Numerical simulation of three-dimensional tidal current in the Bobal Sea

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冲绳海槽的成因——根据重磁剖面资料

板块构造学说问世以来,引起了许多海洋地质、地球物理学家的重视,并从各个不同角度,对板块运动机制进行了深入的研究.近年来,许多学者都将注意力转移到板块聚合边界的运动学和动力学研究上,在1979年2月东京召开的西太平洋研讨会[1]及1980年3月召开的西北太平洋地质、地球物理研讨会[2]上,都将对西太平洋沟、弧、盆系列的调查研究列为最重要的课题.     

Modelling the cross-shore profiles of sand beaches using artificial neural networks

Abstract

Artificial neural networks (ANN) have been widely used successfully to solve coastal engineering problems. In this article, they are used to model the cross-shore profile of sandy beaches taking into account the possible effect of marine vegetation (Posidonia oceanica). Sixty ANNs were generated by modifying both the inputs and the number of neurons in the hidden layer. The best results were obtained with the following inputs: wave height perpendicular to the coast and the associated period and probability of occurrence, median sediment size, profile slope, and energy reduction factor due to P. oceanica. With these inputs and 10 neurons in the hidden layer, a mean absolute error of 0.22?m during training and 0.21?m during the test was obtained, which represents an improvement of 81.2% and 55.5% compared to models without and with P. oceanica.     

On the cross-shore profile change of gravel beaches

This paper investigates cross-shore profile changes of gravel beaches, with particular regard to discussing the tendency for onshore transport and profile steepening in the swash zone. The discussion includes observed morphological changes on a gravel beach from experimental investigations at the Large Wave Flume (GWK) in Hanover, Germany. During the tests all the profile changes occurred in the swash zone, resulting in erosion below the still water line (SWL) and formation of a berm above the SWL. We investigate the profile evolution evaluating the transport rates from a bed load sediment transport formulation coupled with velocities calculated from a set of Boussinesq equations that have been validated for its use in the surf and swash zones [Lynett, P.J., Wu, T.-R., and Liu, L.-F., P., 2002. Modelling wave runup with depth-integrated equations. Coastal Engineering, 46, 89–107; Otta, A.K., and Pedrozo-Acuña, A., 2004. Swash boundary and cross-shore variation of horizontal velocity on a slope. In: J.M. Smith (Editor), Proceedings 29th International Conference on Coastal Engineering. World Scientific, Lisbon, Portugal, pp. 1616–1628]. We discuss the influence of bottom friction on the predicted profiles, using reported friction factors from experimental studies. It is shown that the use of a different friction factor within a realistic range in each phase of the swash (uprush and backwash) improves prediction of the beach profiles, although quantitative agreement between the measured and computed profile evolutions is not satisfactory. Furthermore, if the friction factor and the transport efficiency (C) of the sediment transport formulation are kept the same in the uprush and backwash, accurate representation of profile evolution is not possible. Indeed, the features of the predicted profiles are reversed. However, when the C parameter is set larger during the uprush than during the backwash, the predicted profiles are closer to the observations. Differences between the predicted profiles from setting non-identical C-values and friction factors for the swash phase, are believed to be linked to both the infiltration effects on the flow above the beachface and the more accelerated flow in the uprush.     

Verification of sediment transport rate parameter on cross-shore sediment transport analysis

The sediment transport parameter helps determining the amount of sediment transport in cross-shore direction. The sediment transport parameter therefore, should represent the effect of necessary environmental factors involved in cross-shore beach profile formation. However, all the previous studies carried out for defining shape parameter consider the parameter as a calibration value. The aim of this study is to add the effect of wave climate and grain size characteristics in the definition of transport rate parameter and thus witness their influence on the parameter. This is achieved by taking the difference in between “the equilibrium wave energy dissipation rate” and “the wave energy dissipation rate” to generate a definition for the bulk of sediment, dislocating within a given time interval until the beach tends reach an equilibrium conditions. The result yields that empirical definition of transport rate parameter primarily governs the time response of the beach profile. Smaller transport rate value gives a longer elapsed time before equilibrium is attained on the beach profile. It is shown that any significant change in sediment diameter or wave climate proportionally increases the value of the shape parameter. However, the effect of change in wave height or period on sediment transport parameter is not as credit to as mean sediment characteristics.     

Estimating Chlorophyll-<Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> Vertical Profiles from Satellite Data and the Implication for Primary Production in the Kuroshio Front of the East China Sea

An algorithm was evaluated for estimating primary production in the Kuroshio front of the East China Sea. The algorithm involves three principal inputs: chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) vertical profile, water column photosynthetic parameter and underwater irradiance parameter. We construct empirical models for estimating those three inputs from sea surface variables accessible by means of satellite remote sensing. Types of Chl-a vertical profile were closely associated with water mass features, and sea surface temperature seemed to be a potential variable to distinguish profile types. The consequence of the deep Chl-a maximum (DCM) presence was investigated by comparing the vertically non-uniform Chl-a profile against the uniform Chl-a profile in terms of the integrated biomass and primary production estimates. Since the DCM in the frontal region occurred in a relatively shallow layer with relatively high light level, allowing intensive photosynthetic processes to take place in the DCM layer. In contrast, as the DCM in the Kuroshio region occurred in the low-light, deep layer, it contributed less to the integrated primary production. We inferred that the DCM formation is more important in the frontal region than in the Kuroshio region, as they potentially contributed within 30.9% (±9.1%) and 20.9% (±5.4%) to the integrated primary production in the frontal and the Kuroshio regions, respectively. Such different degrees in the DCM contribution was then revealed by the higher integrated primary production in the frontal region than in the Kuroshio region.     

Infra-gravity wave generation by the shoaling wave groups over beaches

A physical parameter, μb, which was used to meet the forcing of primary short waves to be off-resonant before wave breaking, has been considered as an applicable parameter in the infra-gravity wave generation. Since a series of modulating wave groups for different wave conditions are performed to proceed with the resonant mechanism of infra-gravity waves prior to wave breaking, the amplitude growth of incident bound long wave is assumed to be simply controlled by the normalized bed slope, βb. The results appear a large dependence of the growth rate, α, of incident bound long wave, separated by the three-array method, on the normalized bed slope, βb. High spatial resolution of wave records enables identification of the cross-correlation between squared short-wave envelopes and infra-gravity waves. The cross-shore structure of infra-gravity waves over beaches presents the mechanics of incident bound- and outgoing free long waves with the formation of free standing long waves in the nearshore region. The wave run-up and amplification of infra-gravity waves in the swash zone appear that the additional long waves generated by the breaking process would modify the cross-shore structure of free standing long waves. Finally, this paper would further discuss the contribution of long wave breaking and bottom friction to the energy dissipation of infra-gravity waves based on different slope conditions.     

Study on fishery biology features of spawning group of Pseudopleuronectes yokamae(Günther) in the Sheath Bay

Pseudopleuronectes yokamae (Günther) is one of the most important economic fish species in the genus living specially in the northwest Pacific, and is distributed in the southern area of the far east sea of Russia, Japan, Korea, the Huanghai Sea, the Bohai Sea and the northern area of the East China Sea. Usually they live in nearshore waters of these areas as geographic subpopulations. P. yokamae in the Sheath Bay belongs to a local group of the Huanghai-Bohai Sea subpopulation and is distributed in the mouth and adjacent waters of the bay all the year round, and the catch of its spawning group has important economic value in the area. In this paper the fishery biology features of spawning group of P. yokamae in the Sheath Bay is systematically studied to give biology evidence for proper utilization and the multiplification of its resources.     

Determination of bar parameters caused by cross-shore sediment movement

Waves, topographic features and material properties are known as the most important factors affecting the sediment movement and coastal profiles. In this study, considering wave height (H=6.5, 17, 16, 20, 23, 26 and 30 cm) and period (T=1.46 and 2.03 s), bed slope (m=1/10, 1/15 and 1/25) and sediment diameter (d₅₀=0.18, 0.26, 0.33 and 0.40 mm), cross-shore sediment movement was investigated using a physical model and various offshore bar geometric parameters were determined by the resultant erosion profile. The offshore bar geometric characteristics are the distance between the bar crest and the shoreline, the depth from bar crest to the still-water level, the distance between the equilibrium point and the shoreline, the distance between the closure point and the shoreline, and the bar volume. Dimensional and non-dimensional equations were obtained by using non-linear regression methods through the experimental data and compared with those of previously developed equations. The results have indicated that the proposed equations fit to experimental data better than previously developed equations.     

Physical modeling of the cross-shore short-term evolution of protected and unprotected beach nourishments

This paper illustrates the results of an experimental investigation (model-to-prototype length ratio equal to 12) carried out to reproduce the cross-shore evolution of nourished sandy beaches. New two-dimensional experiments were performed to study the short-term response of the cross-shore profile for both “soft” (unprotected) and “mixed” (protected by submerged breakwaters) beach fill projects. Due to the simplified reproduction of prototype conditions in a two-dimensional geometry, only cross-shore sediment transport is considered. The results are related to the immediate post-nourishment evolution and far from beach fill boundaries where long-shore gradients of long-shore sediment transport are likely to be negligible. Three different pseudo-random wave trains were generated in order to simulate both accretive and erosive conditions. A fourth wave train, characterised by time-varying incident wave spectrum was generated for the investigation of the beach response to simplified storm time evolution. Dimensionless experimental results are given in terms of wave parameters, key features of cross-shore profile evolution and sediment transport rates. Furthermore, being highly resolved in both time and space, experimental data are suitable for mathematical model validation. It was observed that submerged breakwater switches erosive conditions to slightly accretive, at least within the tested experimental range.     

Field measurements of longshore sediment transport during storms

This paper presents an analysis of longshore sediment transport (LST) rates based on an accumulation of data obtained during five storms. Direct measurements of velocities and suspended sediment concentration were conducted at a minimum of nine positions across a barred profile in waves up to H_m0=3.5 m to provide a measure of the cross-shore distribution and total suspended-load sediment transport rates. The study was conducted at the US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station's Field Research Facility, located in Duck, NC. Measurements were made using the Sensor Insertion System (SIS) which provides an economical means to collect the required information. The largest LST rate computed from the measurements was 1780 m³ h⁻¹. Although the cross-shore distribution of the LST varied, it most often had two peaks associated with wave shoaling and breaking at the bar and near the beach. Comparisons of measurement results with predictions using the ‘CERC' LST formula show the predicted rates were sometimes higher and other times lower; suggesting that additional terms may be required for short term predictions during storms. Comparisons to a ‘Bagnold' type formulation, which included a velocity term that could account for wind and other effects on LST, show better agreement for at least one of the storms. These results are intended to help fill a void of information documenting the cross-shore distribution and LST rates, particularly during storms.     

Spreading of submarine slopes caused by trenching

Abstract

Submarine trenching for pipeline installation in potentially unstable sediments has recently been of increasing concern. Although typical pipeline depths are less than 3 or 4 m, trenching operations generally cause local stress concentrations within the sediments and induce excess pore pressures. The result of these stress concentrations and pore pressure increases may be spreading of submarine slumps that can endanger pipelines or other nearby installations. A simplified analytical approach is described to estimate the extent of slump spreading caused by trenching. It is shown that the spreading potential is affected by many geotechnical characteristics of the sediments in addition to geomorphic processes and the oceanographic regimes governing the area. The primary geotechnical factors that influence spreading include the porepressure parameter A_f , the degree of consolidation, the coefficient of earth pressure at rest, and the strength characteristics of the soil. Dimensionless parameters are developed to illustrate graphically the functional relationships among these parameters. A Gulf of Mexico soil profile is used to quantify the spreading phenomenon.     

Reconstruction of incomplete oceanographic data sets using empirical orthogonal functions: application to the Adriatic Sea surface temperature

A method for the reconstruction of missing data based on an EOF decomposition has been applied to a large data set, a test case of Sea Surface Temperature satellite images of the Adriatic Sea. The EOF decomposition is realised with a Lanczos method, which allows optimising computational time for large matrices. The results show that the reconstruction method leads to accurate reconstructions as well as a low cpu time when dealing with realistic cases. The method has been tested with different amounts of missing data, artificially adding clouds ranging from 40% to 80% of data loss, and then compared to the same data set with no missing data. A comparison with in situ data has also been made. These validation studies show that results are robust, even when the amount of missing data is very high. The reconstruction of the data from the Adriatic Sea shows realistic features and a reliable temperature distribution. In addition, the method is compared to an Optimal Interpolation reconstruction. The results obtained with both methods are very similar. The main difference is the computational time, which is reduced nearly 30 times with the method presented here. Once the reconstruction has been performed, the EOF decomposition is analysed to show the method’s reliability, and a cold event on the Albanian coast is studied. The reconstructed data reflect the effect of wind on the Albanian coast, that led to a cold-water episode in this zone for a 6-day period.     

Phylogeography of Ophryotrocha labronica (Polychaeta,Dorvilleidae) along the Italian coasts

Species of the genus Ophryotrocha are a well‐studied group of organisms but, despite the relatively large body of biological studies, little is known about their intra‐specific patterns of genetic diversity. In the present study, we analysed the patterns of genetic variation in samples of Ophryotrocha labronica (Polychaeta, Dorvilleidae) collected along the Italian coasts within three regions with different thermal regimes: the Northern Adriatic Sea (NAS), the Ligurian Sea (LS), and the South/Southeast Sicilian Sea (SS). A partial sequence of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene was used as a genetic marker. An analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed significant genetic differentiation between the NAS and the other regions. Conversely, little or no genetic structuring was found between the LS and the SS or amongst locations within a given region. A Bayesian phylogenetic tree and a median‐joining network provided evidence for the occurrence of two highly divergent genetic lineages characterized by a high average sequence divergence (17.2%, Kimura two‐parameter distance). The spatial patterns of genetic variation found in O. labronica may reflect the signature of past expansion events of the two genetic lineages. Although the high sequence divergence suggested that cryptic speciation within O. labronica may have occurred, other traits such as the absence of reproductive isolation, pattern of phenotypic variation and habitat specificity prompted us to regard the two groups as distinct COI lineages of O. labronica.     

Current Dynamics of Estuarine Circulation in the Lateral Boundary Layer

High spatial resolution measurements of current velocity performed by the shipboard mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) in the lateral boundary layer of the southern Gulf of Finland during two 5-day periods are described and analysed with a focus on the dominant dynamics. The measurement site represents a small (15×20 km), relatively deep (up to 100 m) bay opened to large-scale estuarine circulation. The measurement period was characterized by calm winds and a strong seasonal pycnocline (Brunt-Väisälä frequencyN=6–9*10⁻² s⁻¹). The quasi-steady velocity field revealed polarization of currents along the shore whereas an intensive baroclinic coastal jet was observed over a cross-shore scale of 1–2 km. The level of vertical separation of the alongshore flow coincided with the pycnocline at the coast, but was shifted below it in the offshore region. The cross-shore flow was considerably weaker and showed a three-layer structure with an opposite phase between the first and second surveys. It is suggested that the observed jet resembles a non-locally forced eastward propagating coastally trapped wave. In the offshore area the alongshore flow field satisfies local geostrophic balance quite well, except in the pycnocline where strong vertical stratification exerts considerable vertical stress. As vertical velocity shear is well correlated with vertical stratification, the horizontal advection prevails over vertical mixing. Horizontal inhomogeneities of density distribution are partly explained by vertical velocities with an estimated magnitude of less than 0·6 mm/s and the spatial pattern following bottom topography.     

The genetic structure of the exotic ascidian Styela plicata (Tunicata) from Italian ports,with a re‐appraisal of its worldwide genetic pattern

The pleated ascidian Styela plicata (Lesueur, 1823) is a solitary species commonly found in ports and marinas around the world. It has been recorded in the Mediterranean region since the mid‐19th century. In the present work, the species’ genetic diversity was analysed, employing a 613‐bp portion of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene from 149 individuals collected in 14 ports along Italian coasts at spatial scales ranging from 1 to approximately 2200 km. Haplotype and nucleotide diversity values were h = 0–0.933 (total h = 0.789) and π = 0–0.145 (total π = 0.0094), respectively. A general southward trend of increasing within‐population genetic diversity was observed. Analysis of molecular variance revealed significant genetic structuring but no significant differences were detected among basins, and no isolation by distance was found. Our data were integrated with the COI sequences available from previous studies and re‐analysed in order to investigate the possible routes of introduction of this ascidian into the Mediterranean Sea. The presence of the two COI haplogroups detected in previous molecular investigations on S. plicata at intercontinental spatial scale was confirmed in the Mediterranean Sea. The results revealed multiple introductions of S. plicata, although some locations appear to have experienced rapid expansion from few founding individuals with reduced genetic diversity. However, continuous introductions would confound the pattern deriving from single founder events and make it difficult to estimate the time needed for gene diffusion into established populations. This mixing of effects creates difficulties in understanding the past and current dynamics of this introduction, and managing this alien invasive ascidian whose genetic structure is continuously shuffled by vessel‐mediated transport.     

Temperature effects on asexual reproduction of the scyphozoan Aurelia aurita s.l.: differences between exotic (Baltic and Red seas) and native (Mediterranean Sea) populations

Massive occurrences of jellyfish can cause direct impacts on the economy, especially on tourism and commercial fisheries. Translocation of jellyfish species by humans has caused damaging blooms in new habitats. Aurelia aurita s.l. has been introduced in many locations around the world. To test the potential success of Au. aurita s.l. in various habitats, scyphistomae from different climatic locations (Mediterranean, Red and Baltic Seas) were cultured individually for 201 days at three temperatures (14, 21 and 28 °C) with the same salinity, food and light. We tested the null hypotheses that there were no differences in survival or asexual reproduction (budding and strobilation) amongst populations [native (Mediterranean) and exotic (Red and Baltic)]. Survival of the three scyphistoma populations did not differ significantly across temperatures; however, the Red Sea group had lower survival at all temperatures than did the other populations. Most individuals strobilated at 14 °C. Red Sea scyphistomae strobilated more quickly than Baltic and Mediterranean Sea scyphistomae and produced the fewest ephyrae, whereas Baltic Sea scyphistomae produced the most. Our results indicate that Au. aurita from the Baltic or Red Seas introduced into the Northwest Mediterranean Sea would potentially persist and successfully asexually reproduce there. A new invader could even have greater asexual production than the local Au. aurita s.l. Establishment of the invaders could increase genetic variation of subsequent generations and increase their adaptability to environmental changes. Our results suggest that introduction of exotic Au. aurita s.l. populations could increase jellyfish blooms in the Mediterranean Sea.     

Contrasting local retention and cross-shore transports of the East Australian Current and the Leeuwin Current and their relative influences on the life histories of small pelagic fishes

Transport between shelf and offshore environments supports a significant proportion of ocean primary productivity and is critical to the life cycle of many marine species. While fundamental differences in the underlying dynamics of eastern and western boundary currents have been recognized and studied for more than half a century, the implications for physical dispersal rates have received much less attention. In this study we explore how Australia’s two major boundary current systems, the East Australian Current and the Leeuwin Current, differ in their local retention and cross-shore transports in the upper water column and how these differences favor contrasting life histories of small pelagic fishes. The results suggest that the East Australian Current forms a partial barrier to onshore transport, but is effective in entraining shelf waters and transporting them offshore, particularly in the region where the current separates from the coast. Blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus) spawn on the outer-shelf in this separation region and may thereby maximize the dispersion of eggs and larvae in the mainly oligotrophic waters of the southern Coral Sea. In contrast, the Leeuwin Current system promotes onshore transport through the combined effects of mean onshore flow and eddy-induced mixing. In the Great Australian Bight, sardine (Sardinops sagax) and anchovy (Engraulis australis) may exploit the high coastal retention of the Leeuwin Current system by spawning on the inner-shelf during summer when the current is weakest and winds assist retention and enhance production through local upwelling.