Highly nonlinear internal solitary waves over the continental shelf of the northwestern South China Sea

Large amplitude internal solitary waves (ISWs) often exhibit highly nonlinear effects and may contribute significantly to mixing and energy transporting in the ocean. We observed highly nonlinear ISWs over the continental shelf of the northwestern South China Sea (19°35′N, 112°E) in May 2005 during the Wenchang Internal Wave Experiment using in-situ time series data from an array of temperature and salinity sensors, and an acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). We summarized the characteristics of the ISWs and compared them with those of existing internal wave theories. Particular attention has been paid to characterizing solitons in terms of the relationship between shape and amplitude-width. Comparison between theoretical prediction and observation results shows that the high nonlinearity of these waves is better represented by the second-order extended Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) theory than the first-order KdV model. These results indicate that the northwestern South China Sea (SCS) is rich in highly nonlinear ISWs that are an indispensable part of the energy budget of the internal waves in the northern South China Sea.     

Impacts of internal waves on chlorophyll a distribution in the northern portion of the South China Sea

Internal waves can bring nutrients to the upper level of water bodies and facilitate phytoplankton photosynthesis. Internal waves occur frequently in the northern portion of the South China Sea and inflict an important effect on chlorophyll a distribution. In this study, in-situ observation and satellite remote sensing data were used to study the effects of internal waves on chlorophyll a distribution. Based on the in-situ observations, lower chlorophyll a concentrations were present in the middle and bottom level in areas in which internal waves occur frequently, while the surface chlorophyll a distribution increased irregularly, and a small area with relatively higher chlorophyll a concentrations was observed in the area around the Dongsha Island. Satellite remote sensing showed that the chlorophyll a concentration increased in the area near Dongsha Island, where internal waves frequently occurred. The results of the increased chlorophyll a concentration in the surface water near Dongsha Island in the northern portion of the South China Sea indicated that internal waves could uplift phytoplankton and facilitate phytoplankton growth.     

Depression and elevation internal solitary waves in a two-layer fluid and their forces on cylindrical piles

Both large amplitude depression and elevation internal solitary waves (ISWs) were observed on the continental shelf of the northwest South China Sea (SCS) during the Wenchang Internal Wave Experiment. In this study, we investigate the characteristics of depression and elevation ISWs based on comparisons between observational results and internal wave theories. It is suggested that the large amplitude depression wave is better represented by the extended Korteweg-de Vries (EKdV) theory than by the KdV model, whereas the large amplitude elevation wave is in better agreement with the KdV equation than with the EKdV theory. Wave-induced forces on a supposed small-diameter cylindrical pile by depression and elevation waves are also estimated using the internal wave theory and Morison formula. The wave-induced force by elevation ISWs is rarely reported in the literature. It is found that the force induced by the elevation wave differs significantly from that by the depression wave, and the elevation wave generally produces greater force on the pile in the lower water column than the depression wave. These results show that ISWs in the study area can present a serious threat to ocean engineering structures, and should not be ignored in the design of oil platforms and ocean operations.     

Laboratory Experiments on an Internal Solitary Wave over a Triangular Barrier

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the evolution of interfacial internal solitary waves(ISWs) incident on a triangular barrier. ISWs with different amplitudes were generated by gravitational collapse. The ISW energy dissipation and turbulence processes were calculated as waves passed over the triangular barrier. Experimental results showed that ISWs were reflecting back off the triangular barrier, and shoaling ISWs led to wave breaking and mixing when waves propagated over the obstacle. Wave instability created the dissipation of energy as it was transmitted from waves to turbulence. The rate of ISW energy dissipation, the maximum turbulent dissipation, and the buoyancy diffusivity linearly increased with the increase in the incident wave energy.     

Distribution of vertical turbulent mixing parameter caused by internal tidal waves and solitary waves in the South Yellow Sea

Many observations show that in the Yellow Sea internal tidal waves (ITWs) possess the remarkable characteristics of internal Kelvin wave, and in the South Yellow Sea (SYS) the nonlinear evolution of internal tidal waves is one of the mechanisms producing internal solitary waves (ISWs), which is different from the generation mechanism in the case where the semidiurnal tidal current flows over topographic drops. In this paper, the model of internal Kelvin wave with continuous stratification is given, and an elementary numerical study of nonlinear evolution of ITWs is made for the SYS, using the generalized KdV model (GKdV model for short) for a continuous stratified ocean, in which the different effects of background barotropic ebb and flood currents are considered. Moreover, the parameterization of vertical turbulent mixing caused by ITWs and ISWs in the SYS is studied, using a parameterization scheme which was applied to numerical experiments on the breaking of ISWs by Vlasenko and Hutter in 2002. It is found that the vertical turbulent mixing caused by internal waves is very strong within the upper layer with depth less than about 30m, and the vertical turbulent mixing caused by ISWs is stronger than that by ITWs.     

Observation and numerical experiments for drag coefficient under typhoon wind forcing

This paper presents a study on drag coefficients under typhoon wind forcing based on observations and numerical experiments. The friction velocity and wind speed are measured at a marine observation platform in the South China Sea. Three typhoons: SOULIK(2013), TRAMI(2013) and FITOW(2013) are observed at a buoy station in the northeast sea area of Pingtan Island. A new parameterization is formulated for the wind drag coefficient as a function of wind speed. It is found that the drag coefficient(Cd) increases linearly with the slope of 0.083′10~(-3) for wind speed less than 24 m s~(-1). To investigate the drag coefficient under higher wind conditions, three numerical experiments are implemented for these three typhoons using SWAN wave model. The wind input data are objective reanalysis datasets, which are assimilated with many sources and provided every six hours with the resolution of 0.125?×0.125?. The numerical simulation results show a good agreement with wave observation data under typhoon wind forcing. The results indicate that the drag coefficient levels off with the linear slope of 0.012′10~(-3) for higher wind speeds(less than 34 m s~(-1)) and the new parameterization improvese the simulation accuracy compared with the Wu(1982) default used in SWAN.     

Spatial variations of <Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis>-values in the coastal area of Guangdong

We used earthquake catalogs recorded by Guangdong Seismological Network from 2008 to 2014 to resolve the spatial variations of b-values in the coastal area of Guangdong, particularly in three key research areas (Yangjiang, Heyuan, and offshore Nanao Island) with strong seismicity. Our results revealed that b-values exhibited significant spatial variations, and zones with low b-values could indicate the most likely seismogenic area of large earthquakes. We observed three clear low b-value patches in the offshore Nanao Island. We found a distinct high b-value peak at the depth of 11 km and two minimum peaks at about 14 and 7–8 km in the Yangjiang area. The overall b-values generally decrease with depth in the Heyuan area. The spatial variations of b-values reflect tectonic anomalies; that is, the ‘low-high-low’ distribution of b-values in the offshore Nanao Island and the Yangjiang area may indicate the anomaly of the crustal structure with a weak layer. The b-values of reservoir-induced seismicity are obviously lower than that induced by tectonism. This finding indicates that the reservoir area is generally at high stress state under the condition of high pore pressure. We inferred that large earthquakes might be prone to occur at 10–12 km depth in the offshore Nanao Island, at 12–15 km depth in the Yangjiang area, and at the lower part of the seismic activity zone in the Heyuan area. Moreover, the upstream area of the Xinfengjiang reservoir is the most likely area of future large earthquakes in the Heyuan area.     

Seasonal variations in the phytoplankton community and the relationship between environmental factors of the sea around Xiaoheishan Island in China

Seasonal variations in the phytoplankton community and the relationship between environmental factors of the sea area around Xiaoheishan Island are investigated in the present study. Xiaoheishan Island is located at 37°58′14″N and 120°38′46″E in Shandong Province, China. A total of 65 species of phytoplankton belonging to three phyla and 27 genera were identified, with Bacillariophyta having the largest number of species. The annual average chlorophyll a concentration for this area was 3.11 μg/L, and there occurs a Skeletonema costatum bloom in winter. The Shannon-Weaver indexes(log_2) of the phytoplankton from all stations were higher than 1, and the Pielou indexes were all higher than 0.3. The results of the canonical correspondence analysis(CCA) indicated that water temperature, PO_4~(3ˉ) and Cu were the environmental factors that had the greatest influence on the distribution of the phytoplankton community throughout the entire year. Although the concentration of heavy metal is well up to the state standards of the first grade of China(GB 3097-1997), these metals still have an impact on the phytoplankton community from this area.     

Numerical simulation and preliminary analysis on ocean waves during Typhoon Nesat in South China Sea and adjacent areas

Using the wave model WAVEWATCH III(WW3), we simulated the generation and propagation of typhoon waves in the South China Sea and adjacent areas during the passage of typhoon Nesat(2011). In the domain 100°–145°E and 0°–35°N, the model was forced by the cross-calibrated multi-platform(CCMP) wind fi elds of September 15 to October 5, 2011. We then validated the simulation results against wave radar data observed from an oil platform and altimeter data from the Jason-2 satellite. The simulated waves were characterized by fi ve points along track using the Spectrum Integration Method(SIM) and the Spectrum Partitioning Method(SPM), by which wind sea and swell components of the 1D and 2D wave spectra are separated. There was reasonable agreement between the model results and observations, although the WW3 wave model may underestimate swell wave height. Signifi cant wave heights are large along the typhoon track and are noticeably greater on the right of the track than on the left. Swells from the east are largely unable to enter the South China Sea because of the obstruction due to the Philippine Islands. During the initial stage and later period of the typhoon, swells at the fi ve points were generated by the propagation of waves that were created by typhoons Haitang and Nalgae. Of the two methods, the 2D SPM method is more accurate than the 1D SIM which overestimates the separation frequency under low winds, but the SIM method is more convenient because it does not require wind speed and wave direction. When the typhoon left the area, the wind sea fractions decreased rapidly. Under similar wind conditions, the points located in the South China Sea are affected less than those points situated in the open sea because of the infl uence of the complex internal topography of the South China Sea. The results reveal the characteristic wind sea and swell features of the South China Sea and adjacent areas in response to typhoon Nesat, and provide a reference for swell forecasting and offshore structural designs.     

The investigation of internal solitary waves over a continental shelf-slope

Internal solitary waves (ISWs) always happen in marginal seas, where stable stratification exists. ISWs may carry large energy when they propagate and affect marine engineering constructions such as marine drilling platforms. Previous studies, including a large number of mooring observations and laboratory experiments, show the speed of ISWs will change when they pass by shelf slopes. Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) theory explain this phenomenon. In the paper, we use a laboratory experiment and a numerical model experiment to verify this theory. In the laboratory experiment, we injected two layers of water of different densities in a tank to simulate marine stratification and make ISWs. We use a CCD camera to record the whole process. The camera can take 16 photos per second. In the numerical experiment, we input the same original conditions as the laboratory one. The results of 18 different original conditions show the dimensionless factor d plays a key role in deciding the amplitudes and shapes of ISWs. The main conclusion also contains that small-amplitude waves match well with KdV theory while mKdV is better for largeamplitude waves. Whether the laboratory experiment or numerical experiment shows results with a high agreement. In future studies, we may use a numerical model with higher resolution to get analysis about phase speed and energy of ISWs.     

Seismogenic structures of the 2006 M<Subscript>L</Subscript>4.0 Dangan Island earthquake offshore Hong Kong

The northern margin of the South China Sea, as a typical extensional continental margin, has relatively strong intraplate seismicity. Compared with the active zones of Nanao Island, Yangjiang, and Heyuan, seismicity in the Pearl River Estuary is relatively low. However, a M_L4.0 earthquake in 2006 occurred near Dangan Island (DI) offshore Hong Kong, and this site was adjacent to the source of the historical M5.8 earthquake in 1874. To reveal the seismogenic mechanism of intraplate earthquakes in DI, we systematically analyzed the structural characteristics in the source area of the 2006 DI earthquake using integrated 24-channel seismic profiles, onshore–offshore wide-angle seismic tomography, and natural earthquake parameters. We ascertained the locations of NW- and NE-trending faults in the DI sea and found that the NE-trending DI fault mainly dipped southeast at a high angle and cut through the crust with an obvious low-velocity anomaly. The NW-trending fault dipped southwest with a similar high angle. The 2006 DI earthquake was adjacent to the intersection of the NE- and NW-trending faults, which suggested that the intersection of the two faults with different strikes could provide a favorable condition for the generation and triggering of intraplate earthquakes. Crustal velocity model showed that the high-velocity anomaly was imaged in the west of DI, but a distinct entity with low-velocity anomaly in the upper crust and high-velocity anomaly in the lower crust was found in the south of DI. Both the 1874 and 2006 DI earthquakes occurred along the edge of the distinct entity. Two vertical cross-sections nearly perpendicular to the strikes of the intersecting faults revealed good spatial correlations between the 2006 DI earthquake and the low to high speed transition in the distinct entity. This result indicated that the transitional zone might be a weakly structural body that can store strain energy and release it as a brittle failure, resulting in an earthquake-prone area.     

Distribution and migration of the common squidTodarodes pacificus in the Yellow Sea

Study of the distribution and migration of the common squid,Todarodes pacificus Steenstrup,basedon the index of important fishing ground(P) and fisheries statistics on the Yellow Sea and northern EastChina Sea during 1980—1991 showed that:1.Its catch in the fishing period(June to November) is 91.77% of the annual yield.The fishingground distributes over the northem and middle Yel1ow Sea and adjacent area of the Changjiang Estuary.2. It over-winters in the northem East China Sea and waters adjacent to Goto Island from De-cember to February and spawns in waters near Haijiao Is1and and west of Kyushu. The main stock mi-grates along 123°30′E to the ChangJiang Estuary, Haizhou Bay. offsea from Shidao to Qingdao,mideastern Yellow Sea, and offsea Weihai and Haiyang Island succesively for feeding after April. The sur-plus stock migrates again to the wintering ground in December.3.The favorable feeding temperature is 6-23℃(optimum of l3-20℃ in the Changjiang Estua-ry and 7-13℃ in the northern and middle Yel     

Effects of tidal currents on nonlinear internal solitary waves in the South China Sea

The propagation and fission process of internal solitary waves (ISWs) with amplitudes of about 170 m are simulated in the northeast of the South China Sea (NSCS) by using the generalized Korteweg-de Vries (KdV) equation under continuous stratification. More attention is paid to the effects of the ebb and flood background currents on the fission process of ISWs. This kind of background current is provided by the composed results simulated in terms of monthly mean baroclinic circulation and barotropic tidal current. It is found that the obtained relation of the number of fission solitons to the water depth and stratification is roughly in accordance with the fission law derived by Djordjevic and Redekopp in 1978; however, there exists obvious difference between the effects of the ebb and flood background currents on the wave-lengths of fission solitons (defined as the distance between two neighboring peaks of ISWs). The difference in nonlinearity coefficient α between the ebb and flood background currents is a main cause for the different wave-lengths of fission solitons.     

Impacts of tropical cyclone inflow angle on ocean surface waves

The inflow angle of tropical cyclones(TC) is generally neglected in numerical studies of ocean surface waves induced by TC.In this study,the impacts of TC inflow angle on ocean surface waves were investigated using a high-resolution wave model.Six numerical experiments were conducted to examine,in detail,the effects of inflow angle on mean wave parameters and the spectrum of wave directions.A comparison of the waves simulated in these experiments shows that inflow angle significantly modifies TC-induced ocean surface waves.As the inflow angle increases,the asymmetric axis of the significant wave height(SWH) field shifts 30u clockwise,and the maximum SWH moves from the front-right to the rear-right quadrant.Inflow angle also affects other mean wave parameters,especially in the rear-left quadrant,such as the mean wave direction,the mean wavelength,and the peak direction.Inflow angle is a key factor in wave models for the reproduction of double-peak or multi-peak patterns in the spectrum of wave directions.Sensitivity experiments also show that the simulation with a 40u inflow angle is the closest to that of the NOAA statistical SLOSH inflow angle.This suggests that 40u can be used as the inflow angle in future TC-induced ocean surface wave simulations when SLOSH or observed inflow angles are not available.     

Spike in phytoplankton biomass in Greenland Sea during 2009 and the correlations among chlorophyll-a,aerosol optical depth and ice cover

The distributions and correlations of chlorophyll-a(Chl-a),aerosol optical depth(AOD)and ice cover in the southeast Arctic Ocean-Greenland Sea(10°W–10°E,70°–80°N)between 2003 and 2009 were studied using satellite data and statistical analyses.Regression analysis showed correlations between Chl-a and AOD,Chl-a and ice cover,and AOD and ice cover with different time lags.The time lag of Chl-a and AOD indicated their long-term equilibrium relationship.Peaks in AOD and Chl-a and generally occurred in May and July,respectively.Despite the time lag,the correlation between Chl-a and AOD in the study region was as high as 0.7.The peak gap between Chl-a and AOD shifted for about 6 weeks during 2003–2009.In the summer and autumn of 2009,Chl-a and AOD levels were much higher than during the other years,especially in the northern band of the study region(75°–80°N).The driving forces for this localized increase in phytoplankton biomass could be mainly attributed to the very high rate of ice melting in spring and early summer and the high wind speed in autumn,together with the increased deposition of aerosol throughout the year.The unusually high AOD in the spring of 2003 was mainly due to a massive fi re in Russia,which occurred in the fi rst half of the year.Over the 7 years of the study,the sea surface temperature generally decreased.This may have been due to the release of dimethylsulfi de into the air,excreted in large amounts from abundant phytoplankton biomass,and its subsequent reaction,form large amounts of aerosol,and resulting in regional cooling.     

Distribution patterns of chlorophyll <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> in spring and autumn in association with hydrological features in the southern Yellow Sea and northern East China Sea

Two field studies were conducted to measure pigments in the Southern Yellow Sea (SYS) and the northern East China Sea (NECS) in April (spring) and September (autumn) to evaluate the distribution pattern of phytoplankton stock (Chl a concentration) and the impact of hydrological features such as water mass, mixing and tidal front on these patterns. The results indicated that the Chl a concentration was 2.43±2.64 (Mean ± SD) mg m^?3 in April (range, 0.35 to 17.02 mg m^?3) and 1.75±3.10 mg m^?3 in September (from 0.07 to 36.54 mg m^?3) in 2003. Additionally, four areas with higher Chl a concentrations were observed in the surface water in April, while two were observed in September, and these areas were located within or near the point at which different water masses converged (temperature front area). The distribution pattern of Chl a was generally consistent between onshore and offshore stations at different depths in April and September. Specifically, higher Chl a concentrations were observed along the coastal line in September, which consisted of a mixing area and a tidal front area, although the distributional pattern of Chl a concentrations varied along transects in April. The maximum Chl a concentration at each station was observed in the surface and subsurface layer (0–10 m) for onshore stations and the thermocline layer (10–30 m) for offshore stations in September, while the greatest concentrations were generally observed in surface and subsurface water (0–10 m) in April. The formation of the Chl a distributional pattern in the SYS and NECS and its relationship with possible influencing factors is also discussed. Although physical forces had a close relationship with Chl a distribution, more data are required to clearly and comprehensively elucidate the spatial pattern dynamics of Chl a in the SYS and NECS.     

Numerical simulation of wave field in the South China Sea using WAVEWATCH III

Wave fi elds of the South China Sea(SCS) from 1976 to 2005 were simulated using WAVEWATCH III by inputting high-resolution reanalysis wind fi eld datasets assimilated from several meteorological data sources. Comparisons of wave heights between WAVEWATCH III and TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter and buoy data show a good agreement. Our results show seasonal variation of wave direction as follows: 1. During the summer monsoon(April–September), waves from south occur from April through September in the southern SCS region, which prevail taking about 40% of the time; 2. During the winter monsoon(December–March), waves from northeast prevail throughout the SCS for 56% of the period; 3. The dominant wave direction in SCS is NE. The seasonal variation of wave height H s in SCS shows that in spring, H s ≥1 m in the central SCS region and is less than 1 m in other areas. In summer, H s is higher than in spring. During September–November, infl uenced by tropical cyclones, H s is mostly higher than 1 m. East of Hainan Island, H s 2 m. In winter, H s reaches its maximum value infl uenced by the north-east monsoon, and heights over 2 m are found over a large part of SCS. Finally, we calculated the extreme wave parameters in SCS and found that the extreme wind speed and wave height for the 100-year return period for SCS peaked at 45 m/s and 19 m, respectively, SE of Hainan Island and decreased from north to south.     

Experimental study of dissolved oxygen transport by regular waves through a perforated breakwater

The perforated breakwater is an environmentally friendly coastal structure,and dissolved oxygen concentration levels are an important index to denote water quality.In this paper,oxygen transport experiments with regular waves through a vertical perforated breakwater were conducted.The oxygen scavenger method was used to reduce the dissolved oxygen concentration of inner water body with the chemicals Na_2SO_3 and Co Cl_2.The dissolved oxygen concentration and wave parameters of 36 experimental scenarios were measured with different perforated arrangements and wave conditions.It was found that the oxygen transfer coefficient through wave surface,K_1a_1,is much lower than the oxygen transport coefficient through the perforated breakwater,K_2a_2.If the effect of K_1a_1 is not considered,the dissolved oxygen concentration computation for inner water body will not be greatly affected.Considering the effect of a permeable area ratio α,relative location parameter of perforations δ and wave period T,the aforementioned data of 30 experimental scenarios,the dimensional analysis and the least squares method were used to derive an equation of K_2a_2(K_2a_2=0.0042α~(0.5)δ~(0.2)T~(-1)).It was validated with 6 other experimental scenarios data,which indicates an approximate agreement.Therefore,this equation can be used to compute the DO concentration caused by the water transport through perforated breakwater.     

Effect of temperature and photoperiod on maturation of Cephalothrix hongkongiensis （Nemertea： Palaeonemertea）

The limited knowledge about the relationships between environmental factors and the maturation and reproductive seasonality of nemerteans is mostly obtained from field studies, and in many cases is conjectural. Few species have been studied under well-controlled laboratory conditions. In this work, the effects of temperature and photoperiod on gonad development and spawning of Cephalothrix hongkongiensis were observed by rearing worms under different temperatures and photoperiods. Worms reared at 4℃ and 6℃ showed no growth or gonadal development, and all died within 109 days. At 8℃ and 12℃, gonads could be seen from 90 days to the termination of the 360-day experiment, but no spawning was observed. Worms maintained at 16, 24, and 28℃ showed both gonadal development and spawning, and matured faster at higher temperatures. Under a fixed temperature(16℃), photoperiod did not have any significant impact on maturation and spawning. It is likely that temperature plays a major role in regulating the maturation and reproductive cycle of C. hongkongiensis.     

Characteristics of nonlinear internal waves observed in the northern South China Sea

The South China Sea (SCS) is one of the most active areas of internal waves. We undertook a program of physical oceanography in the northern South China Sea from June to July of 2009, and conducted a 1-day observation from 15:40 of June 24 to 16:40 of June 25 using a chain of instruments, including temperature sensors, pressure sensors and temperature-pressure meters at a site (117.5°E, 21°N) northeast of the Dongsha Islands. We measured fluctuating tidal and subtidal properties with the thermistor-chain and a ship-mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, and observed a large-amplitude nonlinear internal wave passing the site followed by a number of small ones. To further investigate this phenomenon, we collected the tidal constituents from the TPXO7.1 dataset to evaluate the tidal characteristics at and around the recording site, from which we knew that the amplitude of the nonlinear internal wave was about 120 m and the period about 20 min. The horizontal and vertical velocities induced by the soliton were approximately 2 m/s and 0.5 m/s, respectively. This soliton occurred 2–3 days after a spring tide.