A tension measurement method of a towing cable or a buoy cable

An indirect tension measurement method of a towing cable in midwater or a buoy cable is proposed using underwater acoustic positioning systems, etc., to give the in-water cable tension. The most simple and traditional cable tension measurement method is to apply a mechanical tension meter at the one end of the cable, but the method has limits in the aspects of continuous monitoring and manual operation. However, the technique in this study is to apply the Pode's analysis of the equilibrium configuration and tension of a flexible twine, in which the cable tension is given as a function of the geometric positions of both ends of the cable. A set of nonlinear integral equations is formulated and solved numerically by the Newton-Raphson method. Then the inclination angles and the tensions at the lower and the upper ends of the cable could be obtained. The derived method enables us to track a towed object, to measure the tension of a towing cable or a buoy cable and is also applicable to the remotely operated vehicle (ROV) tethered to a mother ship.     

A low-cost fiber-optic system for monitoring the state of structural health of a mechanical cable

Methods for evaluating the structural health of mechanical cables and detecting their imminent failure could prevent the loss of valuable equipment and, more importantly, the possible loss of human life.The non-destructive test methods available are: thorough visual examination and measurement of the external diameter; X-rays; (induced) wave propagation; acoustic emission; magnetostrictive sensors; infrared detection.A new method which employs a commercial optical fiber for detecting the breakage of individual wires in a rope is proposed in the present paper.     

Predicting the equilibrium depth of a body towed by a faired cable

Comprehensive wind tunnel measurements have been made of the drag coefficients of both the body and the faired cable of a towed system. The drag data has been embodied in theoretical calculations of the depth attained in tow, at speed up to 3 m s⁻¹ (6 knots) with scopes up to 135 m (440 ft). The agreement with sea trial observations is excellent.The work has highlighted the importance of accounting for the variation of faired cable drag with cable angle and has shown that the drag increments due to gaps and misalignments between individual fairing elements cannot be ignored.Methods are derived for estimating these effects for application to other faired cable towed systems.     

基于声学方法的南黄海浮游动物垂直迁移季节变化研究

为研究南黄海浮游动物垂直迁移的季节变化, 分析了2006 年至2007 年4 个季节布放潜标中声学测流仪的观测数据。结果是: 声学测流仪测量的后向散射强度呈现显著的日变化特征, 这是由浮游动物垂直迁移造成的; 在4 个季节中都出现这一凌晨向下、黄昏向上的垂直迁移, 但是垂直迁移发生的时间有季节变化。利用南黄海辐射通量的直接观测数据, 讨论了垂直迁移发生时间与光照的关系,结果表明垂直迁移的季节变化主要受光照的影响。这对于研究浮游动物垂直迁移机制有一定意义。     

Method of predicting soil mechanical parameters in shallow formation while jetting process in deep-water drilling

The mechanical properties of shallow soils in deep water play an important role in drilling design and construction as well as later oil and gas development. Since it is difficult to collect soil samples from layers deeper than 10 m below the sea floor, the acquisition of shallow soil mechanics, based on the variation of drilling parameters in the deep-water drilling process, is not only economical but also reliable. In this article, we analyze the variation of subsea soil properties based on the variation of deep-water jet-drilling construction parameters, calculate the lateral friction resistance of conductor by use of weight-on-bit (WOB) and displacement parameters in the jetting process, and determine the drilled formation’s shear strength and internal friction angle in consideration of restored friction resistance. To verify the accuracy of the prediction-while-drilling model on seabed shallow soil mechanics, indoor unit and field simulation experiments were separately conducted. Moreover, the calculations from field application examples indicate that the prediction-while-drilling of deep-water seabed shallow soil mechanics achieves high conformity with the local practice results, which also indicates that this method could effectively guide field construction operations.     

Monitoring the deep western boundary current in the western North Pacific by echo intensity measured with lowered acoustic Doppler current profiler

Oxidation of iron and manganese ions is predominant in the oxygen-rich deep western boundary current (DWBC) within the Pacific Ocean. By the faster removal of particulate iron hydroxide and manganese oxide, densities of the particulate matters are considered to be lower in the DWBC than the interior region. To detect the density variation of suspended particles between the DWBC and interior regions, we analyzed echo intensity (EI) measured in the western North Pacific by hydrographic casts with a 300 kHz lowered acoustic Doppler current profiler (LADCP) in a whole water column. At depths greater than 3000 m (~ 3000 dbar), EI is almost uniformly low between 12°N and 30°N but peaks sharply from 30°N to 35°N to a maximum north of 35°N. EI is found to be anomalously low in the DWBC compared to the background distribution. The DWBC pathways are identifiable by the low EI and high dissolved oxygen concentration. EI data by LADCPs and other acoustic instruments may be used to observe the temporal variations of the DWBC pathways.

     

An acoustic method for the remote measurement of seagrass metrics

Seagrass meadows are ecosystems of great ecological and economical value and their monitoring is an important task within coastal environmental management. In this paper, an acoustic mapping technique is presented using a profiling sonar. The method has been applied to three different sites with meadows of Zostera marina, Zostera noltii and Posidonia oceanica respectively, with the aim to test the method’s applicability.     

奥里油溢油扩散面积预测非线性方法研究

奥里油盛产于委内瑞拉,是一种煤、石油等潜在的替代燃烧物,近年来已经应用于多个国家的电厂锅炉、工业炉等燃油场合。随着应用量的增大,其海上运输产生的溢油风险也越来越大。针对奥里油溢油现象并基于图像处理及边缘检测提出了一种奥里油溢油扩散面积预测的方法。在Matlab环境下,对图像进行边界提取,面积计算,最后利用BP神经网络进行面积预测。通过与实验进行比较,结果表明,采用Sobel算子进行边缘检测时提取的边缘较细、对边缘定位较准、对灰度渐变和噪声处理较好。采用BP神经网络获得的面积预测结果与实验测得的结果最大相对误差为0.88%,吻合度较好。     

Characterisation of a Campanian deep-sea fan system in the Norwegian Sea by means of ichnofabrics

Ichnofabrics are applied in concert with sedimentological data to discriminate sub-environments within a Campanian deep-sea fan system in the Norwegian Sea. Seven ichnofabric types are recognised in the studied cores, which correspond to specific architectural elements of the fan system, including amalgamated channels, lobate sand sheets, proximal and distal overbank, fan fringe, and hemipelagic basin plain environments. A unique observation is an ultra-deep Chondrites ichnofabric, interpreted to result from the activity of a chemosymbiotic tracemaker, possibly utilising hydrothermal vents or hydrocarbon seeps in the near vicinity of an active rift system. Mapping and inter-well correlation of ichnofabrics allow a better control of lateral and vertical facies changes, which are important to exploration and production strategies. This study demonstrates that ichnofabric analysis is proving to be a valuable tool for the characterisation and prediction of reservoir quality, the recognition of potential flow barriers and prediction of lateral depositional trends in deep-sea fan deposits.     

A pump-sampler as a method of collecting plankton and its preliminary operation

A pump-sampler was designed to study the distribution of marine plankton and its possible relationship with the temperature and salinity of the water. Sea water was pumped up through a 2 inch diameter hose and plankton contained in it was collected on a filter cup (2 inches in diameter, 139 meshes/inch) without being damaged. The filter cup, when clogged by plankton organisms, was washed by spraying with about 100 cu. cm of water. The differences between two continuous with an interval of more than 3–4 seconds could be detected.A preliminary operation along a 2.82 km course in Maizuru Bay was carried out simultaneously with temperature-salinity measurements at sampling intervals of 30 m. Temperature was measured by a thermistor resistance thermometer, and salinity was measured by a salinometer with a subsample of water which was collected from an additional opening of the pump-sampler. The temperature-salinity record showed that four zones of water were characterized.It was found that wide variation of plankton counts indicated dense concentrations of particular species or group of species, and on the mesoscale it was possible to examine the size of the aggregation.     

On the importance of boundary layer calculations instead of viscous correction in heavily loaded marine propellers while using a surface panel method

A surface panel method is employed for the thin boundary layer calculation of heavily loaded marine propellers in steady state conditions. Employing the surface panel method, known as the “Morino Method”, the flow field around the propeller is represented by an unknown potential. The majority of the flow field is governed by the potential theory while the viscosity is assumed to be largely confined to thin shear layer on the propeller surface. The boundary layer calculations are performed by using Cebeci-Smith two dimensional model and the local skin friction coefficients and blowing velocities are obtained along the pre-computed on-body streamlines. It is shown that the prediction of torque of the propeller is improved when the boundary layer calculations are used instead of the boundary layer corrections based on the formulae established for the flat plates.     

水声传播中线性调频脉冲信号的检测方法研究

本文分析了线性调频脉冲信号的特点并用脉冲压缩方法来检测线性调频信号波形，特别是用脉冲压缩方法来检测会聚区信号，更能体现脉冲压缩具有降低噪声均值，获得较高信噪比增益，提高距离分辨率的优点．     

On Experience in using the remote acoustic method of partial reflections in studies of the lower troposphere

Using the phenomenon of the partial reflection of acoustic waves from anisotropic wind-velocity and temperature inhomogeneities in the lower troposphere is justified in determining the structure of these inhomogeneities. The data (obtained with the method of bistatic acoustic sounding) on signals reflected from stratified inhomogeneities in the lower 600-m layer of the troposphere are given. A detonation-type pulsed acoustic source was used. The methods of isolating a small (in amplitude) reflected signal against the background of noise and determining the reflecting-layer height and the partial-reflection coefficient from the measured parameters (time delay and amplitude) of a reflected signal are presented. The method of estimating the vertical gradients of the effective sound speed and the squared acoustic refractive index from the partial-reflection coefficient previously calculated is described on the basis of an Epstein transition-layer model. The indicated parameters are experimentally estimated for concrete cases of recording reflected signals. A comparison of our estimates with independent analogous data simultaneously obtained for the same parameters with monitoring instruments (a sodar and a temperature profiler) has yielded satisfactory results.     

Sewage-derived bacteria monitored in a marine water column by means of captive mussels

Batches of mussels, Mytilus edulis, obtained from a sewage-free shore were introduced into the water column at a sewage polluted site and the changed content (Escherichia coli, faecal streptococci) was assessed after immersion periods of 2 to 40 h. Rapid bacterial uptake was demonstrated; changes were analysed with respect to immersion period, revealing that 2h was satisfactory. The numbers of bacteria varied with height in the water column; mussels from the sea bed contained higher numbers of E. coli than mussels immersed just below the surface except for mussels withdrawn at, and for about 3h after, low water (LW). These observations were shown to be related to the characteristics of the e effluent and tidal systems operative at the site.     

Measurement of wind waves by means of a buoy accelerometer wave gauge

An accelerometer buoy wave gauge developed in the Marine Hydrophysical Institute of the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences is described. This allows measurement of acceleration and the sea surface elevation in the system of reference connected with a buoy. The integral and frequency spectral characteristics of waves can be computed from the records of the wave gauge signal. The use of a buoy accelerometer at sea provides a possibility to derive effective information on the wind waves.Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov.     

Aspects of the measurement of the acoustic transfer function in a cavitation tunnel

Model scale experiments represent one of the most effective, and probably the most commonly used, approaches for the study of cavitating propeller noise. Despite this, the acquirement of consistent data of propeller noise from tests in model scale facilities is still a challenging task. Data collected with such an approach are usually affected by several scale effects and facility related issues which make such experiments still very complex. Among others, the effect of the facility itself as acoustical surrounding must be carefully addressed in order to properly estimate propeller source levels in ideal free field conditions. This is currently carried out, when possible, by measuring facility transfer functions and applying such functions as a correction to measured noise spectra. The development of robust procedures for the measurement of these transfer functions is thus very important. In the present work, this problem is addressed by discussing in details techniques, merits and possible problems related to this topic.