Experimental evidence of the transition between power law models in the high frequency range of the gravity wave spectrum

The existence of a transition in the slope of the wind-generated gravity wave spectrum from a f⁻⁴ to a f⁻⁵ power law, at a given frequency in the high frequency range, is examined. Evidence of its existence and of the non-uniqueness of the wave spectrum slope in the equilibrium range is presented. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the statistical variability of the spectral estimates makes it difficult to obtain reliable results from limited sets of finite length wave records.     

Analysis of freak wave measurements in the Sea of Japan

This paper presents an analysis of a set of available freak wave measurements gathered from several periods of continuous wave recordings made in the Sea of Japan during 1986–1990 by the Ship Research Institute of Japan. The analysis provides an ideal opportunity to catch a glimpse of the statistics of freak waves in the ocean. The results show that a well-defined freak wave may occur in the developed wind–wave condition: S(f)∝f⁻⁴, with single-peak directional spectra. The crest and trough amplitude distributions of the observed sea waves including freak waves are different from the Rayleigh distribution, although the wave height distribution tends to agree with the Rayleigh distribution. Freak waves can be readily identified from the wavelet spectrum where a strong energy density occurs in the spectrum, and is instantly surged and seemingly carried over to the high-frequency components at the instant the freak wave occurs.     

Decomposition characteristics of particulate organic matter in hiroshima bay

The decomposition characteristics of particulate organic matter (POM) sampled with plankton nets in Hiroshima Bay were investigated under aerobic conditions in a laboratory experiment.The POM derived from plankton consisted of both a labile fraction (70–80 % of the whole) and a refractory fraction (20–30%). The labile fraction was completely decomposed within 40 days at 20°C. Although the concentrations of particulate organic carbon (POC) decreased gradually with time, an apparent lag phase was recognized in the decomposition of particulate phosphorus (PP) at an early stage, which might result from a specific uptake of dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) by bacteria. A comparison of the metabolic activity between dissolved organic matter (DOM) and POM by measuring ATP contents showed that the former was one order of magnitude larger than the latter.On the other hand, there was no significant difference among the decomposition rates of POM collected at various depths. The change of the first-order rate constant (k) for the POM decomposition by temperature was expressed ask=0.0329 exp(0.0644T), and the Q₁₀ value was 1.94. There were fairly large variances ink values obtained from the various plankton species. Thek values averaged 0.144 day^–1 and ranged from 0.078 to 0.20 day^–1 at 20°C.     

Some characteristics of the development process of the wind-wave spectrum

The development process of wind-waves of which spectral peak distributes from 0.6 cps to 9.3 cps will be discussed on the basis of the wind tunnel experiments and of the field observations performed at Lake Biwa. The characteristics of power and slope spectra are here presented. The development process of these wind-waves is characterized by three stages;i.e. initial-wavelets, transition stage and sea-waves. In the wind tunnel experiments, the transition from the stage of the initial-wavelets to the transition stage occurs when the wave spectral peak arrives at the line 6.40×10^–4 k ^–2cm²·sec (wherek is wave number) or when the slope spectral density at the frequencyf _max becomes larger than 6.40×10^–4 sec. In the stage of sea-waves, the component wave of a wave-spectral peak is steepest in the component waves. And the wave spectral peak develops along the line 1.02×10² f ^–6 cm²·sec (wheref is the frequency corresponding to the wave numberk) untill it reaches the line 33.3f ^–4cm²·sec, and thereafter develops along the latter line, which indicates the constant density of slope spectrum. It is suggested that the nonlinearity of wind-waves must become stronger as wind-waves develop. The effective momentum flux _ws from the air flow to wind-waves in this stage is evaluated to be about 49% of the total stress ₀.     

Observational Study on the Downward Solar Radiation at the Sea Surface in the Western Pacific

In situ observation of downward solar radiation in the Western Pacific were carried out with voluntary merchant ships for five years from autumn 1990 through autumn 1995. Daily means of the short wave radiation were computed from the observed solar radiation. Then, the effects of shadows of the ship's superstructures on the observed radiation were corrected if needed. A 5-year average of short wave radiation along the main sea-lanes in the Western Pacific was calculated based on the observed daily mean solar radiation. Maximum values of 270–280 Wm^–2 are found around 15°–20°N in May and June, while those of 290 Wm^–2 are observed south of 18°S in November and December along the lanes. Small annual variations are found in the equatorial region. Annual mean values at the equator are about 230 Wm^–2 between New Guinea and Indonesia, and 200 Wm^–2 east of New Guinea. The 5-year average of short wave radiation was compared with the climatologies given in previous studies. We have concluded that some of results of previous studies are significantly underestimated.     

Estimated respiration rate of myctophid fish from the enzyme activity of the electron-transport-system

Whole animal respiration rates (R) of myctophid fishes which migrate up to the surface at night were estimated using enzyme activities of the electron-transport-system (ETS). The fish, currently unsusceptible to laboratory experimentation, were caught at sea and stored frozen at –20°C for 14–17 days prior to enzyme assay. Supplemental tests on two tropical marine fishes (gobies and poma-centrids) showed no measurable loss of ETS activity during storage for up to 36 d at –20°C. The ETS/R ratio for gobies and pomacentrids was 1.61. Respiration rates of myctophid fishes estimated using this ETS/R ratio ranged from 17.7 to 453µl O₂ individual^–1 hr^–1 for specimens weighing 26–1101 mg wet weight atin situ temperature of 24–27°C. The relationship between the respiration rate standardized to a temperature of 20°C (R:µl O₂ individual^–1hr^–1) and wet weight (WW: mg) of myctophid fishes was expressed asR=0.790 WW^0.84 (r=0.964,n=27). This relationship does not differ appreciably from the respiration rates of other marine fishes calculated from Winberg's equation.     

The mechanism of the development of wind-wave spectra

The mechanism of the development of wind-waves will be proposed on the basis of the observed wave spectra in the wind tunnels and at Lake Biwa (Imasato, 1976). It consists of two aspects: One is that the air flow over the wind-waves transfers momentum concentratively to the steepest component waves and the other is that the upper limit of the growth of a wave spectral density is given by the ultimate value in the slope spectral density. The first aspect means that the wave field has the momentum transfer filter on receiving the momentum from the air flow. Wind-waves in the stage of sea-waves receive the necessary amount of momentum by the form drag,e.g. according to the Miles' (1960) inviscid mechanism, through a very narrow frequency region around a dominant spectral peak. On the other hand, wind-waves in the stage of initial-wavelets receive it according to the Miles' (1962a) viscous model through a fairly broad frequency region around the peak. The upper limit ofS _max developing according to viscous mechanism is given byS _max =6.40×10^–4 k _max ^–2cm²s andS _max =2.03C(f _max )^–2cm²s(S _max is the power density of the wave spectral peak with the frequencyf _max ,k _max is the wave number corresponding to the frequencyf _max andC is the phase velocity).From the second aspect, the upper limit of the growth of wave spectral density is given by 33.3f ^–4cm²s in the frequency region of late stage of sea-waves. Therefore, the spectral peak, which has the largest value in the slope spectral density in the component waves of the wave spectrum, rises high over the line 4.15f ^–5cm²s. The energy is transported from the spectral peak to the high frequency part and to the forward face of a wave spectrum by nonlinear wave-wave interaction. This nonlinearity is confirmed by the bispectra calculated from the observed wind-wave data. In the stage of sea-waves, nonlinear rearrangement of the wave energy comes from a narrow momentum transfer filter, and, in the stage of initial-wavelets, it comes mainly from small corrugations and small steepness of the wave field.     

Measurement of skin friction distribution along the surface of wind waves

Measurements of local values of the skin friction have been made at many points along the surface of representative wind wave crests in a wind wave tunnel, by use of the distortion of hydrogen-bubble lines. The results obtained at 2.85-m fetch under 6.2 m s^–1 mean wind speed show that the intensity of the skin friction varies greatly along the surface of wind waves as a function of the phase angle. It increases rather continuously at the windward surface toward the crest, attains a value of about 12 dyn cm^–2 near the crest, decreases suddenly just past the crest, and the value at the lee surface is substantially zero Values of the skin friction thus determined along the representative wind waves give an average value of 3.6 dyn cm^–2, rather exceeding the overall stress value of 3.0 dyn cm^–2, which has been estimated from the wind profile. The results are interpreted as that the skin friction bears most of the shearing stress of wind, and that it exerts most intensively around the representative wave crests at their windward faces.     

Satellite monitoring of the sea surface temperature using the NOAA satellite data

A method of obtaining the operative sea surface temperature (SST)t using satellite scanner observations in the spectral ranges 3.53–3.94 m and 10.3–11.3 m is realized. The method represents a combination of McClainet al.'s formula (1983) and expressions suggested by the authors which describe the universal angular structures of the radiation temperature fields. The RMS error of reconstructingt at scanning angles of 0–55^o is equal to 0.2–0.3°C for atmospheric states corresponding to the SST variation within the limit 6–28°C. An atlas of temperature maps on the grid 0.5×0.5^o with temporal averaging from 5 days to 1 month is compiled using the data obtained on board the RVAkademik Vernadsky in the Atlantic Ocean in 1987–1989.Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov.     

Internal flow structure of short wind waves

The minimum value of wind stress under which the flow velocity in short wind waves exceeds the phase speed is estimated by calculating the laminar boundary layer flow induced by the surface tangential stress with a dominant peak at the wave crest as observed in previous experiments. The minimum value of the wind stress is found to depend strongly on, the ratio of the flow velocity just below the boundary layer and the phase speed, but weakly onL, the wavelength. For wind waves previously studied (=0.5,L=10 cm), the excess flow appears when the air friction velocityu _* is larger than about 30 cm sec^–1. The present results confirm that the excess flow found in my previous experiments is associated with the local growth of a laminar boundary layer flow near the wave crest.     

Local balance in the air-sea boundary processes

A combination of the three-second power law, presented in part I for wind waves of simple spectrum, and the similarity of the spectral form of wind waves, leads to a new concept on the energy spectrum of wind waves. It is well substantiated by data from a wind-wave tunnel experiment.In the gravity wave range, the gross form of the high frequency side of the spectrum is proportional tog u _* ^–4, whereg represents the acceleration of gravity,u _* the friction velocity, the angular frequency, and the factor of proportionality is 2.0×l0^–2. The wind waves grow in such a way that the spectrum slides up, keeping its similar form, along the line of the gross form, on the logarithmic diagram of the spectral density,, versus. Also, the terminal value of, at the peak frequency of the fully developed sea, is along a line of the gradient ofg ^{2 –5}.The fine structure of the spectrum from the wind-wave tunnel experiment shows a characteristic form oscillating around the ^–4-line. The excess of the energy density concentrates around the peak frequency and the second- and the third-order harmonics, and the deficit occurs in the middle of these frequencies. This form of the fine structure is always similar in the gravity wave range, in purely controlled conditions such as in a wind-wave tunnel. Moving averages of these spectra tend very close to the form proportional to ^–5.As the wave number becomes large, the effect of surface tension is incorporated, and the ^–4-line in the gravity wave range gradually continues to a ^–8/3-line in the capillary wave range, in accordance with the wind-wave tunnel data. Likewise, the ^–5-line gradually continues to a ^–7/3-line.Also, through a discussion on these results, is suggested the existence of a kind of general similarity in the structure of wind wave field.     

Investigating the impact of surface wave breaking on modeling the trajectories of drifters in the northern Adriatic Sea during a wind-storm event

An accurate numerical prediction of the oceanic upper layer velocity is a demanding requirement for many applications at sea and is a function of several near-surface processes that need to be incorporated in a numerical model. Among them, we assess the effects of vertical resolution, different vertical mixing parameterization (the so-called Generic Length Scale –GLS– set of k–ε, k–ω, gen, and the Mellor–Yamada), and surface roughness values on turbulent kinetic energy (k) injection from breaking waves.First, we modified the GLS turbulence closure formulation in the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) to incorporate the surface flux of turbulent kinetic energy due to wave breaking. Then, we applied the model to idealized test cases, exploring the sensitivity to the above mentioned factors. Last, the model was applied to a realistic situation in the Adriatic Sea driven by numerical meteorological forcings and river discharges. In this case, numerical drifters were released during an intense episode of Bora winds that occurred in mid-February 2003, and their trajectories compared to the displacement of satellite-tracked drifters deployed during the ADRIA02-03 sea-truth campaign.Results indicted that the inclusion of the wave breaking process helps improve the accuracy of the numerical simulations, subject to an increase in the typical value of the surface roughness z₀. Specifically, the best performance was obtained using α_CH = 56,000 in the Charnok formula, the wave breaking parameterization activated, k–ε as the turbulence closure model. With these options, the relative error with respect to the average distance of the drifter was about 25% (5.5 km/day). The most sensitive factors in the model were found to be the value of α_CH enhanced with respect to a standard value, followed by the adoption of wave breaking parameterization and the particular turbulence closure model selected.     

Taylor-Görtler vortices expected in the air flow on sea surface waves—II

The instability of Taylor-Görtler vortices which are expected in the air flow on water waves was studied in part I, under the assumption that the curvature around the crest or the trough of water waves, where the instability was expected to take place first, was constant, namely that the characteristics of the vortices were affected little by the local change of the curvature along the direction of the progress of water waves (the direction ofx-axis) However, the curvature actually varies from positive to negative, or vice versa. In order to study this effect, the instability of Taylor-Görtler vortices is examined with respect to the range of the part of a constant curvature, in the model in which the curvature is positive constant near the trough and negative constant near the crest, and zero in the intermediate regions, respectively. It is shown that as the region of the constant curvature becomes narrower, the instability tends to weaken. For the same example with part I, namely, when the wind of 12.2 m s^–1 is blowing over swells of 15 m in wavelength, if the range of constant curvature near the trough is taken as a quarter of one wave length, the critical wave height becomes 0.96 m instead of 0.50 m, and conversely, the wave length and the height of center of the vortex become 11.9 m and 2.1 m instead of 24 m and 3.7 m, respectively.Further, using the energy equations, quantitative estimates are performed of the intensity of the vortices which develop when the wave height of the swell is 1.05 m in the above described example, and also of the influence of the vortices upon the wind profile when the equilibrium state is reached. When the vortices are generated and grow to attain to an equilibrium state interacting with the mean flow, the maximumx-component of velocity in the vortices is about 1.04 m s^–1. Consequently, the wind profile undergoes a considerable distortion from the logarithmic one near the level of 2 m height. This distorted wind profile has a form similar to those sometimes observed above the sea surface.     

The effect of ionic interaction on the rates of oxidation in natural waters

The effect of ionic interactions on the kinetics of disproportionation of HO₂, and the oxidation of Fe(II) and Cu(I) has been examined. The interactions of O₂ with Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ ions in seawater increases the lifetime by 3–5 times compared to water. The effect of OH⁻ on the oxidation of Fe(II) in water and seawater shows a second degree dependence from 5 to 45°C. The effect of salinity on the oxidation of Fe(II) was found to be independent of temperature, while the effect of temperature was found to be independent of salinity. The energy of activation for the overall rate constant was found to be 7 ± 0.5 kcal mol⁻¹.The effect of pH, temperature, salinity and ionic composition on the oxidation of Cu(I) has also been examined. In NaCl solutions from 0.5 to 6 M, the log k for the oxidation was a linear function of pH (6–8) with a slope of 0.2 ± 0.05. The reaction was strongly dependent on the Cl⁻ concentration with variation of from 0.3 to 340 min from 0.5 to 6 M Cl⁻. The rates of oxidation of Cu⁺ and CuCl⁰ responsible for these effects are dependent upon ionic strength. The energy of activation for the reaction was 8.5–9.9 kcal mol⁻¹ from 0.5 to 6 M. Studies of the oxidation in various NaX salts (X = I⁻, Br⁻ and Cl⁻) give rates in the order Cl⁻ > Br⁻ > I⁻ as expected, due to complex formation of Cu⁺ with X⁻.     

Surface heat budget and heat balance in the oceanic mixed layer in the central equatorial Pacific ocean during the 1986–87 El Niño

In January–February 1987, an urgent cruise JENEX-87 was carried out in the central equatorial Pacific during the occurrence of the 1986–87 El Niño. This cruise, supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency, supplied heat flux data through the sea surface, on the basis of direct measurements of short- and long-wave radiation fluxes.In the time average, the heat gain due to the radiation flux (153 W m^–2) was almost compensated by the heat loss due to latent heat flux (130 W m^–2), and thus the net heat gain was small in magnitude (20 W m^–2). On the other hand, day-to-day changes of the net heat flux ranged within ±130 W m^–2, mainly reflecting the downward short-wave radiation variations.The heat balance in the surface oceanic mixed layer was investigated in two quadrangle areas (160°E-180° and 180°-160°W between 2°N and 2°S), using the surface heat flux and estimating the advective heat fluxes due to the geostrophic and Ekman currents. In these two quadrangles, we respectively derived –187±88 W m^–2 and +27±95 W m^–2. The former value, which is equivalent to about 1°C month^–1 drop of the mixed layer temperature, is evidence of the abnormal oceanic condition in the occurrence of the 1986–87 El Niño event.     

Numerical modeling of wave runup and forces on an idealized beachfront house

In this paper, a numerical wave model based on the incompressible Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) and k–ε equations is used to estimate the impact of a solitary wave on an idealized beachfront house located at different elevations on a plane beach. The locations of the free surface are reconstructed by volume of fluid (VOF) method. The model is satisfactorily tested against the experimental data of wave runup, and the analytical solution of wave forces on vertical walls. The time histories of wave profiles, forces, and overturning moments on the idealized house are demonstrated and analyzed. The variations of wave forces and overturning moments with the elevation of the idealized beachfront house are also investigated.     

A numerical analysis of the three-dimensional rayleigh-benard convection spectra

The problem of the incompressible liquid convection between two horizontal planes heated on the underside is considered in the three-dimensional statement. The horizontal boundaries are assumed to be free of tangential stresses and isothermal. The calculated temporal spectrum of the temperature pulsations at the convection cell center at a supercriticality of 410 agrees well with the experimental measurement result. The Bolgiano-Obukhov (BO), k ^−11/5, k ⁻³, and k ⁻⁵, were obtain for the velocity pulsations. The Kolmogorov spectra k ^−5/3 and k ^−2.4 were obtained for the temperature pulsations. The presence of clearly identified spectra in the convective flow under study allows this process to be characterized as developed turbulence.     

Air-sea gas transfer in a shallow,flowing and coastal environment estimated by dissolved inorganic carbon and dissolved oxygen analyses

We estimated gas exchange rates in Kabira Reef at Ishigaki Island, southwest Japan, using a mass balance calculation with dual “biological” tracers: dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and dissolved oxygen (DO). The nighttime results allowed us to obtain reasonable gas transfer velocity k _w values, all of which exceeded those obtained in wind-dominant studies. The difference is likely due to the contribution of turbulence generated by the interaction between the current and bottom topography. The k _w obtained during high tides is consistent with that reported by Raymond and Cole (2001), whereas k _w during low tides is significantly higher, which seems to be caused by enhanced friction with the bottom of the reef and/or bubble-induced gas transfer by wave breaking at the reef crest.     

Primary productivity in the fast ice area near syowa station,Antarctica, during spring and summer 1983/84

In situ measurements of the primary productivity of ice algae and phytoplankton were carried out in the fast ice area near Syowa Station (69°00S, 39°35E) during the austral spring and summer of 1983/84. Standing stock of ice algae reached a maximum of 45.1 mg chla m^–2 in late October. Phytoplankton standing stock attained a value of 3.57 mg chla m^–2 in mid-January. Primary production of ice algae in late October (7.64 mgC m^–2 hr^–1) was 14 times greater than that in mid-January (0.54 mgC m^–2 hr^–1). Production in the water column in mid-January (3.46 mgC m^–2 hr^–1) was 50 times greater than that in late October (0.07 mgC m^–2 hr^–1). These results indicate a substantial production by ice algae in the spring and by phytoplankton in the summer period.     

Measurements of sediment transport on the sea bed southwest of England

Sand transport rates were measured via bedload traps that were inserted into the sediment surface on the continental shelf southwest of England. Analysis of the trapped mobile sediment shows this to be finer and better sorted than nearby Shipek grab samples. The transport rates are combined with simultaneous, near-bed flow measurements to assess a Bagnold type predictive equation,j = k ₁(u ² ₁₀₀ -u ² 100cr)u ₁₀₀. The measured transport rates vary between 0.41 × 10^–3 and 1.67 × 10^–3 gm/cm s. The data yield a mean calibration coefficient (k ₁) of 0.4 × 10^–6 which is slightly lower than values computed from flume and shallow water data.