Acoustic monitoring of gas emissions from the seafloor. Part II: a case study from the Sea of Marmara

A rotating, acoustic gas bubble detector, BOB (Bubble OBservatory) module was deployed during two surveys, conducted in 2009 and 2011 respectively, to study the temporal variations of gas emissions from the Marmara seafloor, along the North Anatolian Fault zone. The echosounder mounted on the instrument insonifies an angular sector of 7° during a given duration (of about 1 h). Then it rotates to the next, near-by angular sector and so forth. When the full angular domain is insonified, the “pan and tilt system” rotates back to its initial position, in order to start a new cycle (of about 1 day). The acoustic data reveal that gas emission is not a steady process, with observed temporal variations ranging between a few minutes and 24 h (from one cycle to the other). Echo-integration and inversion performed on the acoustic data as described in the companion paper of Leblond et al. (Mar Geophys Res, 2014), also indicate important variations in, respectively, the target strength and the volumetric flow rates of individual sources. However, the observed temporal variations may not be related to the properties of the gas source only, but reflect possible variations in sea-bottom currents, which could deviate the bubble train towards the neighboring sector. During the 2011 survey, a 4-component ocean bottom seismometer (OBS) was co-located at the seafloor, 59 m away from the BOB module. The acoustic data from our rotating, monitoring system support, but do not provide undisputable evidence to confirm, the hypothesis formulated by Tary et al. (2012), that the short-duration, non-seismic micro-events recorded by the OBS are likely produced by gas-related processes within the near seabed sediments. Hence, the use of a multibeam echosounder, or of several split beam echosounders should be preferred to rotating systems, for future experiments.     

Multisource multibeam backscatter data: developing a strategy for the production of benthic habitat maps using semi-automated seafloor classification methods

The establishment of multibeam echosounders (MBES) as a mainstream tool in ocean mapping has facilitated integrative approaches towards nautical charting, benthic habitat mapping, and seafloor geotechnical surveys. The bathymetric and backscatter information generated by MBES enables marine scientists to present highly accurate bathymetric data with a spatial resolution closely matching that of terrestrial mapping, and can generate customized thematic seafloor maps to meet multiple ocean management needs. However, when a variety of MBES systems are used, the creation of objective habitat maps can be hindered by the lack of backscatter calibration, due for example, to system-specific settings, yielding relative rather than absolute values. Here, we describe an approach using object-based image analysis to combine 4 non-overlapping and uncalibrated (backscatter) MBES coverages to form a seamless habitat map on St. Anns Bank (Atlantic Canada), a marine protected area hosting a diversity of benthic habitats. The benthoscape map was produced by analysing each coverage independently with supervised classification (k-nearest neighbor) of image-objects based on a common suite of 7 benthoscapes (determined with 4214 ground-truthing photographs at 61 stations, and characterized with backscatter, bathymetry, and bathymetric position index). Manual re-classification based on uncertainty in membership values to individual classes—especially at the boundaries between coverages—was used to build the final benthoscape map. Given the costs and scarcity of MBES surveys in offshore marine ecosystems—particularly in large ecosystems in need of adequate conservation strategies, such as in Canadian waters—developing approaches to synthesize multiple datasets to meet management needs is warranted.     

Sea-floor classification using multibeam echo-sounding angular backscatter data: a real-time approach employing hybrid neural network architecture

The presently studied numerical model, e.g., composite roughness, is successful for the purpose of seafloor classification employing processed multibeam angular backscatter data from manganese-nodule-bearing locations of the Central Indian Ocean Basin. Hybrid artificial neural network (ANN) architecture, comprised of the self-organizing feature map and learning vector quantization (LVQ), has been implemented as an alternative technique for sea-floor roughness classification, giving comparative results with the aforesaid numerical model for processed multibeam angular backscatter data. However, the composite-roughness model approach is protracted due to the inherent need for processed data including system-gain corrections. In order to establish that tedious processing of raw backscatter values is unessential for efficient classification, hybrid ANN architecture has been attempted here due to its nonparametric approach. In this technical communication, successful employment of LVQ algorithm for unprocessed (raw) multibeam backscatter data indicates true real-time classification application.     

Characterization of seafloor pockmark seepage of hydrocarbons employing fractal: A case study from the western continental margin of India

Here we apply quantitative technique to describe the seafloor seepages based on the multi-beam backscatter and bathymetric investigations to characterize the pockmark morphology. The variable seafloor backscatter strength for coarser seafloor sediments are related to the diagenesis derived from biodegraded seepages. In this regard, box counting method is used to estimate ‘fractal dimension’ for backscatter imagery data of 398 blocks. These blocks are further sub-grouped into six classes depending on the spread of pockmark related seepages. The study area lies 102 km west off Marmagao along the central west coast of India which contains pre-dominantly (70%) gas-charged sediments. Comparison between the estimated self-similar fractals reveals that there is approximately 97% correlation between the box (D_box) and information (D_info) dimensions. Box dimension–derived fractal dimension values, suggest that the seepages are more along the fault trace in deeper waters, in comparison to sparsely distributed shallow water seepages. Besides, this poor seepage is confined within the smooth to moderately rough seafloor. It is established that the high backscatter strength along the upper slope of the pockmark region having higher fractal dimensions reflects multifractal behavior of seepage distribution. Entire area indicates patchy seepage patterns as supported by estimated fractal values showing intermittent fluctuations, which emphasizes non-linear behavior. Estimated self organizing criticality (SOC) parameters for six representative blocks reveal that the nature of pockmark, fault trace, sediment nature coupled with slumping of pockmark’s wall, sediment movement due to bottom currents are controlling the dynamic balance in the area seepage system. Further, our study emphasizing the multifractal behavior of seepage blocks, clearly depicts the drift in the seepage pattern.     

削弱水分影响的潮滩表层沉积物遥感分类方法研究

潮滩沉积物中的水分掩盖了沉积物本身的光谱信息,不利于沉积物遥感分类。利用江苏大丰潮滩沉积物在不同含水量下的398条实测光谱曲线数据,基于线性光谱分解方法定量化分析了沉积物光谱对含水量变化的响应,建立削弱水分影响的潮滩表层沉积物组分(砂、粉砂、黏土)含量反演模型,应用于Hyperion高光谱遥感影像,获得沉积物组分的空间分布,并结合Shepard三角分类法实现了潮滩表层沉积物的自动分类。研究结果表明:(1)当沉积物含水量增加时,沉积物光谱中水分权重以含水量的2倍速率增加,含水量大于25%,则水分对光谱的影响占主导作用;(2)2 143 nm波段反射率对沉积物的含水量变化敏感,利用2 143 nm波段反射率进行潮滩沉积物的含水量反演,模型拟合度r2可达0.81;(3)983,1 134 nm波段反射率对沉积物组分含量反演敏感,将含水量与沉积物组分敏感波段一起建立多元线性回归方程,可有效削弱水分的影响,适用于高含水量潮滩区的沉积物组分含量反演;(4)将组分反演结果结合Shepard分类,可实现潮滩沉积物分类,得到潮滩沉积物类型的空间分布特征,分类精度为75.93%,Kappa系数为0.6。     

Setting quotas using provisional data: a case study from the South Australian abalone fisheries

Stock assessments of quota or effort managed fisheries in which the duration of the fishing season is 12 months are invariably delivered well into the subsequent fishing season. As a result, quotas are frequently based on year-old data. This delay is often unavoidable because it may take months to collect, collate and analyse data necessary to assess fishery performance. The South Australian fisheries for blacklip (Haliotis rubra Leach, 1814) and greenlip abalone (H. laevigata Donovan, 1808) have addressed this issue by using provisional data on current stock status to inform application of the harvest strategy decision rules that set the quota for the next year. The primary index of relative abundance for these fisheries is catch per unit effort (CPUE). Our study uses 25 years (1988–2012) of CPUE data to quantify the differences between the provisional and complete-season CPUE estimates at the spatial scales used to assess the fisheries. We demonstrate that, in most cases, there was a strong relationship between the provisional and complete-season CPUE estimates for both species, with little evidence of bias. As the provisional CPUE estimates were a reliable and accurate predictor of the complete-season CPUE estimates, this provides a high degree of confidence in using provisional CPUE estimates to set quotas, thereby overcoming the difficulty of basing decisions on aged data. These findings are likely to be applicable to other fisheries, particularly those where much of the annual catch is obtained (or effort expended) in a short time period at the commencement of the fishing season.     

Toward the conservation and management of Sedlo Seamount: A case study

Seamount-associated communities and ecosystems have proven to be highly vulnerable to the impact of human activities. Globally, seamount and cold-water coral habitats and species, which often go along with each other, are considered a priority for developing conservation and sustainable management measures within and beyond national jurisdiction. Seamounts may be good candidates for site-based management such as by means of marine protected areas (MPAs), due to their singularity and isolation. In the north-east Atlantic, so far, there are only two seamounts managed as marine protected areas, both in the waters of the Azores, and several others as closed areas to fisheries by Northeast Atlantic Fisheries Commission (NEAFC).This paper describes, using the example of Sedlo Seamount, the development of a framework for the management of activities and interests of a potential offshore marine protected area. The work is based on the scientific results of the OASIS project and on input from various stakeholders, including fishery organizations, government and scientists. It reviews the current state of the site in terms of natural setting, existing uses and potential threats and proposes boundaries and regulations with the overall goal to manage human activities around Sedlo in a way that protects its ecosystem function and biodiversity, and its significance as a rather unexploited example of a seamount within a network of marine protected areas in the NE Atlantic. The resulting proposed management plan is a fundamental prerequisite to the establishment of the Sedlo Seamount as an offshore MPA, contributing to the OSPAR network of MPAs in the north-east Atlantic.     

Control of the stress field on shallow seafloor hydrothermal paths: A case study of the TAG hydrothermal field

The stress state and rock mechanical properties govern the growth of faults and fractures, which constitute shallow hydrothermal pathways and control the distribution of seafloor massive sulfide (SMS) mounds in the seafloor hydrothermal field. The stress field has an important influence on the formation and persistence of hydrothermal pathways. Based on multibeam bathymetric data from the Trans-Atlantic Geotraverse (TAG) field, we establish two three-dimensional geological models with different scales to simulate the stress field, which investigate the characteristics of hydrothermal pathways and associated SMS mounds. The simulation results show that oblique faults and fissures form in the tensile stress zone and that mounds, including active and inactive hydrothermal mounds form in the compressive stress zone. Fault activity, which is related to the stress field, affects the opening and closing of hydrothermal channels and changes the permeability structure of subseafloor wall rock. Therefore, the stress field controls the development and persistence of shallow hydrothermal pathways. The features of shallow hydrothermal pathways in the stress field can provide geomechanical information that is useful for identifying favorable zone for SMS deposit formation.     

卷积神经网络在卫星遥感海冰图像分类中的应用探究

本文以TensorFlow为框架搭建卷积神经网络,基于迁移学习的思想,以经典的手写数字识别作为引入,对不同代价函数和激活函数组合对卷积神经网络模型分类结果影响进行了评价分析。以HJ-1A/B渤海海冰图像为实验数据源,分析了不同函数组合对遥感海冰图像分类的影响,优选出交叉熵代价函数与ReLU激活函数为最佳的组合,证明了卷积神经网络在遥感海冰分类中的应用可行性。对渤海海冰图像分类结果进行验证,其中带标签样本验证精度为98.4%。使用该模型对无标签的测试样本进行识别,讨论了样本的窗口尺寸对海冰分类结果的影响,发现在400×400小范围分类实验中最佳窗口尺寸为2×2;最后对整个渤海海域进行识别验证,效果较好。     

Investigation of the relationship between seafloor echo strength and sediment type—a case study in Jiaozgou Bay,China

In recent years, increasing attention is being given to investigating the relationships between seafloor echo strength and sediment type. This aspect was assessed in a course of a marine survey conducted in Jiaozhou Bay near the city of Qingdao, China, where various sediment types are known to exist. Multi-beam echo data and sediment samples were acquired, processed and analyzed. The findings demonstrate that multi-beam echo strengths are strongly related to seabed types such as rock, sand and clay. Thus, echo strength increases progressively with the increase in sand content in gravely, sandy, and clayey sediments. However, echo strength is more sensitive to changes in sand content in fine-grained sediment and less sensitive in coarse-grained sediment. Also, high shell content of sediments greatly enhances the acoustic reflection. These findings help to predict seafloor sediment types by analyzing echo strength.     

石油类污染水体后向散射特性分析——以辽宁省盘锦市双台子河和绕阳河为例

水体悬浮物对溶解在水中的油及乳化油有吸附作用,这种作用会叠加在颗粒物上,对水体的后向散射系数产生影响,而水体后向散射系数是水色遥感的重要参数之一,对建立遥感反演石油类污染浓度半分析模型起着关键性的作用。根据2008年5月在辽宁省盘锦市辽河油田境内双台子河和绕阳河现场测定的水样,对水体组分进行浓度分析,并分别利用分光光度计及后向散射系数测量仪测定水色三要素的吸收系数和水体后向散射系数。根据获取的数据,对石油类污染水体后向散射特性进行分析,分别建立了(1)石油类污染水体后向散射系数光谱模型;(2)石油类污染水体和非石油类污染水体后向散射系数与无机悬浮物浓度的关系模型。研究结果表明:(1)在建立的后向散射系数光谱模型中,幂函数指数平均值为0.87;(2)从相关系数分析来看,对后向散射系数起主要作用的是无机悬浮物浓度,其次是石油类物质浓度,而有机悬浮物浓度几乎没有影响;(3)对于无石油类污染水体,后向散射系数与无机悬浮物浓度为对数关系模型,而与有石油类污染水体更接近线性关系模型。     

Dependence of seafloor boundary layer thickness on the overlying flow direction: a large eddy simulation study

Using large eddy simulation (LES) incorporating the effect of the horizontal component of the earth’s rotation vector, we studied the seafloor turbulent boundary layer to investigate the dependence of the boundary layer thickness on the overlying geostrophic flow orientation. The thickest boundary layer appears for the westward geostrophic flow: it is almost twice that of the eastward flow. The turbulent disturbances in the boundary layer are elongated slightly leftward relative to the geostrophic flow. Linear stability analysis for the Ekman’s spiral flow showed that the growth rate is maximum for the westward geostrophic flow and the unstable roll-like mode appears, which points slightly leftward relative to the geostrophic flow. These properties correspond to the feature near the bottom of the developed turbulent layer.     

Hydrothermal plume mapping as a prospecting tool for seafloor sulfide deposits: a case study at the Zouyu-1 and Zouyu-2 hydrothermal fields in the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Seafloor hydrothermal polymetallic sulfide deposits are a new type of resource, with great potential economic value and good prospect development. This paper discusses turbidity, oxidation–reduction potential, and temperature anomalies of hydrothermal plumes from the Zouyu-1 and Zouyu-2 hydrothermal fields on the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge. We use the known location of these vent fields and plume data collected in multiple years (2009, 2011, 2013) to demonstrate how real-time plume exploration can be used to locate active vent fields, and thus associated sulfide deposits. Turbidity anomalies can be detected 10 s of km from an active source, but the location precision is no better than a few kilometers because fine-grained particles are quasi-conservative over periods of many days. Temperature and oxidation–reduction potential anomalies provide location precision of a few hundred meters. Temperature anomalies are generally weak and difficult to reliably detect, except by chance encounters of a buoyant plume. Oxidation–reduction potential is highly sensitive (nmol concentrations of reduced hydrothermal chemicals) to discharges of all temperatures and responds immediately to a plume encounter. Real-time surveys using continuous tows of turbidity and oxidation–reduction potential sensors offer the most efficient and precise surface ship exploration presently possible.     

Mapping the change of coral reefs using remote sensing and in situ measurements: a case study in Pangkajene and Kepulauan Regency,Spermonde Archipelago,Indonesia

As elsewhere in Indonesia, local inhabitants in the Pangkajene and Kepulauan (PANGKEP) Regency, Spermonde Archipelago area and along the south-west coast of Sulawesi traditionally regard the coral reefs as their livelihood source. Since human activities as well as natural disturbances pose major threats to the coral reefs, these livelihoods may also be at risk. Currently, no comprehensive information on the status and condition of coral reefs in this area is available for this resource management. We determined the changes of coral reef habitat over a period of 20 years from 1994 to 2014 using a satellite Landsat multi-temporal image substantiated with in situ measurement data collected in 2014. The spectral value of coral reefs was extracted from multi-temporal Landsat imagery data, while the diffuse attenuation coefficient of water was obtained by using statistical analysis between the ratio of live coral cover and the spectral value of the visible bands. By using the unsupervised classification integrated with the data ground truth, it is stated that there has been a decline in live coral cover over a period of 20 years from 7716 ha in 1994 to 4236 ha in 2014, with a degradation rate of 174 ha/year. Based on the results, the ratio of the coral cover in the coral reef transects varied from the average of 24% for live corals to 96% for coral rubbles, implying the degraded status of coral reefs in the study area.     

沿岸化学品风险源环境风险评价与分级方法研究——以上海市为例

在对沿海化学品风险源风险特征分析的基础上,构建了基于风险源、控制机制和风险受体的化学品风险源环境风险综合评价指标体系,并建立了相应的风险评价模型,提出了3级风险管理体系,并以上海市沿海四区一县为例开展实例研究。本研究提出的沿海化学品风险评价指标体系及评价、分级方法科学可行,能够为沿海化学品风险源的风险管理提供决策依据。     

Study of the sedimentation and self-weight consolidation behavior of seafloor sediments using a radioisotope densitometer

ABSTRACT

In this study, settling tests were conducted to investigate the sedimentation and self-weight consolidation behavior of seafloor sediments from Isahaya Bay, Ariake Sea, Japan. During the tests, the density variations with depth and time were measured by a gamma-ray transmission radioisotope densitometer. The test results show that the settling process of the seafloor sediments can be classified into the flocculation stage, settling stage, and consolidation stage. The settling rate of the seafloor sediments in the settling stage is dependent on the temperature and initial water content, while the settling rate in the consolidation stage is independent of the temperature and initial water content. The density profile changes from a constant density profile to a linear density profile when the sedimentation process transitions to the self-weight consolidation process. The relations between the void ratio (e) and effective vertical stress (p’) at very low pressures can be calculated from the measured density values, and this can be used for the analysis of the self-weight consolidation of seafloor sediments. For the seafloor sediments tested in this study, the undrained shear strength (s_u) values are almost the same when the density values are less than 1.14?g/cm³, and the s_u values increase linearly with an increase in density when the density values are in the range of 1.14–1.2?g/cm^3.     

Formation of an anticyclonic eddy and the mechanism involved: a case study using cruise data from the northern South China Sea

Data from satellite altimetry and in situ observations together with the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) reanalysis data were used to investigate the mechanism and formation of an anticyclonic eddy in the northeastern South China Sea (SCS). Analysis of water mass using cruise data indicated that the water captured in the eddy diff ers from those in the SCS, the Kuroshio intrusion, and the eddy-forming region. Data from sea surface height (SSH) and sea level anomaly (SLA) indicate that the eddy formed due both to the Kuroshio intrusion and the local circulation in the SCS. The Kuroshio intrusion is present at the start of the eddy growth (March 5-9) before Kuroshio leaps the Luzon Strait. The eddy then becomes larger and stronger in the absence of the Kuroshio intrusion. From the eddy budget of the HYCOM reanalysis data, the formation of the eddy goes in three steps. By the third step, the eddy had become aff ected by variations of local SCS circulation, which is more strongly than in the fi rst step in which it is aff ected more by the Kuroshio intrusion. The variability of the temperature and salinity inside the eddy provide a support to this conclusion. The water in the SCS intruded into the eddy from the southeast, which decrease the salinity gradually in the southern part of the eddy during the growth period.     

Sand barrier morphological evolution based on time series remote sensing images: a case study of Anhaiao,Pingtan

The morphological evolution of the sand barrier in the Anhaiao coastal zone of Pingtan from 1996 to 2018 was studied. Tidal correction was used to refine the location of the coastline. A standard deviation ellipse method was applied to further analyze the movement of the barrier head with the axis and rotation angle. A natural neighbor interpolation(NNI) method was carried out to calculate the terrain of the intertidal area, and the erosion and deposition characteristics were illustrated based o...