A model study of influence of circulation on the pollutant transport in the Zhujiang River Estuary and adjacent coastal waters

A tracer model with random diffusion coupled to the hydrodynamic model for the Zhujiang River Estuary (Pearl River Estuary, PRE) is to examine the effect of circulations on the transport of completely conservative pollutants. It is focused on answering the following questions: (1) What role does the estuarine plume front in the winter play in affecting the pollutants transport and its distribution in the PRE ? (2) What effect do the coastal currents driven by the monsoon have on the pollutants transport? The tracer experiment results show that: (1) the pollutant transport paths strongly depend on the circulation structures and plume frontal dynamics of the PRE and coastal waters; (2) during the summer when a southwesterly monsoon prevails, the pollutants from the four easterly river inlets and those from the bottom layer of offshore stations will greatly influence the water quality in Hong Kong waters, however, the pollutants released from the four westerly river-inlets will seldom affect the water quality of Hong Kong waters due to their transport away from Hong Kong; (3) during the winter when a northeasterly monsoon prevails, all pollutants released from the eight river gates will be laterally transported seaward inside the estuary and transport westward in the coastal waters along the river plume frontal zone. However, pollutants released from the surface layer of offshore stations near or east of the Dangan Channel will be carried into the coastal waters of Hong Kong by the landward component of the westward coastal current driven by the winter northeasterly monsoon. But the pollutants from the bottom layer of the offshore stations will be carried away from the offshore by the bottom flow driven by the northeasterly monsoon. This implies that only surface-released matter from offshore stations will affect the water quality of the coastal waters around Hong Kong during the winter when a northeasterly monsoon prevails.     

A model study of influence of circulation on the pollutant transport in the Zhujiang River Estuary and adjacent coastal waters

A tracer model with random diffusion coupled to the hydrodynamic model for the Zhujiang River Estuary (Pearl River Estuary, PRE) is to examine the effect of circulations on the transport of completely conservative pollutants. It is focused on answering the following questions: (1) What role does the estuarine plume front in the winter play in affecting the pollutants transport and its distribution in the PRE? (2) What effect do the coastal currents driven by the monsoon have on the pollutants transport? The tracer experiment results show that: (1) the pollutant transport paths strongly depend on the circulation structures and plume frontal dynamics of the PRE and coastal waters; (2) during the summer when a southwesterly monsoon prevails, the pollutants from the four easterly river inlets and those from the bottom layer of offshore stations will greatly influence the water quality in Hong Kong waters, however, the pollutants released from the four westerly river-inlets will seldom affect the water quality of Hong Kong waters due to their transport away from Hong Kong; (3) during the winter when a northeasterly monsoon prevails, all pollutants released from the eight river gates will be laterally transported seaward inside the estuary and transport westward in the coastal waters along the river plume frontal zone. However, pollutants released from the surface layer of offshore stations near or east of the Dangan Channel will be carried into the coastal waters of Hong Kong by the landward component of the westward coastal current driven by the winter northeasterly monsoon. But the pollutants from the bottom layer of the offshore stations will be carried away from the offshore by the bottom flow driven by the northeasterly monsoon. This implies that only surface-released matter from offshore stations will affect the water quality of the coastal waters around Hong Kong during the winter when a northeasterly monsoon prevails.     

Dynamics of the Mackenzie River plume on the inner Beaufort shelf during an open water period in summer

The oceanographic conditions of the Mackenzie River plume in the Arctic Ocean were examined during a 12-day period in August 2007. Field observations in the river channel and the delta region (2–6 m depth), ship-based observations on the shelf and satellite observations of sea surface temperatures indicate that movements of plume density fronts cause changes in water temperatures of over 10  C over a few days. We used a 1D model to compare the strength of stratification versus surface wind stress, and a 3D numerical model to simulate the plume motions under forcing from the river flows, local wind and water level variations from tides and wind-driven surge. The results indicate that the coastal region is stratified with a ∼2 m thick surface plume even in water depths of 3–4 m, resulting in strong vertical variation of horizontal currents. Moderate easterly winds of 5–10 m/s are sufficient to induce offshore transport of the surface plume and onshore transport of the deeper shelf water, leading to large fluctuations in temperature and salinity in the coastal region. This study examined a period of offshore transport and mean water level set-down, and indicates the rapid response of the plume to wind over the shallow delta.     

黄河口悬浮泥沙时空动态及其驱动机制

受径流输沙、风浪、潮汐等影响,河口近岸海域悬浮泥沙具有显著的时空变化。本文基于小时分辨率的GOCI遥感影像,利用最优遥感反演算法,结合空间分析和统计方法,深入研究黄河口及邻近海域悬沙时空动态特征及驱动机制。结果表明,径流输沙对悬沙浓度的影响以河口近岸区为主,高径流输沙对悬沙浓度分布影响可达距岸约20 km,并向孤东近岸方向扩散。大风可引起清水沟老河口区泥沙强烈再悬浮,形成高浓度悬沙区。涨落潮对小时尺度的悬沙浓度影响显著,并影响悬沙的南北扩散。大潮悬沙浓度变化和扩散范围均大于小潮,潮流流速不同是造成该差异的主要原因。水深与悬沙浓度之间存在较明显的负相关关系,根据不同驱动因素的差异,悬沙浓度随着水深的增加呈现出指数型、幂函数型、线性3种关系。     

秋季东海内陆架悬浮体分布特征

秋季是处于夏、冬季之交的过渡季节,夏季风减弱、冬季风增强的背景下海洋水文泥沙环境有独特特征,关于该时期悬浮体分布特征的研究较少.本文基于东海内陆架2016、2017与2018年秋季悬浮体及温盐数据,分析该海域秋季悬浮体浓度的水平和垂向分布特征.结果表明:悬浮体浓度近岸高于远岸,浓度等值线大致平行于等深线,近底层悬浮体浓...     

Horizontal spatial and temporal distribution patterns of nearshore larval fish assemblages at a temperate rocky shore

There have been no previous studies of the composition of nearshore larval fish assemblages along the coast of Portugal. We aimed to describe the composition and horizontal distribution patterns of larval fish assemblages and their temporal dynamics near a rocky reef at depths shallower than 13 m (inshore) and at two miles (3.70 km) from shore (offshore), as well as along transects perpendicular to the shoreline, from the reef to 10 miles offshore (18.52 km). Samples were taken using 5 min sub-surface trawls at the rocky shore of the Arrábida Marine Park (W Portugal). A total of 1021 larvae were collected, belonging to 61 taxa inshore and to 29 taxa offshore. Along transects, 626 larvae of 52 taxa were collected. Most larvae belonged to coastal species associated with rocky reefs. Total larval abundance and diversity were higher from May to July, which is consistent with the spawning activity of adults. Diversity and total larval abundance decreased significantly with increasing distance from shore, both in the inshore/offshore comparison and in the transects, where this decrease was evident at a very small spatial scale (within the first mile from the reef). Species assemblages differed in the pattern of distribution, with most species clearly associated to the extreme nearshore. The distribution patterns obtained were independent of the spawning mode of species. Results are discussed in the light of the possible physical mechanisms that can potentially act at the Arrábida Marine Park to facilitate larvae retention and the role of larval behaviour.     

Seasonal and spatial distributions of phytoplankton biomass associated with monsoon and oceanic environments in the South China Sea

Seasonal variations of phytoplankton/chlorophyll-a （Chl-a） distribution, sea surface wind, sea height anomaly, sea surface temperature and other oceanic environments for long periods are analyzed in the South China Sea （SCS）, especially in the two typical regions off the east coast of Vietnam and off the northwest coast of Luzon, using remote sensing data and other oceanographic data. The results show that seasonal and spatial distributions of phytoplankton biomass in the SCS are primarily influenced by the monsoon winds and oceanic environments. Off the east coast of Vietnam, Chl-a concentration is a peak in August, a jet shape extending into the interior SCS, which is associated with strong southwesterly monsoon winds, the coastal upwetling induced by offshore Ekman transport and the strong offshore current in the western SCS. In December, high Chl-a concentration appears in the upwelling region off the northwest coast of Luzon and spreads southwestward. Strong mixing by the strong northeasterly monsoon winds, the cyclonic circulation, southwestward coastal currents and river discharge have impacts on distribution of phytoplankton, so that the high phytoplankton biomass extends from the coastal areas over the northern SCS to the entire SCS in winter. These research activities could be important for revealing spatial and temporal patterns of phytoplankton and their interactions with physical environments in the SCS.     

Distribution and dispersal of the early larval stages of the Japanese spiny lobster Panulirus japonicus in the East China Sea

The annual distribution and dispersal of early‐stage phyllosoma of the Japanese spiny lobster Panulirus japonicus were examined in the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan off western Japan. Early‐stage larvae were sampled mainly in summer and relatively near the coast off western Kyusyu Island. Few larvae were found in the other three seasons in the East China Sea and the Sea of Japan. This finding suggests that P. japonicus larvae are retained in coastal areas for a few months after hatching until stage V and are transported offshore until autumn, before they grow to stage VI. Examination of archival drifter data off western Kyusyu Island during the spawning season of P. japonicus supported the relatively rapid dispersal of the larvae from the East China Sea near Japan to the Pacific Ocean or the Sea of Japan. Larval transport from the East China Sea to the Pacific Ocean, which is considered to be a main distribution area of middle‐ and late‐stage larvae, would occur in the south at approximately 32–33°N in the East China Sea near western Kyusyu Island.     

Interaction between Cape hake spawning and the circulation in the northern Benguela upwelling ecosystem

Cape hake in Namibian waters are demersal and mesopelagic spawners, spawning peaking offshore between 100 and 400 m deep, depending on local environmental conditions. The cross-shelf circulation, low-oxygen layers and mesoscale gyres are three important environmental factors influencing hake spawning behaviour and subsequent transport of the spawning products. Normally, hake spawn offshore near the bottom at depths of 150–400 m. However, during one cruise, spawning was concentrated below several subsurface mesoscale gyres, resulting in reduced dispersion of the eggs and larvae. When the low-oxygen layer above the bottom is pronounced, hake spawning has been observed close to the top of the layer at oxygen concentrations as low as 0.2–0.3 m? ?^?1. The relatively small size of the eggs and their high specific gravity make them ascend quite slowly from the spawning depths, 10–40 m per day. Consequently, hake eggs spawned deeper than 200 m hatch before they reach the upper mixed layer. The newly hatched larvae are relatively undeveloped, without functional eyes or mouth, and display little swimming activity during their first hours, but laboratory observations have revealed subsequent periods of downward swimming activity. Based on current field observations, on buoyancy measurements of eggs and larvae and on observed larval behaviour, it is concluded that hake eggs and larvae are transported onshore by features of the upwelling subsurface circulation that compensate for offshore movement of surface water. This may be the basic mechanism concentrating early juvenile hake nearshore. Spawning activity near the low-oxygen layer might be a behavioural adaptation to minimize egg predation, because few other species are expected to survive such low concentrations of oxygen.     

A numerical model investigation of the residual circulation in Hauraki Gulf,New Zealand

The homogeneous residual circulation in Hauraki Gulf arising from the tides, steady winds, and oceanic inflows is considered by use of a depth‐averaged 2‐dimensional numerical model. Vertical current structure of the wind‐driven circulation is derived by using the computed wind‐induced sea surface slopes, the wind stress, and a prescribed vertical eddy viscosity. Tidal residual circulation is weak, less than 0.01 ms^‐1 over most of the Gulf. The response of the Gulf to wind‐forcing indicates a preference for north‐west/south‐east directed winds, the flow through the Gulf being more than 3 times as strong as for winds from other directions. Surface currents are mainly in the wind direction, but subsurface currents reveal closed circulation cells in near‐coastal areas. Simple oceanic inflows give rise to water movements which penetrate to the inner part of the Gulf.     

Individual-based models of copepod populations in coastal upwelling regions: implications of physiologically and environmentally influenced diel vertical migration on demographic success and nearshore retention

We link a two-dimension coastal upwelling circulation hydrodynamic-ecosystem (NPZ) model with an individual-based model (IBM) for an intermediate sized (ca. 2.5 mm) copepod capable of diel vertical migration (DVM) at larger sizes. The NPZ model is that of Franks, Wroblewski and Flierl (1986), with the zooplankton state variable parameterized for macrozooplankton. IBM simulations are done with different scenarios for behavioral responses; the interaction of the organisms with the circulation is evaluated by examining growth/development, reproduction, survival and distribution. Since ocean productivity in coastal upwelling systems is greatest nearshore, zooplankton production is favored by nearshore retention. Model results, using an idealized, intermittently wind-forced, upwelling circulation, indicate that non-migrating copepods are flushed from the nearshore system in offshore zonal surface flow; highest population abundances occur offshore, in a region of relatively low food resources. Conversely, migrating copepods interact with the stratified zonal flow within the upwelling system and are retained nearshore when the amplitude of the DVM is sufficient to place the individuals in near-bottom onshore flow during the day. Environmental features, like deep-extending food resources, and physiological controls, like satiation or body size, that permit copepods to remain deeper, or spend more time away from the surface, favor nearshore retention. Diel vertical migration is one mechanism, which may permit animals to exploit favorable habitats located nearshore in upwelling systems.     

Numerical modelling of flow around coastal structures and scour prediction

The nearshore circulation and the wave characteristics are important parameters, which control coastline morphology. The interaction of nearshore circulation with coastal structures, modify the wave characteristics and seabed topography, often resulting in scour near the foundation of the structures. This paper deals with the numerical prediction of nearshore circulation induced due to wave setup in the nearshore region with and without the structure [(i) structure resting on seabed (ii) structure raised above the seabed]. It is also helps understand the deficiencies in studying the coastal characteristics by describing the flow field due to the wave velocity potential alone. Comparison of the results of both nearshore circulation and the wave potential model are discussed and the importance of the study and its prototype applications are highlighted.     

Comparing a quasi-3D to a full 3D nearshore circulation model: SHORECIRC and ROMS

Predictions of nearshore and surf zone processes are important for determining coastal circulation, impacts of storms, navigation, and recreational safety. Numerical modeling of these systems facilitates advancements in our understanding of coastal changes and can provide predictive capabilities for resource managers. There exists many nearshore coastal circulation models, however they are mostly limited or typically only applied as depth integrated models. SHORECIRC is an established surf zone circulation model that is quasi-3D to allow the effect of the variability in the vertical structure of the currents while maintaining the computational advantage of a 2DH model. Here we compare SHORECIRC to ROMS, a fully 3D ocean circulation model which now includes a three dimensional formulation for the wave-driven flows. We compare the models with three different test applications for: (i) spectral waves approaching a plane beach with an oblique angle of incidence; (ii) monochromatic waves driving longshore currents in a laboratory basin; and (iii) monochromatic waves on a barred beach with rip channels in a laboratory basin. Results identify that the models are very similar for the depth integrated flows and qualitatively consistent for the vertically varying components. The differences are primarily the result of the vertically varying radiation stress utilized by ROMS and the utilization of long wave theory for the radiation stress formulation in vertical varying momentum balance by SHORECIRC. The quasi-3D model is faster, however the applicability of the fully 3D model allows it to extend over a broader range of processes, temporal, and spatial scales.     

Suspended matter regime in the Yellow Sea

Winter and summer oceanographic conditions in the Yellow Sea produce distinctly different distributions and compositions of suspended particles within the water column. During the winter, strong northwest winds cool and mix the local water column and generate surface waves which resuspend bottom sediment in the north Yellow Sea and in the shoal regions of the western Yellow Sea near Jiangsu Province, and transport it southwards. Wintertime suspended particle concentrations in nearbottom waters can exceed 500 mg/l in nearshore areas and 20 mg/l in offshore waters.During the summer, light southerly winds and a strongly stratified water column localize the distribution of resuspended sediments. Nearbottom concentrations of suspended particulates are generally less than 10 mg/l. Nearsurface concentrations generally are not dissimilar from those seen during the winter, but the particles are primarily biogenic rather than resuspended mineral grains.     

Barrier island stratigraphy and Holocene history of west-central Florida

Although the morphology of the barrier-inlet system along the west-central Florida coast is quite complicated, the stratigraphy of these barriers is rather simple. The basal Holocene unit in most cores is an organic-rich, muddy sand that represents a vegetated, paralic marine, coastal environment similar to that which is north and south of the present barrier system. Above that unit is a muddy, bioturbated sand that displays a marine fauna at most locations but also contains Crassostrea virginica in a few places. These sediments accumulated in a low-energy marine setting that may or may not have been protected by a barrier island. Much of this facies also represents sediment that was delivered as washover deposits in an intertidal or subtidal setting and was subsequently bioturbated. The facies that can be attributed to a barrier island with some certainty are no more than 3000 years old, and on most islands, are much younger. These are the shelly sand and sorted sand facies. The shelly strata represent deposition in nearshore, beach, supratidal washover or intertidal spillover environments, and tidal inlet and tidal delta channels, whereas the sorted sand is typical of eolian deposition in dunes or the backbeach and some tidal delta elements. The presence of Holocene oyster beds offshore of a present barrier suggests that some of these islands formed significantly offshore and moved to their present position through washover. It is likely that most of these barriers initially formed through upward shoaling by waves. Although there is significant morphologic difference between the wave-dominated and mixed-energy, drumstick barrier islands, their stratigraphy is quite similar. The only significant difference is the presence of extensive progradation on at least part of the drumstick islands and a relatively high amount of former washover deposits on the wave-dominated type.     

基于FVCOM的獐子岛附近海域三维潮汐潮流数值模拟

基于采用不规则三角网格的海洋模型FVCOM(An Unstructured Grid, Finite Volume Coastal Ocean Model), 对獐子岛附近海域的潮汐、潮流进行了精细化数值模拟研究, 模拟的潮汐、潮流与实测值符合良好, 表明建立的该海域精细化潮汐潮流数值模型合理可靠。依据计算结果绘制了M2、S2、K1和O1分潮的同潮图和潮流椭圆图, 并对该海域潮汐潮流特征进行了系统分析。结果表明, 獐子岛附近海域的潮汐主要以规则半日潮为主, 水平潮流多为旋转流, 旋转方向大部分为逆时针; 近岸海区和水道之间多为往复流, 在大鹿岛以南海域也存在一往复流的区域。在123.75°E以东存在一顺时针旋转的区域。由潮余流场的特点可看出, 獐子岛等各岛屿周围均形成气旋式的绕岛流, 流速一般位于8—12cm/s之间, 离岸线较远的外海区域余流较小, 只有1—2cm/s。本文所得结论, 有助于增加对整个獐子岛海域潮汐潮流特性的全面认识。     

Modelling of the barotropic processes in the Bohai Sea

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Distribution, abundance, and growth of larval tautog, Tautoga onitis, in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, USA

Tautog, Tautoga onitis, is an abundant species of fish in estuaries of the northeastern United States. Planktonic tautog larvae are abundant in summer in these estuaries, but there is little information on rates of growth of tautog larvae feeding on natural assemblages of food in the plankton. We examined abundance and growth of larval tautog and environmental factors during weekly sampling at three sites along a nearshore‐to‐offshore transect in Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, USA during summer 1994. This is the first study of a robust sample size (336 larvae) to estimate growth rates of field‐caught planktonic tautog larvae feeding on natural diets, using the otolith daily‐growth‐increment method. The study was over the entire summer period when tautog larvae were in the plankton. The sampling sites contrasted in several environmental variables including temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), and chlorophyll a concentration. There was a temporal progression in the abundance of tautog larvae over the summer, in relation to location and temperature. Tautog larvae were first present nearshore, with a pronounced peak in abundance occurring at the nearshore sites during the last 2 weeks in June. Larvae were absent at this time further offshore. From late June through August, larval abundance progressively decreased nearshore, but increased offshore although never approaching the abundance levels observed at the nearshore sites. The distribution and abundance of tautog larvae appeared to be related to a nearshore‐to‐offshore seasonal warming trend and a nearshore decrease in DO. Otoliths from 336 larvae ranging from 2.3 to 7.7 mm standard length had otolith increment counts ranging from 0 to 19 increments. Growth of larval tautog was estimated at 0.23 mm·day^?1, and length of larvae prior to first increment formation was estimated at 2.8 mm indicating that first increment formation occurs 3–4 days after hatching at 2.2 mm. Despite spatial and temporal differences in environmental factors, there were no significant differences in growth rates at any of three given sites over time, or between sites. Because larval presence only occurred at a narrow range of temperature (17–23.5 °C) and DO (6.5–9.3 mg·l^?1), in situ differences in growth did not appear to be because of differences in larval distribution and abundance patterns relative to these parameters.     

Tracking the sources and sinks of local marine debris in Hawai‘i

Plastic pollution has biological, chemical, and physical effects on marine environments and economic effects on coastal communities. These effects are acute on southeastern Hawai‘i Island, where volunteers remove 16 metric tons of debris annually from a 15 km coastline. Although the majority is foreign-origin, a portion is locally-generated. We used floating debris-retention booms in two urban waterways to measure the input of debris from Hilo, the island’s largest community, and released wooden drifters in nearby coastal waters to track the fate of that debris. In 205 days, 30 kilograms of debris (73.6% plastic) were retained from two watersheds comprising 10.2% of Hilo’s developed land area. Of 851 wooden drifters released offshore of Hilo in four events, 23.3% were recovered locally, 1.4% at distant locations, and 6.5% on other islands. Comparisons with modeled surface currents and wind were mixed, indicating the importance of nearshore and tidal dynamics not included in the model. This study demonstrated that local pollutants can be retained nearby, contribute to the island’s debris-accumulation area, and quickly contaminate other islands.     

应用浮游植物监测与评价长江口水体营养状况

通过对长江河口浮游植物采样研究,应用浮游植物群落多样性指数和均匀度指数、浮游植物丰度以及生物学综合评价法对长江河口水体营养状况进行监测与评价.生物学综合评价结果显示:1999年枯水期,口门内的SX01～SX04样站表、底层水体为中营养水平,口门外近岸及近外海水域一般为贫营养水体.1999年丰水期,表、底层水质状况与枯水期不同,口门内的SX01～SX04样站水体为贫营养型,近口门、近外海水域为中营养型,近岸中部、东部表层一般达到富营养型水体,近岸底层东北部为富营养型,其余近岸水域为中营养型水体.2000年枯水期水质情况为:口门内表、底层水体为贫营养水体,近岸水域表层为中营养水体,底层为贫营养水体,近外海水域表、底层一般也为贫营养水体.