游植物的种类组成、优势种、丰度及其分布和多样性等基本状况进行了分析。本次调查共鉴定浮游植物4门68属131种,主要以温带近岸和广布性种为主,其中硅藻有53属113种,占总种数的86.3%,甲藻有11属16种,占总种数的12.2%。浮游植物丰度平均值为88.89×104个/m3,硅藻丰度平均值为86.58×104个/m3,甲藻丰度平均值为2.28×104个/m3,硅藻丰度分布趋势决定了浮游植物丰度的分布趋势。辽宁南岸是浮游植物密集区,山东半岛北岸其次,而北黄海中部是浮游植物的稀疏区。优势种为:短角弯角藻(Eucampia zodiacus)、具槽帕拉藻(Paralia sulcata)、尖刺拟菱形藻(Pseu-do-nitzschia pungens)、密连角毛藻(Chaetoceros densus)、柔弱角毛藻(Chaetoceros debilis)、刚毛根管藻(Rhizosolenia setigera)。浮游植物群落Shannon-Weiner物种多样性指数平均值为1.80,Peilou均匀度指数平均值为0.42。与1959年1月相比,2007年1月北黄海浮游植物丰度由150.00×104个/m3降为88.89×104个/m3,下降了近41%,硅藻丰度由148.00×104个/m3降为86.58×104个/m3,而甲藻丰度由1.25×104个/m3上升为2.28×104个/m3,占浮游植物丰度的比例由0.8%上升为2.5%。主要优势种及优势属也发生了一定程度的变化,但浮游植物群落结构仍以硅藻为主、甲藻其次,浮游植物丰度总的分布格局变化不明显。     

Heat flow derived from BSR and its implications for gas hydrate stability zone in Shenhu Area of northern South China Sea

Bottom simulating reflectors (BSRs), known as the base of gas hydrate stability zone, have been recognized and mapped using good quality three-dimensional (3D) pre-stack migration seismic data in Shenhu Area of northern South China Sea. Additionally, seismic attribute technique has been applied to better constrain on the distribution of gas hydrate. The results demonstrate that gas hydrate is characterized by “blank” zone (low amplitude) in instantaneous amplitude attribute. The thickness of gas hydrate stability zone inferred from BSR ranges from 125 to 355 m with an average of 240 m at sea water depth from 950 to 1,600 m in this new gas hydrate province. The volume of gas in-place bound in hydrate is estimated from 1.7 × 10⁹ to 4.8 × 10⁹ m³, with the most likely value of around 3.3 × 10⁹ m³, using Monte Carlo simulation. Furthermore, geothermal gradient and heat flow are derived from the depths of BSRs using a conductive heat transfer model. The geothermal gradient varies from 35 to 95°C km⁻¹ with an average of 54°C km⁻¹. Corresponding heat flow values range from 43 to 105 mW m⁻² with an average of 64 mW m⁻². By comparison with geological characteristics, we suggest that the distribution of gas hydrate and heat flow are largely associated with gas chimneys and faults, which are extensively distributed in Shenhu Area, providing easy pathways for fluids migrating into the gas hydrate stability zone for the formation of gas hydrate. This study can place useful constraints for modeling gas hydrate stability zone from measured heat flow data and understanding the mechanism of gas hydrate formation in Shenhu Area.