Spatial structure of the southern polar frontal zone of the Atlantic Ocean

On the basis of the many-year-average seasonal data array of temperature and salinity presented on a scale of one-degree averaging, by using a special quantitative criterion, we reveal a climatic frontal zone and determine both its physical and hydrological characteristics (such as the length width, and thickness of the frontal layer and the temperature, salinity, and density gradients) and its geographic coordinates. The many-year average seasonal variability of these characteristics is analyzed. Translated by Peter V. Malyshev and Dmitry V. Malyshev     

On features of structure of bottom gravity current frontal zone

The results of qualitative laboratory and numerical experiments on two-dimensional non-linear model are described, aiming at an investigation of the structure of the front of bottom gravity current. Non-coincidence of frontal interfaces in density and velocity fields within the bottom gravity current leading (frontal) part is stated on the base of comparative analysis of numerical and laboratory experiments. This fact is experimentally confirmed by field example of marine water inflow into a brackish lagoon. The density gradient along the stream line is shown to be an additional effective criterion for the localization of the frontal zone.     

Physical and hydrological characteristics of climatic frontal zones in the Tropical Atlantic

Climatic frontal zones are selected in the thermohaline fields of the Tropical Atlantic by analyzing the many-year-average seasonal database reduced to the nodes of a one-degree grid. We determine physical characteristics of the frontal zones, study their spatial and temporal variability, and reveal basic regularities of the appearance of frontal zones in the fields of thermohaline characteristics. Translated by Peter V. Malyshev and Dmitry V. Malyshev     

Sub-arctic frontal zone in the central northern Pacific during autumn

We examine the cross structure of the sub-arctic frontal zone in the central Pacific using data obtained during the fifth cruise of theRV Akademik M. A. Lavrent'ev (autumn 1986). It is noted that the zone's position is closely related to the Ekman circulation (northern boundary of the area) and the North Pacific current (southern boundary). An estimate of the cross circulation is given.Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

The study of intermittent hydrophysical fields in the vicinity of the frontal zone

CTD data provided by the MGI-4204 and MARK-III probes are used to study the quasistationary subpolar front structure in the north-western Sea of Japan. In order to provide further insights into the intermittent scalar hydrophysical fields, the method of inhomogeneity identification using temperature pulsations calculated by the moving interval is suggested. The experimentally-derived inhomogeneity distribution is satisfactorily approximated by the exponential law.Translated by V. Puchkin.     

Water-body preferences of dominant calanoid copepod species in the Angola-Benguela frontal zone

The distribution of five dominant calanoid copepods was related to different water masses in the Angola-Benguela Front system. Five water bodies were identified by principal component analysis, on the basis of abiotic parameter such as temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen, phosphate, silicate, nitrate and nitrite. These parameters were reduced to single factors and arranged along two principal component axes. The copepod species incuded females and copepodites C5 of Calanoides carinatus and females of Metridia lucens, Centropages brachiatus, Nannocalanus minor and Aetideopsis carinata. The water bodies identified in the frontal system were related to currents, upwelling processes, an oxygen minimum layer and biological modification. The different copepod species, as well as the two ontogenetic stages of C. carinatus, showed clear preference for specific water bodies, and their behavioural and physiological adaptations to the environment are discussed.     

The thermohaline fields and currents measured in the sub-arctic frontal zone of the Pacific Ocean

Based on the MEGAPOLYGON data, it is shown that the large-scale elements of the thermohaline structure and the fields of currents in the baroclinic layer (down to 1200 m) are well coordinated. The circulation has a two-layer structure with a transitory layer at a depth of 1200 m. The topography of the isopycnic surface of the layer's core is formed under the influence of small-scale and mesoscale processes which realize the trans-frontal exchange.Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov.     

The generation of intensive short-period internal waves in the frontal zone of a coastal upwelling

The measurements data provided by an antenna of distributed temperature sensors, mounted on an oceanographic tower in the South Crimea continental shelf area, were applied to study the mechanism for the generation of short-period internal waves with anomalous amplitudes in the Black Sea. For analysis, information was incorporated concerning the background hydrological and meteorological conditions that were observed during the experiment. A mathematical model for the phenomenon under study has been constructed, and calculations of the anomalous internal wave generation have been presented. The paper contains a comparative analysis of thein situ data and simulation results, and demonstrates a good qualitative/quantitative agreement between the parameters of internal waves. Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

Remote sensing of sea surface nutrient in the frontal zone of Changjiang diluted water and the Taiwan Warm Current

Field investigation was carried out during 4 to 15 April 2001 around the Changjiang River Estuary. The similar distribution of sea surface nutrients and suspended sediment (SS) concentration is attributed to the physical mixing of Changjiang diluted water (CDW) with the Taiwan Warm Current (TWC). On the basis of the observed positive relationship between total phosphorus (TP) and SS concentration, the sea surface TP is inversed from satellite SS data. SS is believed to be an ideal eutrophic state assessing index substitution for TP, the eutrophication classification critical value of SS adopted in this research was based on the linear model: cTP=0.000 6cSSsat 0.016 3, r2=0.564 5, n=32. Although lack of in-situ chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) measurement, a good relationship was observed between the in-situ DIN (dissolved inorganic nitrogen) concentration with near real time SeaWiFS absorption coefficient of CDOM (ACD) data: cDIN=1.406 5AACBsat-0.035 9,r2=0.741 5,n=16. This empirical regression algorithm was also utilized for inversing the DIN concentration from SeaWiFS ACD data, and for establishing the eutrophication classification critical value of satellite ACD data. The established remote eutrophication classification system was later used for seawater eutrophic state assessment. The evaluation suggested that the Zhoushan Fishing Ground especially the western border is affected seriously with the nutrient input. The nutrient is mainly from the terrestrial source transported by the Changjiang River runoff. The seawater quality classification precision was assessed by in-situ data, which suggested the seawater quality distribution is similar to the two classification systems, and the remote classification error is below 25%.     

An analysis of mixing in the frontal zone of South and North Atlantic Central Water off North-West Africa

Multi-parameter mixing analysis is applied to 26 stations of Auftrieb 75, a joint expedition of R.R.S. Discovery and FS Meteor. North Atlantic Central Water (NACW) and South Atlantic Central Water (SACW) are represented by two water types each, and phosphate, silicate and nitrate are all used as an additional parameter with temperature and salinity, yielding three sets of independent solutions. Solutions from different parameters show similar vertical distributions but can differ considerably in absolute terms. This is believed to be caused by insufficient knowledge of nutrient values of pure NACW and SACW and by low range/precision ratios of nutrient determination.It is shown that isopycnal mixing analysis correctly describes the water mass distribution to lowest order, i.e. there is agreement between results from isopycnal and multi-parameter analysis at most stations within the error bounds which are inherent in the method and which are presently very high. Significant non-isopycnal mixing could be confirmed for only one station, situated on the continental slope in the area of the undercurrent of the Canary Current upwelling regime, and may be caused by active upwelling, increased lateral and vertical shear in the under-current, or internal waves interacting with the bottom. Five stations do not yield oceanographically acceptable solutions, and an attempt is made to include a coastal water mass in the analysis in order to improve the result for these stations, i.e. three-parameter analysis for NACW and SACW is replaced by four-parameter analysis for NACW, SACW and coastal water by combining temperature and salinity with phosphate and silicate or with nitrate and silicate simultaneously (the combination phosphate and nitrate is degenerate because both nutrients are linearly correlated). This indeed improves the results, indicating the presence of coastal water at those stations, but accumulation of errors inhibits quantitative conclusions.     

Phytoplankton, nutrients and hydrography in the frontal zone between the Southwest Indian Subtropical gyre and the Southern Ocean

A survey was made of the Southwest Indian Ocean frontal region between 30 and 50°E containing the Agulhas Return, Subtropical and Subantarctic Fronts. From CTD, SeaSoar and extracted samples the distribution of nitrate, silicate and chlorophyll a is shown to be strongly linked to the front and water mass structure, varying zonally and meridionally. Surface chlorophyll a concentrations were low to the north and south leaving a band of elevated chlorophyll between the Subtropical and Subantarctic Fronts. The low concentration of chlorophyll a to the north, in Subtropical Water, was clearly due to nitrate limitation. Between the Subtropical and Subantarctic Fronts, where the chlorophyll a concentrations were highest, the surface layer showed silicate depletion limiting diatom growth. South of the Subantarctic Front there were deep extending, low concentrations of chlorophyll a, but despite plentiful supplies of macro-nutrients and a well-stratified surface layer, high concentrations of chlorophyll a were absent. Changes from west to east were associated with the meandering of the Southern Ocean Fronts, especially the Subtropical Front, and their strength and proximity to each other. Concentrations of chlorophyll a peaked where the Agulhas Return, Subtropical and Subantarctic Fronts were in close proximity. Combined frontal structures appear to have particularly pronounced vertical stability and are associated with enhanced upwelling of nutrients and leakage of nutrients across the front. Light levels are high within the shallow stable layer. Such conditions are clearly favourable for biological growth and support the development of larger-celled phytoplankton communities.     

Submarine groundwater discharge and nutrient addition to the coastal zone and coral reefs of leeward Hawai'i

Multiple tracers of groundwater input (salinity, Si, ²²³Ra, ²²⁴Ra, and ²²⁶Ra) were used together to determine the magnitude, character (meteoric versus seawater), and nutrient contribution associated with submarine groundwater discharge across the leeward shores of the Hawai'ian Islands Maui, Moloka'i, and Hawai'i. Tracer abundances were elevated in the unconfined coastal aquifer and the nearshore zone, decreasing to low levels offshore, indicative of groundwater discharge (near-fresh, brackish, or saline) at all locations. At several sites, we detected evidence of fresh and saline SGD occurring simultaneously. Conservative estimates of SGD fluxes ranged widely, from 0.02–0.65 m³ m^− 2 d^− 1at the various sites. Groundwater nutrient fluxes of 0.04–40 mmol N m^− 2 d^− 1 and 0.01–1.6 mmol P m^− 2 d^− 1 represent a major source of new nutrients to coastal ecosystems along these coasts. Nutrient additions were typically greatest at locations with a substantial meteoric component in groundwater, but the recirculation of seawater through the aquifer may provide a means of transferring terrestrially-derived nutrients to the coastal zone at several sites.     

玉环坎门排污口邻近岩相潮间带生物分布特征

2002年8月对玉环坎门污水处理厂排污口邻近岩相潮间带生物进行定性和定量样品采样,共鉴定出生物57种,其中大型藻类8种、多毛类动物2种、软体动物28种、甲壳类动物13种、棘皮动物1种和其它类动物5种。该排污口邻近两侧岩相潮间带平均生物量为1544.72g/m2,平均栖息密度为3948个/m2。位于排污口左侧的I断面生物量和栖息密度(2406.19g/m2和7415个/m2)明显高于II断面(683.27g/m2和484个/m2),I断面的生物多样性指数(0.91)和均匀度指数(0.39)小于II断面(1.80和0.68);两条断面生物量垂直分布均为中潮区>低潮区>高潮区,I断面栖息密度分布为中潮区>低潮区>高潮区,II断面栖息密度分布为中潮区>高潮区>低潮区。对排污口邻近岩相潮间带生物生态分析表明,该潮间带生物数量的水平分布受海岸开敞度的影响,而垂直分布则与潮区的不同和浪击度的强弱有关。     

Pathways of clay mineral transport in the coastal zone of the Brazilian continental shelf from Ceará to the mouth of the Amazon River

The transport pathways of fine sediments (fraction <2 μm) along the Brazilian continental shelf from Ceará to the Amazon River mouth were studied by means of clay mineral analyses. On the continental shelf southeast of the Amazon mouth, fluctuations in clay mineral compositions reflect simple mixing between the suspended load of the North Brazil Current and sediment from several smaller rivers. Previously, clay mineral variations west of the Amazon mouth have been explained by variable settling velocities of different grain-size classes within the <2 μm fraction or by selective coagulation of individual clay mineral groups. By contrast, our experiments with river bank samples show that selective coagulation does not occur in Amazon River sediments. A more appropriate explanation for observed variations in clay mineral composition off the Amazon mouth seems to be, similarly to that for the shelf between Ceará and the Amazon mouth, a mixing of Amazon sediments with suspended material of the North Brazil Current. This interpretation is supported by data on clay mineral composition east and south of the Amazon mouth, showing more affinity to sediments of the North Brazil Current than to the suspended load of the Amazon River. Additionally, relatively low sedimentation rates and low concentrations of fine-grained sediments on the shelf suggest that high riverine input by the Amazon River does not overprint the sediments of the North Brazil Current in this region. The strong North Brazil Current shunts the Amazon suspended load in a north-westerly direction along the north-eastern coast of South America. Hence, stronger sedimentation of Amazon sediments would occur only west of the river mouth.     

Variability of the horizontal gradients of the air and the water surface temperatures in the vernal frontal zone period of Lake Ladoga

Every year, the during springtime heating conditions, the seasonal thermal frontal zone appears in Lake Ladoga. It features high horizontal water temperature gradients. The coastal waters, stably stratified in density, interact with the waters of the open lake that are unstably stratified because of the free convection developing in the temperature range between 0°C and the maximum density of the water at 4°C. In Lake Ladoga, the advance of the vernal frontal zone lasts about 7?C8 weeks from mid-May to the beginning of July. Both the water temperature and air temperature distributions over the water??s surface show that large spatial temperature ranges exist in the vernal front reaching more than 11°C. We investigated the spatial horizontal gradients of the water??s surface and the air temperature using a spatial grid with a resolution of 5 km. The surface water temperature and the air temperature gradients were compared with each other as well as with the temperatures in the region of varying depths. During the spring peak of the frontal activity in Lake Ladoga, most of the fronts feature mean temperatures greater than 4°C. This indicates that the thermal bar marks the offshore edge of the most extensive frontal zone.     

径流量和海平面变化对河口最大浑浊带的影响

应用改进的ECOM模式,耦合泥沙输运方程,研究径流量和海平面变化对河口最大浑浊带的影响.河口最大浑浊带位于滞流点处,底层上下游余流均向该处输运泥沙,造成该处泥沙汇合,而由流场辐合产生的上升流又使该处的泥沙不易落淤.由于盐水入侵带来的高盐水位于北岸的底层,其斜压效应使底层的横向环流由北向南流动,把底层高浓度的泥沙向南岸平流,使得最大浑浊带位于南岸.研究河口最大浑浊带现象必须使用三维泥沙输运模式.在径流量增大的情况下,与控制试验相比底层向陆的密度流减弱,滞流点下移,导致最大浑浊带也下移;因上游来沙量增加,在最大浑浊带中心和河口拦门沙处悬浮泥沙浓度趋于增加.在径流量减少的情况下,最大浑浊带的变化趋势与径流量增大情况的结果相反.在海平面上升的情况下,拦门沙区域底层向陆的密度流趋于增强,滞流点上移,最大浑浊带也相应向上游移动;最大浑浊带中心处泥沙浓度趋于增大,但口门拦门沙处泥沙浓度趋于减小.径流量和海平面变化对最大浑浊带影响明显.     

The structure of Tuscarora fracture zone,northwestern Pacific

The Tuscarora fracture zone in the northwestern Pacific bounds parts of the Pacific plate that are characterized by linear (southwestern part) and non-linear (northeastern part) magnetic anomalies respectively. The fracture zone is traced from the oceanic plate across the Kuril-Kamchatka deep-sea trench into the shoreward trench slope. It therefore can not be considered as an ordinary transform fault.     

北冰洋80°～85°N浮冰区对流层大气的垂直结构

利用2008年夏季中国第3次北冰洋考察所获取的GPS探空资料对北冰洋(79°～85.5°N,144°～170°W)浮冰区对流层大气的垂直结构进行了研究.结果表明:北冰洋浮冰区对流层中部大气的平均温度递减率为6.47℃/km;对流层顶高度为8.0～10.7 km,平均为9.3 km,对流层顶温度为-59.4～-43.5℃...     

海港码头混凝土结构干湿交替区域氯离子侵蚀规律研究

基于对乍浦港混凝土结构现场检测数据,分析干湿交替区域氯离子侵蚀状况存在差异的原因,建立表面氯离子浓度和扩散系数随高程、季节、材料、及服役时间的关系,提出基于海域气象条件推定扩散模型统计参数的经验计算公式,并根据设计潮位确定氯离子严重侵蚀区域范围,可为耐久性设计和维护提供理论依据。