The Hormuz Strait Dam Macroproject—21st Century Electricity Development Infrastructure Node (EDIN)?

Ocean gulfs offer a means of artificially creating a depression, which can be used for a regionally significant hydroelectric macroproject. We examine here the case for a dam at the Strait of Hormuz that blocks a large gulf situated in an arid region. A 35 m evaporation of this concentration basin will reduce its watery surface area by ∼53% and allow generation of ∼2.050 MW (or possibly ∼2.500 MW) of electricity. Our conclusion is that the proposed Electricity Development Infrastructure Node (EDIN) is a feasible and desirable macroproject. If the macroproject starts in the near-term future, it would require a significant change in the logistics of oil and gas transport from this region. Alternatively, it can be considered as an attractive future solution for the energy requirements of the region after exhaustion of its oil and gas reserves.     

Neural networks in the dynamic response analysis of slender marine structures

Risers and anchor lines play important roles in offshore oil exploitation activities nowadays. For this reason the proper analysis and design of such slender structures has been of a paramount interest. The principal characteristics to be accounted for in riser and mooring line analysis are the severe nonlinearities involved and the random dynamic effects associated. The Finite Element Method (FEM) is an essential step to cope with this kind of analysis. But the use of the FEM can be computationally very expensive for the solution of the resultant nonlinear differential equations of motion, because the time-domain integration should produce sufficiently long response time-histories using small time-steps in order to obtain reliable time-series statistics of any structural response parameter, e.g., top tension in an anchor line or stresses occurring at a critical section in a steel catenary riser (SCR). This paper presents a very efficient hybrid Artificial Neural Network (ANN)–Finite Element Method (FEM) procedure to perform a nonlinear mapping of the current and past system excitations (inputs) to produce subsequent system response (output) for the random dynamic analysis of mooring lines and risers. Firstly, a quite short FEM-based time-domain response simulation is generated. Then, an ANN is used to predict the remaining structural response time-history simulation. The hybrid ANN–FEM approach can be very efficient for predicting long response time-histories. It has been observed that a 3 h response time-history can accurately be obtained with approximately the computational cost of a 500 s one, i.e., 20 times faster than a complete simulation using finite element-based solution. Roughly, this can represent a reduction of about a dozen of hours of computer time for a single mooring line analysis and about two dozens of hours (or more) for a single SCR analysis, both belonging to a deep-water floating unit.     

A unique Yellow River-derived distal subaqueous delta in the Yellow Sea

Newly acquired high-resolution Chirp sonar profiles reveal a unique Yellow River-derived, alongshore distributed, bidirectional (landward and seaward) across-shelf transported, omega-shaped (“Ω”) distal subaqueous deltaic lobe deposited around the eastern tip of the Shandong Peninsula in the Yellow Sea. This clinoform deposit directly overlies the postglacial transgressive surface, featured by convex-up seafloor morphology, up to 40 m thick locally. Radiocarbon-14 dates from the underlain pre-Holocene and transgressive sediments indicate this distal lobe has formed since the middle-Holocene highstand under a relatively stable sea level. This along-shelf distributed distal clinoform has been deposited mainly by the resuspended Yellow River sediments carried down by the coastal current, interacting with the local waves, tides and upwelling. Collectively, over the past 7000 years, nearly 30% of the Yellow River-derived sediment has been re-suspended and transported out of the Bohai Sea into the Yellow Sea. Overall, the Yellow River-derived sediment could reach the − 80 m water depth in the central South Yellow Sea, about 700 km from the river mouth; in contrast, a very small fraction of the modern riverine sediment could escape the outer shelf or reach the Okinawa Trough.     

Mid-Holocene evolution and paleoenvironments of the shoreface–offshore transition, north-eastern Argentina: New evidence based on benthic microfauna

A sedimentary record spanning 5792–5511 cal yr BP and 3188–2854 cal yr BP was recovered at 36° 45′ 43″ S–56 ° 37′ 13″ W, south-west South Atlantic. The sedimentological features and micropaleontological (benthic foraminifera and ostracoda) content were analyzed in order to reconstruct paleoenvironmental conditions. Considerable environmental fluctuations are indicated by all these proxies. Five different stages were distinguished: Stage 1 (ca. 5800–5000 cal yr BP) consists of muddy sand with abundant microfossils. In this interval, species typical for inner marine shelf environments maintained a high abundance. Stage 2 consists of plastic light greenish grey clays barren of microfossils, and probably represents fluvial input from the de la Plata River to the shelf contemporaneous of a lowering of sea level. Stage 3 is composed of brownish yellow sandy silts, and represents increasing marine conditions in the area as reflected by higher faunal diversity and typical foraminifera of inner shelf environments. Stage 4 is made of homogeneous mud, barren of microfossil, which represents a new pulse of fluvial input to the shelf in consequence of a new fall in sea level. The final part of the core (Stage 5) is a coarsening upward sequence, grading from greeny brown clayey sandy silts to coarse shelly sands and represents the modern sedimentation in the area. This interpretation strengthens the stepped model of late-Holocene sea-level fall between 5511–5792 cal yr BP and 2854–3188 cal yr BP in Buenos Aires coast, and agrees with the relative sea-level history previously proposed by some authors from western South Atlantic coasts.     

A 33 Ma lithostratigraphic record of tectonic and paleoceanographic evolution of the South China Sea

The 853 m thick sediment sequence recovered at ODP Site 1148 provides an unprecedented record of tectonic and paleoceanographic evolution in the South China Sea over the past 33 Ma. Litho-, bio-, and chemo-stratigraphic studies helped identify six periods of changes marking the major steps of the South China Sea geohistory. Rapid deposition with sedimentation rates of 60 m/Ma or more characterized the early Oligocene rifting. Several unconformities from the slumped unit between 457 and 495 mcd together erased about 3 Ma late Oligocene record, providing solid evidence of tectonic transition from rifting/slow spreading to rapid spreading in the South China Sea. Slow sedimentation of 20–30 m/Ma signifies stable seafloor spreading in the early Miocene. Dissolution may have affected the completeness of Miocene–Pleistocene succession with short-term hiatuses beyond current biostratigraphical resolution. Five major dissolution events, D-1 to D-5, characterize the stepwise development of deep water masses in close association to post-Oligocene South China Sea basin transformation. The concurrence of local and global dissolution events in the Miocene and Pliocene suggests climatic forcing as the main mechanism causing deep water circulation changes concomitantly in world oceans and in marginal seas. A return of high sedimentation rate of 60 m/Ma to the late Pliocene and Pleistocene South China Sea was caused by intensified down-slope transport due to frequent sea level fluctuations and exposure of a large shelf area during sea level low-stands. The six paleoceanographic stages, respectively corresponding to rifting (33–28.5 Ma), changing spreading southward (28.5–23 Ma), stable spreading to end of spreading (23–15 Ma), post-spreading balance (15–9 Ma), further modification and monsoon influence (9–5 Ma), and glacial prevalence (5–0 Ma), had transformed the South China Sea from a series of deep grabens to a rapidly expanding open gulf and finally to a semi-enclosed marginal sea in the past 33 Ma.     

Postglacial depositional environments and sedimentation rates in the Norwegian Channel off southern Norway

Based on seismic profiles, multibeam bathymetry and sediment cores, an improved understanding of the deglaciation/postglacial history of the southern part of the Norwegian Channel has been obtained. The Norwegian Channel Ice Stream started to recede from the shelf edge ca. 15.5 ka BP (¹⁴C ages are used throughout). Approximately 500–1000 years later the ice margin was located east of the deep Skagerrak trough. At that time, the Norwegian Channel off southern Norway had become a large fjord-like embayment, surrounded by the grounded ice sheet along the northern slope and possibly stagnant ice remnants at the southern flank. The Norwegian Channel off southern Norway has been the main sediment trap of the North Sea, and south of Egersund more than 200 m of sediments have been deposited since the start of the deglaciation. Five seismic units are mapped. The oldest unit E occurs in some of the deepest troughs, and was deposited immediately after the ice became buoyant. Unit D is acoustically massive and comprises mass-movement deposits in eastern Skagerrak and south of Egersund. Unit C (in the channel southwest of Lista/Egersund) is interpreted to comprise mainly bottom current deposits derived from palaeo-rivers, e.g. Elben. During deposition of unit C (ca. 14.5–13 ka BP), there was limited inflow of Atlantic water. A change in depositional environment at ca. 13 ka BP is related to an increased inflow of saline water and more open hydrographic circulation. Widely distributed, acoustically stratified clays of unit B were deposited ca. 13–10 ka BP. The Holocene Unit A shows a depositional pattern broadly similar to that of unit B.     

Association among active seafloor deformation, mound formation, and gas hydrate growth and accumulation within the seafloor of the Santa Monica Basin, offshore California

Seafloor blister-like mounds, methane migration and gas hydrate formation were investigated through detailed seafloor surveys in Santa Monica Basin, offshore of Los Angeles, California. Two distinct deep-water (≥ 800 m water depth) topographic mounds were surveyed using an autonomous underwater vehicle (carrying a multibeam sonar and a chirp sub-bottom profiler) and one of these was explored with the remotely operated vehicle Tiburon. The mounds are > 10 m high and > 100 m wide dome-shaped bathymetric features. These mounds protrude from crests of broad anticlines (~ 20 m high and 1 to 3 km long) formed within latest Quaternary-aged seafloor sediment associated with compression between lateral offsets in regional faults. No allochthonous sediments were observed on the mounds, except slumped material off the steep slopes of the mounds. Continuous streams of methane gas bubbles emanate from the crest of the northeastern mound, and extensive methane-derived authigenic carbonate pavements and chemosynthetic communities mantle the mound surface. The large local vertical displacements needed to produce these mounds suggests a corresponding net mass accumulation has occurred within the immediate subsurface. Formation and accumulation of pure gas hydrate lenses in the subsurface is proposed as a mechanism to blister the seafloor and form these mounds.     

The anatomy and provenance of thick volcaniclastic flows in the Cretan Basin, South Aegean Sea

Santorini volcano has been the largest source of volcaniclastic sediment in the Eastern Mediterranean during the late Quaternary. A dozen cores from the Cretan Basin, south of Santorini, have sampled two megabeds that consist of gravity emplaced volcaniclastic sequences. The uppermost megabed U consists of a succession of five (U₅–U₁) base cut out turbiditic units. Lower megabed A is a single turbiditic event. Only the uppermost U₂ and U₁ turbidites are separated from the underlying beds by hemipelagic marls. The texture and composition of the U and A megabeds closely match the texture and composition of the fine, vitric ash of the “Minoan” deposits on Santorini islands, dating from about 3500 yr BP. These megabeds are therefore attributed to rapid accumulation of separate gravity flows fed by the “Minoan” eruption, except for the upper U₂ and U₁ turbidites deposited from subsequent gravity flows transporting eroded volcaniclastic sediments. With the exception of the margin south of Santorini, dozens of cores retrieved around the margins of the Cretan Basin have a continuous late Quaternary succession that shows no evidence for massive sediment remobilization into the deeper basin, including the passage of the “Minoan” tsunami.

Extensive high-resolution 3.5 kHz records revealed the acoustic character, architecture and distribution of the U and A megabeds and four underlying late Quaternary volcanogenic megabeds in the Cretan Basin. The acoustic facies of megabeds are typical of megaturbidites and consist of an upper, transparent, lower velocity layer that corresponds to the fine-grained upper turbiditic silt and clay section and a lower, strongly reflective higher velocity section that corresponds to the lowest, coarser-grained base of the turbidite that is developed over a sharp erosional surface. Penetration of the high-resolution records reveals the existence of at least six megabeds. Correlation with core lithology and the physical properties of the various lithofacies, including down-core velocity profiles, has allowed us to determine the thickness and volumes of the upper four megabeds which are: U ≤ 9 m thick, volume 3.7 km³; A ≤ 25 m thick, volume 12.2 km³; B ≤ 22 m thick, volume 10.3 km³; C ≤ 15 m thick, volume 8 km³. These thick megabeds are the uppermost products of repeated explosive eruption of Santorini in the late Quaternary. Calculated sedimentation rates from and after the “Minoan” eruption are 9.4 m/1000 yr that rise to over 15.7 m/1000 yr if megabed B was also deposited during this eruption.     

A study of spar buoy floating breakwater

A floating breakwater produces less environmental impact, but is easily destroyed by large waves. In this paper, the spar buoy floating breakwater is introduced with a study on the wave reflection and transmission characteristics and mooring line tension induced by the waves. Mei (The Applied Dynamics of Ocean Surface Waves, Wiley, New York (1983) 740 p) proposed a theoretical solution for the reflection and transmission coefficients as the wave propagates through a one-layer slotted barrier. For a multiple-layer fence system, the analytical solution is proposed linearly. The results show that the theoretical computations agree well with the experimental trends. For a multiple-layer fence system, the transmission coefficients become maximal as the layer spacing to wavelength ratio moves to 1/2. Conversely, the coefficients become minimal, as the ratio moves to 0.3. To estimate the maximum tension of the mooring line, both numerical calculations and laboratory experiments were executed. The numerical calculation results were similar to the experimental results.     

Mineralogical and geochemical constraints on the origin of ferromanganese crusts from the Rivera Plate (western margin of Mexico)

Marine hydrogenetically precipitated ferromanganese crusts are widespread in the Pacific Ocean. They occur as pavements coating volcanic or sedimentary hard-rock substrates, mainly on the slopes of seamounts, plateaus and hills in ocean basins and continental margins. We studied three ferromanganese crusts from one dredge haul from the Rivera Plate (western margin of Mexico), which are up to 15 mm thick and grow directly on a substrate of pillow basalt fragments. They consist of laminated, botryoidal, porous aggregates mostly of Fe and Mn oxyhydroxides and up to 10% silicates. XRD analysis showed the predominance of poorly crystallized mineral phases in the crusts that include Mn-feroxyhyte and vernadite, and an authigenic smectite-like clay. Detrital minerals probably derive from granodiorites of the eastern wall of the neighboring Middle America Trench. Scattered barite grains occur on the crust surface and suggest plume fall-out derived from hydrothermal vents, although a possible pelagic source cannot be dismissed. Ratios between major (Fe, Mn, Si) and trace (Co, Ni, Cu) elements reveal that such crusts are predominantly hydrogenetic in origin, although they show a hydrothermal influence that increases in the outer layers. Iron contents range from 16.2 to 25.2 wt.%, and manganese from 3.4 to 14.5 wt.%. The Fe/Mn ratio ranges from 1.6 to 7.0. The SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratio ranges from 4.3 to 6.6, indicating the presence of biogenic silica (radiolarians). The concentrations of copper (up to 383 ppm) and cobalt (up to 534 ppm) are significantly below those of the typical hydrogenetic crusts, whereas Ni (up to 1320 ppm) is about the same or slightly lower. REE normalized profiles and ΣREE values (486 to 732 ppm) match those reported for hydrogenetic crusts, but suggest a hydrothermal contribution for the later crust layers. The inferred crust growth rates using the Co-chronometer (44 and 229 mm/Myr) are higher than those reported for pure hydrogenetic crusts (mostly 1 to 6 mm/Myr), thus indicating an increasing hydrothermal influence. The highest growth rate (229 mm/Myr, corresponding to the outer crust layers) suggests a regional hydrothermal input of iron and manganese to seawater. The intensification of regional submarine hydrothermal activity began about 13,000 yr ago, and may be related to the tectonic activity in the complex junction of the Rivera, Cocos, Pacific and North America plates.     

Evaluation of GODAS Using RAMA Mooring Observations from the Indian Ocean

We present a comparison of the Global Ocean Data Assimilation System (GODAS) five-day ocean analyses against in situ daily data from Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction (RAMA) moorings at locations 90°E, 12°N; 90°E, 8°N; 90°E, 0°N and 90°E, 1.5°S in the equatorial Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal during 2002–2008. We find that the GODAS temperature analysis does not adequately capture a prominent signal of Indian Ocean dipole mode of 2006 seen in the mooring data, particularly at 90°E 0°N and 90°E 1.5°S in the eastern India Ocean. The analysis, using simple statistics such as bias and root-mean-square deviation, indicates that standard GODAS temperature has definite biases and significant differences with observations on both subseasonal and seasonal scales. Subsurface salinity has serious deficiencies as well, but this may not be surprising considering the poorly constrained fresh water forcing, and possible model deficiencies in subsurface vertical mixing. GODAS reanalysis needs improvement to make it more useful for study of climate variability and for creating ocean initial conditions for prediction.     

Occurrence of an exceptional carbonate dissolution episode during early glacial isotope stage 6 in the Southeastern Atlantic

Concentration and mass accumulation rate profiles from Southeastern Atlantic sediment cores located off Namibia show that an exceptional episode in benthic carbonate dissolution occurred during early glacial isotope stage 6 (substages 6.6 and 6.5) between about 186 000 and 170 000 yr BP. Although this episode is restricted to or is more pronounced in this region than in other areas of the Atlantic Ocean, its exceptional character with respect to older and younger climatic episodes at the same site cannot be fully explained by local factors alone, but requires a combination of local and global influences. The onset of the carbonate dissolution episode is related to a more efficient transfer of organic matter from surface eutrophic areas to the lower and is due to low sea level, while its termination relates to a change in either global ocean alkalinity or bottom water circulation. An evaluation of the magnitude of this local carbonate dissolution episode suggests that its contribution to a global alkalinity change may have been significant. Carbonate dissolution was probably amplified by stronger upwelling activity of the Benguela System linked to an exceptional northern excursion of the boreal summer ITCZ during early glacial isotope stage 6. This low latitude global linkage may explain how this carbonate dissolution event as well as other ‘anomalies’ observed for early stage 6, like an important Dole effect minimum or a ‘cold’ Mediterranean sapropel, are related.     

A new coral reef province in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia: Colonisation, growth and submergence during the early Holocene

Multibeam sonar mapping, drill cores and underwater video data have confirmed the existence of a previously unknown coral reef province in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia. Seven reefs, comprised of coral limestone that support living corals have been mapped so far and as many as 50 other reefs may exist in the region. U/Th ages show that reef growth commenced shortly after limestone pedestals were submerged by rising sea level around 10.5 kyr BP, making them the oldest Holocene reefs known in Australia. Reef growth persisted for ~ 2.0 kyr but it had ceased at most locations by ~ 7.0 kyr BP. Measurements of reef growth rates (0.95 to 4 m kyr^− 1), indicate that the reefs were unable to keep pace with contemporaneous rapid sea level rise (> 10 m kyr^− 1), which is consistent with a “give up” reef growth history. Core samples from reef platforms demonstrate that Pleistocene limestone is exposed at depths of 27 and 30 m below present mean sea level. These depths represent regionally significant phases of reef growth during a prolonged sea level still stand. We conclude that the reefs are therefore mostly relict features, whose major phase of growth and development relates to an earlier, pre-Holocene sea level still stand.     

LOAPEX: The Long-Range Ocean Acoustic Propagation EXperiment

This paper provides an overview of the experimental goals and methods of the Long-range Ocean Acoustic Propagation EXperiment (LOAPEX), which took place in the northeast Pacific Ocean between September 10, 2004 and October 10, 2004. This experiment was designed to address a number of unresolved issues in long-range, deep-water acoustic propagation including the effect of ocean fluctuations such as internal waves on acoustic signal coherence, and the scattering of low-frequency sound, in particular, scattering into the deep acoustic shadow zone. Broadband acoustic transmissions centered near 75 Hz were made from various depths to a pair of vertical hydrophone arrays covering 3500 m of the water column, and to several bottom-mounted horizontal line arrays distributed throughout the northeast Pacific Ocean Basin. Path lengths varied from 50 km to several megameters. Beamformed receptions on the horizontal arrays contained 10–20-ms tidal signals, in agreement with a tidal model. Fifteen consecutive receptions on one of the vertical line arrays with a source range of 3200 km showed the potential for incoherent averaging. Finally, shadow zone receptions were observed on an ocean bottom seismometer at a depth of 5000 m from a source at 3200–250-km range.      

Mooring optimization of floating platforms using a genetic algorithm

This paper presents a new procedure for the optimization of the mooring design of floating platforms, in which an automatic design sequence is also established. Regarding the optimization philosophy, the following aspects are dealt with:

• The optimization of the platform heading and its mooring pattern, taking into account the environmental force spreading;

• optimum line length or line tension for each mooring line, associated to the optimization of the mooring line materials and sizes.

Basically, the main goal of this paper is to introduce a new method, which will provide the quickest way to find the best mooring system, defined here as that which minimizes platform responses.A genetic algorithm (GA) is applied in this contribution, and this paper describes exactly the procedure of developing a GA code directed toward the solution of mooring design optimization problems. In order to prove the efficiency and the vast potential of the proposed algorithm as a design tool, sample moorings are analyzed for different environmental conditions and the final results, including the time required to run them, are presented.     

Coastline sand waves on a low-energy beach at “El Puntal” spit, Spain

Coastline sand waves have been observed at “El Puntal” spit, located on the north coast of Spain. The spit has been monitored by an Argus video system since 2003 and the formation and destruction of sand waves has been observed. Coastline data from the video images are analyzed by means of principal components analysis, obtaining a mean sand wave length of 125–150 m and a maximum amplitude of ≈ 15 m. It is also observed that sand waves reach their maximum amplitude at about 15 days. No propagation of these sand waves is noticed during the approximately two-month-long events analyzed. Sand wave formation and evolution are examined in relation with the prevailing local wave conditions during that period. Incident waves at the west end of the spit approach from the east–northeast, with a very high angle with respect to the shoreline. Field observations suggest that sand waves may result from an instability in alongshore sediment transport caused by moderate-energy waves with a high-angle incidence.     

Variability and propagation of Labrador Sea Water in the southern subpolar North Atlantic

The variability of two modes of Labrador Sea Water (LSW) (upper and deep Labrador Sea Water) and their respective spreading in the interior North Atlantic Ocean are investigated by means of repeated ship surveys carried out along the zonal WOCE line A2/AR19 located at 43–48°N (1993–2007) and along the GOOS line at about 48–51°N (1997–2002). Hydrographic section data are complemented by temperature, salinity, and velocity time series recorded by two moorings. They have been deployed at the western flank of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) in the Newfoundland Basin during 1996–2004. The analysis of hydrographic anomalies at various longitudes points to a gradual eastward propagation of LSW-related signals, which happens on time scales of 3–6 years from the formation region towards the MAR. Interactions of the North Atlantic Current (NAC) with the Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) close to Flemish Cap point to the NAC being the main distributor of the different types of LSW into the interior of the Newfoundland Basin. Comparisons between the ship data and the mooring records revealed that the mooring sites are located in a region affected by highly variable flow. The mooring time series demonstrate an elevated level of variability with eddy activity and variability associated with the NAC considerably influencing the LSW signals in this region. Hydrographic data taken from Argo profiles from the vicinity of the mooring sites turned out to mimic quite well the temporal evolution captured by the moorings. There is some indication of occasional southward flow in the LSW layer near the MAR. If this can be considered as a hint to an interior LSW-route, it is at least of minor importance in comparison to the DWBC. It acts as an important supplier for the interior North Atlantic, distributing older and recently formed LSW modes southward along the MAR.     

Autonomous and rapid deployment of a compact taut-wire mooring

The deployment time of a taut-wire mooring is reduced to the time any transportation/hoisting device needs to put a payload at the sea surface. This is a matter of minutes rather than hours needed for deployment of long deep-ocean moorings in the regular way. It is achieved by extending the basic function of mooring parts to temporarily form a Launcher for Oceanographic Equipment and Instruments (LOEI). Full preparation of the mooring is done onshore where the instruments are prepared and programmed, and spooled onto the top-buoy together with the line. At sea, no other gear is required than a device that is able to lift a load of, say, 2000 kg, even for long deep-ocean moorings. The compact mooring method realizes considerable budget savings through deployments from non-research vessels and airborne transportation-deployment. Limitations lay in size and weight of the oceanographic instruments. We present a test-design shaped as a barbell and loaded with 940 m line and 3 current meters. Unfurling speed was maximally 2.3 m s⁻¹ and the descent speed amounted 1.2 m s⁻¹ until landing on the seabed. These speeds are comparable to those acquired during a conventional free-falling mooring deployment.     

Note on wave parameters from moored wave buoys

For decades, the accelerometer wave buoy has been a preferred choice for offshore wave measurements. Although these measurements are accurate and robust, there are some issues of practical character that need to be inspected before using such measurements for detailed time-series investigations. Here three potential sources of inaccuracies are outlined which can appear due to improper mooring, limited high-frequency resolution or overly simple procedures for attaching measurement times (time stamps) to the measurements. The last two of these apply to all types of single-point wave-measuring devices.

An example of a wave-height series is given, in which part of the observed variation seems to be induced by the mooring. It is argued that unexpected semi-tidal modulations in measured wave-height can be an indication of a mooring that is too rigid. By truncating observed wave spectra from a deep-water location, it is demonstrated how the high-frequency cut-off limit of a wave measurement influences the most commonly used wave parameters. It is observed that the accuracy of common wave parameters remains acceptable up to a cut-off limit in the range of 0.30–0.35 Hz if the spectra above the cut-off frequency are replaced by a prognostic f⁻⁵ tail. Finally it is noted that the procedure of connecting time stamps to wave measurements can in some cases introduce an artificial time-lag compared to the real-time sea state.     

基于有限差分法的复合系泊链缆动力模型及其验证

具有链—缆—链结构的复合系泊链缆因其相对于全钢链质量和成本上的优势而在深水系泊中得以广泛应用。基于细长杆理论采用有限差分法建立了可以考虑链—缆—链结构的复合系泊缆数值模型,将其应用于不同工况下全钢链和复合链缆运动的数值模拟中,并开展了验证。首先,将单根钢链顶张力数值模拟结果与不同工况下的模型试验结果进行了对比,验证了数值预报程序应用于全钢链的准确性。然后,对于复合系泊链缆开展了静刚度和动刚度迭代数值模拟,并将模拟结果同已发表文章中的算例结果进行比较,验证了该数值模型在复合链缆模拟上的准确性。发现对于单根钢锚链的验证,激励半径越大,激励周期越小,一个周期内顶张力幅值及其极差越大,钢链运动就越剧烈。对于链—缆—链式复合系泊链缆的验证,发现静刚度迭代中数值模拟结果与算例结果差异较小;对于动刚度迭代,除个别大幅慢漂工况外,两者有较高的吻合;且激励周期越小,激励半径越大,复合系泊链缆顶张力越大,弹性模量越小,运动越剧烈。对于聚酯缆刚度的敏感性分析,发现改变动刚度经验公式参数的情况下,杨氏模量的静刚度迭代和动刚度迭代结果误差分别最大达到了60.81%和68.21%,因此合成纤维材料特性对复合系泊链...