Filter-feeding ascidians (Ciona intestinalis) in a shallow cove: Implications of hydrodynamics for grazing impact

The grazing impact by a dense population of filter-feeding ascidians Ciona intestinalis on horizontally flowing water (driven by density circulation) in a shallow cove (Kertinge Nor, Denmark) has been described and quantified by means of a simple one-dimensional numerical model. The agreement between observations and modelled predictions was satisfactory. The applied numerical model has the following analytical solution in the idealized case: Cx = C₀e^−(fx/Y₂), where C_x = algal concentration at a downstream distance x, C₀ = initial concentration, f = F/v_c; F = area specific population filtration rate; v_c = current velocity; Y₂ = depth of mixed layer below halocline. The numerical model quantifies the actual grazing impact while the analytical model illustrates the governing physics in well-known terms. To describe situations with no current (i.e. stagnant water), we performed simulation studies in the laboratory and measured vertical profiles of algal cells over filter-feeding C. intestinalis. The results showed that phytoplankton became reduced in a near-bottom water layer of 20–30 cm thickness. Such water layers may develop in stagnant water (calm days and no advective currents), thus uncoupling the pelagic food and the filter feeders which within a short time will experience extremely meagre food conditions.     

Heat balance of the upper ocean under a land and sea breeze in Sagami Bay in summer

The heat balance of the upper ocean under a land and sea breeze was investigated based on observations of sea water temperature in the upper 300 m layer and heat flux across the sea surface at a fixed station in Sagami Bay (3510N, 13925E) during two periods of two days in August 1980 and three days in August 1981. During both periods, a typical land and sea breeze of 4–6 m sec^–1 at maximum prevailed in the observation area. Large diurnal variation of sea surface temperature with a maximum peak around noon LST was observed during both periods (the daily value of the range was 0.9C and 2.5C in 1980, and 1.2C, 1.5C and 1.7C in 1981). It was found that these large temperature variations were caused by diurnal variation of the wind speed which dropped to 0–3 m sec^–1 at noon when the strongest insolation (–270 Wm^–2) penetrated the sea and at midnight in association with alternations of the land breeze and the sea breeze. On the other hand, vertical mixing of the sea water caused by the wind stress and/or convection due to cooling at night extended down only to the surface 10 m layer. Horizontal heat advection was negligibly small. Therefore the local time change of the heat content in the upper 10 m water column was affected mainly by the heat flux across the air-sea interface which was estimated from data on radiation fluxes measured directly on board and latent and sensible heat fluxes calculated by the aerodynamic bulk method. The water temperature below the 10 m layer also varied with time and the temperature variation in the thermocline (20–50 m depth) was frequently larger than that of the sea surface temperature. However, the variation in the upper 10 m layer was little influenced by that below the layer.     

Heat balance of the surface layer of the sea at ocean weather station T

Heat balance of the upper 200 m of the sea south of Japan is studied, by the use of marine meteorological and oceanographic data at Ocean Weather Station T (29°N, 135°E), intensively obtained from June 1950 to November 1953. Local time change of the heat content in the surface layer and the net heat flux through the air-sea interface are calculated directly from these data, and the heat convergence in the sea is estimated from their residuals. Regarding the relative importance of one- and three-dimensional processes, it is found that, on a time scale of a few days to one month, the variation of heat content depends on heat convergence in the sea, while on a seasonal time scale, the heat content is determined primarily by the heat flux through the sea surface in December through February, by heat convergence within the sea from March to May, and by both processes from June to November. It is inferred that the heat convergence in the sea is caused by advection of water masses which are bounded by sharp fronts. Spectral analysis of sea surface temperature indicates that they typically take 2 to 3 days to pass the station, and their typical size is estimated as around 20 km by assuming the typical advection velocity of water masses to be 10 cm s^?1.     

Contribution of hydrodynamic conditions during shallow water stages to the sediment balance on a tidal flat: Mont-Saint-Michel Bay, Normandy, France

Field measurements were conducted in Mont-Saint-Michel Bay, a megatidal embayment (spring tidal range of 15 m), in order to monitor, over the course of a tidal cycle, sediment transport variability due to waves and tides on the upper part of a tidal flat characterised by shallow water depths. Sensors used to measure currents, water depth and turbidity were installed just above the bed (0.04 m). Two experiments were conducted under contrasting hydrodynamic conditions. The results highlight wave activity over the tidal flat even though observed wind waves were largely dissipated due to the very shallow water depths. Very high suspended sediment concentrations (up to 6 kg/m³) were recorded in the presence of wave activity at the beginning of the local flood, when significant sediment transport occurred, up to 7 times as much as under conditions of no wave activity. This influence may be attributed to the direct action of waves on bed sediments, to wave-induced liquefaction, and to the erosive action of waves on tidal channel banks. The sediment composition, comprising a clay fraction of 2-5%, may also enhance sediment transport by reducing critical shear stress through the sand lubrication effect. The results also show that antecedent meteorological conditions play an important role in suspended sediment transport on the tidal flat. Total sediment flux directions show a net transport towards the inner part of the bay that contributes to deposition over the adjacent salt marshes, and this tendency also prevails during strong wave conditions. Such sediment transport is characterised by significant variability over the course of the tidal cycle. During fair and moderate weather conditions, 83% and 71% of the total flux was observed, respectively, over only 11% and 28% of the duration of the local tidal cycle and with water depths between 0.04 and 0.3 m. These results suggest that in order to improve our understanding of sediment budgets in this type of coastal environment, it is essential to record data just at the beginning and at the end of tidal submergence close to the bed.     

GEK measurements in a shallow water region

Evidence for the applicability of GEK (Geomagnetic Electrokinetography) measurements to shallow water regions is provided from observations in the shelf region of the East China Sea. The reason for the effectiveness of GEK measurements in this case is investigated theoretically, and it is shown to be attributable to the existence of a thick conductive sedimentary layer. In addition, it is shown that low conductive basement rock can be regarded as a good conductor for GEK measurements if the current width is broad enough and if the ratio of current width to water depth is larger than the resistivity ratio of basement rock to sea water. This implies that barotropic tidal currents can be measured with GEK in any ocean on the earth if they have significant magnitudes.     

Perturbative inversion of geoacoustic parameters in a shallow waterenvironment

In many strategic shallow water areas, the geoacoustic properties of the sub-bottom are largely unknown. This paper demonstrates that inverse theory and measured data from a single hydrophone can be used to accurately deduce the geoacoustic properties of the sub-bottom, even when the initial background geoacoustic model is a highly inaccurate estimate. Since propagation in shallow water is very sensitive to the geoacoustic properties of the sub-bottom the inverse technique is a vitally important, practical, and inexpensive means to improve sonar performance prediction in a potentially hostile environment. To provide ground truth for the inverse technique, measured data collected during Project GEMINI were compared to the inverse solutions. Detailed, site-specific geoacoustic models were developed for two array locations and the finite-element parabolic equation (FEPE) model was used to estimate transmission loss (TL). The model estimates from FEPE compared well with the measured data and the detailed geoacoustic models were considered as “ground truth.” To test the efficacy of the technique, initial background geoacoustic models were constructed assuming no a priori information of the bottom. The resultant inverse solution was used to predict the geoacoustic properties at each of the sites. The final results were in excellent agreement with the measured data and the resulting TL estimates derived from the inverse technique were as good or better than the TL estimates obtained from the detailed, site-specific geoacoustic models     

The calculation of turbulent characteristics in a shallow sea

Turbulent characteristics and current velocity are calculated in the framework of a quasistationary model for a shallow sea, using the equations for Reynolds stress transport and for the rate of dissipation. The paper shows that the ‘negative viscosity’ effect manifests itself in the near-bottom layer, related to energy transfer from pulse motions of turbulent flow to the mean ones. Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

ROC evaluation of adaptive beamforming in a simulated shallow waterenvironment

An optimal evaluation of adaptive beamforming techniques in a reverberation-limited shallow water environment is presented. A comprehensive simulation, using the sonar simulation toolset (SST) software in conjunction with the generic sonar model (GSRT) software, is used to create realistic beam data complete with target, noise, and reverberation. Adaptive beamforming techniques from the recursive least squares (RLS) family are applied to enhance detection performance via interference rejection. Two techniques are considered: linearly constrained beamforming using the minimum variance distortionless response (MVOR) beamformer and constrained adaptive noise cancelling (ANC) using the joint process least squares lattice (JPLSL) algorithm. Target detection trials, summarized in the form of receiver operator characteristics (ROC), are used to evaluate performance of the two adaptive beamformers. Results demonstrate mixed performance in reverberation-limited shallow water environments     

Geochemistry of muds from a shallow restricted estuary,Australia

Sediments from a shallow, restricted estuary in southeast Australia were analysed for Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Ni, Zn, P₂O₅ and organic carbon. Subjective interpretation of factor analysis on a geochemical basis, indicates that the dominant controls on the distribution and concentration of these metals and P₂O₅ in the mud sediments are the mineralogy of land-derived detritus and the chemical conditions of the environment in which the sediments are deposited. None of the transition-metal contents of the sediments, apart from Cr and possibly Cu, can be directly attributed to enrichment over that due to areal variation in detrital mineralogy. Chromium may be precipitated from the water column as a hydroxide in reducing environments, and Cu may be supplied to some extent by organic matter. Phosphate is enriched in the sediment through its association with organic matter. Manganese concentrations are depleted from the surface sediments of reducing environments. Iron sulphide and associated Ni and Zn sulphides are probably formed largely through early diagenetic reactions involving the mobilization of these metals from detrital mineral phases into authigenic phases. Evidence for the presence of these authigenic phases is found in sediments from areas where reducing conditions are likely to be most prevalent.     

Dissolution of carbonate minerals in a subtropical shallow marine environment

Carbonate saturation state with respect to calcite and three different biogenic magnesian calcites has been determined by a modified saturometry technique. Measurements were made in the water column of Devil's Hole, a 25 m-deep basin in the Harrington Sound (Bermuda), which exhibits oxygen depletion in subthermocline waters during summer. Supersaturation in the entire water column was attained with respect to marble calcite. The biogenic carbonates analyzed became undersaturated below the thermocline within a narrow depth range, soon after P_CO2 exceeded 600 ppm. It is concluded that high magnesian calcites can be attacked during a significant portion of the year in these waters. Possible implications for the global CO₂ cycle are discussed.     

Three dimensional water quality modeling of a shallow subtropical estuary

Knowledge of estuarine hydrodynamics and water quality comes mostly from studies of large estuarine systems. The processes affecting algae, nutrients, and dissolved oxygen (DO) in small and shallow subtropical estuaries are relatively less studied. This paper documents the development, calibration, and verification of a three dimensional (3D) water quality model for the St. Lucie Estuary (SLE), a small and shallow estuary located on the east coast of south Florida. The water quality model is calibrated and verified using two years of measured data. Statistical analyses indicate that the model is capable of reproducing key water quality characteristics of the estuary within an acceptable range of accuracy. The calibrated model is further applied to study hydrodynamic and eutrophication processes in the estuary. Modeling results reveal that high algae concentrations in the estuary are likely caused by excessive nutrient and algae supplies in freshwater inflows. While algal blooms may lead to reduced DO concentrations near the bottom of the waterbody, this study indicates that stratification and circulation induced by freshwater inflows may also contribute significantly to bottom water hypoxia in the estuary. It is also found that high freshwater inflows from one of the tributaries can change the circulation pattern and nutrient loading, thereby impacting water quality conditions of the entire estuary. Restoration plans for the SLE ecosystem need to consider both a reduction of nutrient loading and regulation of the freshwater discharge pattern.     

Assessing wind wave spectrum representations in a shallow lake

This paper presents an objective assessment of three published wave spectrum formulas for the shallow sea. It compares wave spectra estimated by these formulas with those calculated from actual field measurements made in Lake Erie during 1981 in depths ranging from 1.4 to 14.0 m. The results show that the models each have various degrees of effectiveness and applicability. The choice of which model to use may depend upon the availability of input parameters, and is still basically subjective. The models specifically developed for the shallow depth are found to be less effective. The form of spectral representation may remain similar at all depths, with depth affecting only the wave parameters that characterize the spectrum form.     

Bifurcation structure of a wind-driven shallow water model with layer-outcropping

The steady state bifurcation structure of the double-gyre wind-driven ocean circulation is examined in a shallow water model where the upper layer is allowed to outcrop at the sea surface. In addition to the classical jet-up and jet-down multiple equilibria, we find a new regime in which one of the equilibrium solutions has a large outcropping region in the subpolar gyre. Time dependent simulations show that the outcropping solution equilibrates to a stable periodic orbit with a period of 8 months. Co-existing with the periodic solution is a stable steady state solution without outcropping.A numerical scheme that has the unique advantage of being differentiable while still allowing layers to outcrop at the sea surface is used for the analysis. In contrast, standard schemes for solving layered models with outcropping are non-differentiable and have an ill-defined Jacobian making them unsuitable for solution using Newton’s method. As such, our new scheme expands the applicability of numerical bifurcation techniques to an important class of ocean models whose bifurcation structure had hitherto remained unexplored.     

Wind impact on pollutant transport in a shallow estuary

A three-dimensional numerical model, EFDC （ environmental fluid dynamics code） is applied to the Pamlico River Estuary （PRE） in eastern North Carolina of the United States to examine the wind impact on pollutant age distributions and residence time. A series of model experiments representing base case, remote-wind-induced water level set-up and local winds cases are conducted. Model results indicate that the pollutant mean age and the system residence time are functions of gravitational circulation in the PRE. The system responses to remote-wind-induced water level set-up are different in different portions of the PRE. Under such condition, dissolved substances in the upstream portion of the PRE have a younger age and shorter residence time （compared with the base case） , by contrast, they have a older age and longer residence time in the downstream portion of the PRE. Upriver and downriver local winds appear to have opposite impacts on pollutant age distributions. The substances are retained much longer within the PRE under upriver wind than those under downriver wind. The model results also suggest that across - river winds may lead to longer residence time through enhanced turbulence mixing, which slows down the gravitational circulation in the PRE.     

Eddy viscosity and tidal cycles in a shallow sea

The very pronounced spring-neap tidal cycle in the South Australian Gulfs leads to an unusually large variation in the magnitude of the tidal currents. Measurements of the currents in these Gulfs show that the non-tidal circulation depends on the strength of the tidal currents and hence on the spring-neap cycle. A simple model is produced in which the vertical eddy viscosity is a function of both wind strength and tidal currents. Results from the model agree with the observations and suggest a means whereby variations in tidal mixing may be accounted for in hydrodynamic modelling of the circulation in shallow seas.     

Torques exerted by a shallow fluid on a non-spherical, rotating planet

A general derivation is given for the torque exerted on a non-spherical planet by a shallow fluid, presenting in a unified form a number of results which are currently scattered through the literature, and deriving those results in a new way. This shows how the sum of gravitational and pressure torques can be rewritten as a 'centrifugal' torque plus a topographic torque due to pressure acting on topography measured relative to the geoid. This clarifies the physics behind the use of spherical coordinate atmosphere and ocean models for calculating torques on the earth. It also shows why the total torque due to the earth's equatorial bulge can be calculated as if it were a pressure torque on an 'effective bulge' of approximately 11 km, the gravitational torque partially offsetting the actual pressure torque on the earth's 21 km bulge.     

Behavior of a shallow plate anchor in clay under sustained loading

Laboratory model test results for the uplift of a shallow circular plate anchor embedded in a soft saturated clay are presented. For all tests the bottom of the anchor plate was vented to eliminate the mud suction force. The tests were divided into two categories: (1) short‐term tests to determine the variation of the net ultimate uplift capacity and hence the breakout factor with embedment ratio, and (2) creep tests with sustained uplift loads at varying embedment ratios. Based on the model test results, the variation with time, has been determined for the rate of strain of the soil located above the plate anchor. Empirical relationships for obtaining the rate of anchor uplift have been proposed.     

Steepness and spectrum of a nonlinearly deformed wave on shallow waters

The process of nonlinear deformation of a surface wave on shallow waters is investigated. The main attention is given to the relationship between the wave Fourier spectrum and the steepness of wave front slope. It is shown that an unambiguous relationship couples these quantities in the case of an initially sinusoidal wave, which allows estimation of the spectral composition of the wave field from the observed wave steepness.