Physical oceanography instrumentation for the polar regions: areview

The development of measurement systems for physical oceanography in polar regions is summarized, and selected instruments are described. Some instruments have been developed simply to provide access to the environment. Since hydrographic data are very sparse for large, inaccessible areas of the Arctic Ocean, hydrographic buoys have been developed that make long-term measurements of water temperature and conductivity as they drift through remote regions. Other instruments have been developed to take advantage of the unique platform the ice provides allowing measurements that cannot be performed in the open ocean. Instrumentation has also been developed to measure processes that are unique to ice-covered regions     

Oxygen utilization rates in the Nansen Basin, Arctic Ocean: implications for new production

In situ consumption of oxygen is balanced by ventilation if the observed distribution of dissolved oxygen below the euphotic zone is in steady state. Apparent oxygen utilization rates (AOURs) can be estimated from the observed oxygen distribution if the waters of the upper layers can be dated. It has been shown previously that tritium/³ He ages can be used, together with observed oxygen concentrations, to estimate AOURs for waters with ages of several months to several decades. This method is applied to data obtained from the Nansen Basin, Arctic Ocean, during the 1987 cruise of F.S. Polarstern. New production is estimated by depth integration of AOURs calculated for several isopycnals to be 19±5 g C m⁻² year⁻¹ for the southern part and 3±2 g C m⁻² year⁻¹ for the northern part of the Nansen Basin section. The results are discussed and compared with previous estimates based on different methods.     

2003年北极科考期间一次极涡个例天气学分析

2003年9月3日到14日,"雪龙"号考察船进入北冰洋楚科奇海观测期间,正值一次典型的北极极涡环流过程形成和发展。以往研究大多集中于极涡的平均水平环流特征和季节变化,该例为我们研究它的瞬时环流形势和特征提供了条件。利用NCEP全球分析资料及第二次北极科考资料对这次个例进行天气学分析,通过描述极涡个例的发展情况,平流层、对流层的环流特征以及二者之间的关系,并分析卫星遥感图像及"雪龙"号考察船的气象资料,分析结果发现:2003年中国第二次北极科考期间经历的极涡形成和发展,典型地表现出极地冬夏环流型的转换过程。首先在平流层发生,然后向对流层传播,该个例是一次在平流层西退加强,在对流层东移南下的过程。     

Nutrient distributions in the winter regime of the northern Irish Sea

Quasi-synoptic distributions of salinity and the concentrations of dissolved inorganic nutrients in the winter regime of the northern Irish Sea are presented. Salinity to nutrient regression analyses and the distributions of nutrient ratios show that the characteristics of Atlantic waters are variously modified during their northward passage through the Irish Sea. Inherently different chemical characteristics of the fresh water sources discharging into the Northern Irish Sea generate a conglomeration of water types in the area. Marine waters along the Irish coast are relatively enriched in silicon, while waters adjacent to the eastern coastal boundary are relatively enriched by anthropogenic nitrogen sources. Possible implications of the spatial dichotomy in nutrient status for the seasonal production cycle in the northern Irish Sea are considered.     

Nutrient composition and distributions in coastal waters impacted by the Changjiang plume

Four cruises were conducted during 2002--2003 in the Changjiang Estuary and adjacent coastal areas. The data presented show a clear coast to open sea gradient in nutrients related to the river inputs. Maximum values of chlorophyll a were typically observed at intermediate salinities at surface water and coincided with non-conservative decreases in nutrients along the salinity gradient, indicating that removal of nutrients was related to phytoplankton uptake. The seasonal variations of nutrient concentrations were just opposite to those of chlorophyll a, indicating that the seasonal variations of nutrients were mainly controlled by phytoplankton uptake, whereas riverine inputs merely weakened or balanced its extent. During the estuarine mixing, phosphate demonstrated some remobilization during all the four cruises; whereas both conservative and non-conservative behaviors for dissolved inorganic nitrogen and silicate were observed in the study area, indicating that both biotic and abiotic events may affect their behaviors during the estuarine mixing. Under the influence of freshwater inputs with high value of ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus, the estuarine and coastal waters impacted by the Changjiang plume were high （ 〉 30） in ratio of nitrogen to phosphorus, but rates of primary production were apparently not constrained by any kind of nutrient elements. However, the low （ 〈 1 ） ratio of silicate to nitrogen in most of the study area might be linked with the rapidly increasing frequency of harmful algal bloom （HAB） incidents in recent years in the coastal waters impacted by the Changjiang plume.     

极区海洋对全球气候变化的快速响应和反馈作用

分析了全球气候变化与极区海洋的相互作用;集成极区快速变暖促使极区海洋出现快速变化的各种现象,如海冰快速变薄和退缩,格陵兰冰盖严重融化,北冰洋和南大洋碳池的固碳能力下降以及极地海洋酸化等.研究提出:北冰洋夏季海冰覆盖面积快速退缩,海冰覆盖面积在2012年8月26日呈现了记录以来的最低值,有模型预测到2035年北冰洋夏季将会见不到海冰.格陵兰冰盖的消融对全球海平面的上升和大洋环流均会产生影响,格陵兰冰盖全部融化将会使全球海平面上升7 m.通过近10 a的观测发现极地海域对大气二氧化碳的吸收能力不升反降,海水对大气二氧化碳的吸收趋向饱和,南大洋和西北冰洋碳吸收能力变弱.有模式预测,到21世纪末,北冰洋表层海水pH值将会降低0.23～0.45,成为全球海洋酸化最严重的海区,而南大洋的表层海水二氧化碳浓度在21世纪下半叶或将超过600μatm的水平,极地海洋酸化对海洋食物链和生态系统的影响可能成为不可逆转的损害.这些极区海洋的快速变化将对全球气候变化产生反馈作用.     

北极王湾2010年夏季水体营养盐分布及影响因素

王湾海域位于北极斯瓦尔巴群岛西北侧,其水体特征主要受到北极冰川与大西洋的共同影响。为了研究冰川融水与大西洋水对王湾营养盐分布以及生态系统的影响,在2010年夏季黄河站考察期间,对王湾海水与地表径流进行采样分析,并测定了营养盐和叶绿素a。结果表明:2010年夏季王湾是大西洋水影响较弱的年份,以低温低盐高营养盐的本地变异水为主导。2010年7月王湾水体可以划分为4个水团,表层水(SW)、中层变异水(TIW)、本地变异水(TLW)和大西洋变异水(TAW),其中,表层水与中层变异水营养盐浓度较低,随着深度增加,本地变异水与大西洋变异水营养盐浓度都较高。大西洋变异水主要影响200m以深水柱,其营养盐浓度低于本地变异水影响的底部值,本地变异水中营养盐浓度的增加主要来自于颗粒物中营养盐的再生。表层水主要来源于地表径流与冰川融水,这些淡水输入与浮游植物的初级生产作用共同决定了表层水的营养盐浓度水平及结构。本地变异水中在水深100m上下出现的铵盐高值可能与浮游动物和/或微生物的代谢过程有关。     

Nutrient controls on new production in the Bodega Bay, California, coastal upwelling plume

A theoretical framework for the time-dependent processes leading to the high rates of new production in eastern boundary upwelling systems has been assembled from a series of past upwelling studies. As part of the CoOP WEST (Wind Events and Shelf Transport) study, new production in the Bodega Bay upwelling area and it's control by ambient nitrate and ammonium concentrations and the advective wind regime are described. Data and analyses are focused primarily on the WEST 2001 cruise (May–June 2001) when the two legs differed greatly in wind regimes but not nutrient concentrations. Elevated concentrations of ammonium in upwelled water with high nitrate were observed in both legs. Nitrate uptake by phytoplankton as a function of nitrate concentration was linear rather than Michaelis–Menten-like, modulated by inhibitory levels of ammonium, yielding coefficients that enable the specific nitrate uptake element of new production to be estimated from nutrient concentrations. The range of specific nitrate uptake rates for the two legs of WEST 2001 were similar, essentially a physiological response to nutrient conditions. However, the low “realization” of new production i.e. incorporation of biomass as particulate nitrogen that occurred in this system compared to the theoretical maximum possible was determined by the strong advective and turbulent conditions that dominated the second leg of the WEST 2001 study. These data are compared with other upwelling areas using a physiological shift-up model [Dugdale, R.C., Wilkerson, F.P., Morel, A. 1990. Realization of new production in coastal upwelling areas: a means to compare relative performance. Limnology and Oceanography 35, 822–829].     

Photochemical production of the hydroxyl radical in Antarctic waters

Photochemical production rates and steady-state concentrations of the highly reactive OH radical were determined in Antarctic seawater in the Weddell-Scotia Confluence during the austral spring of 1993 and along the Antarctic Peninsula during the austral summer of 1994. OH radical photoproduction rates were 30±2 nM/day and 46±2 nM/day in surface open oceanic and coastal waters, respectively. Corresponding steady-state concentrations were 2.6×10⁻¹⁹ and 4.3×10⁻¹⁹ M which are similar to those found in tropical latitudes. In-situ irradiation experiments (drifter deployments) at different depths in the upper water column indicated that multiple sources for the OH radical existed at three Antarctic stations. Ultrafiltration studies and model calculations based on wavelength-dependent OH radical quantum yields indicated that the main sources were photochemical reactions of low molecular weight dissolved organic matter (DOM), nitrate, and nitrite. Production of the OH radical from nitrate photolysis was almost exclusively UV-B dependent, while OH radical production from nitrite photolysis was mainly UV-A dependent. OH production from DOM photolysis was both UV-A and UV-B dependent. In the upper few meters at open oceanic sites, nitrate and DOM were the dominant OH radical sources, while deeper in the water column DOM and nitrite were important because of the greater importance of UV-A with depth. During non-ozone hole conditions, nitrate contributed about 33%, while DOM plus nitrite contributed about 67% of the predicted OH radical production in open oceanic surface waters. During an ozone hole (151 Dobson units), the corresponding percentages changed to about 40 and 60% for nitrate and DOM due to the higher UV-B irradiance. Model calculations predict that during an ozone hole (151 Dobson units), OH radical production in surface waters will be enhanced by at least 20%, mostly from nitrate photolysis and to a lesser extent from DOM photochemical reactions. This study indicates that ozone hole events significantly increase OH radical production, as well as the photolysis of DOM, in Antarctic waters, and that rates can be as high or higher than those at lower latitudes, especially if differences in temperature and solar irradiance are taken into account.     

南、北极近岸海水中好氧不产氧光合基因pufM的多样性

好氧不产氧光合(AAP)细菌因其具有利用溶解性有机物及光能的能力,在海洋碳循环及能量流动中发挥着重要的作用。该类细菌广泛分布在海洋环境中,其在不同生境中的多样性已被调查。但到目前为止,人们对于高纬度地区好氧不产氧光合细菌的认识还较为缺乏。有鉴于此,本研究基于编码光反应复合物上一个色素结合蛋白亚基的pufM基因,对北极王湾及南极乔治王岛近岸水体中夏季好氧不产氧光合细菌的多样性进行了检测。针对2个王湾站位和2个南极麦克斯维尔湾站位构建了4个pufM基因克隆文库,获得674个阳性克隆子。北极克隆子全部由α-变形细菌组成,而南极克隆子则包括α-变形细菌及β-变形细菌。来源于类似红细菌科的pufM基因在所有样品中皆占据优势。此外,与一株滴状亚硫酸盐杆菌中质粒编码的pufM基因存在亲缘关系的序列,在南、北极样品中均占优势。结果表明海洋环境中的pufM基因存在跨极甚至是环球分布。与此同时,南、北极序列之间的差异,也表明了极地地方种的存在。这些结果显示,作为好氧不产氧光合细菌的红细菌科在两极的近岸水体中具有重要的地位。     

Evolution of magmatic and hydrothermal activity in the western Arctic and North Atlantic regions

This paper discusses the geodynamic evolution of the lithosphere in the Arctic region during the Phaneorozic and its polyphase lithotectonic reorganization. Spatiotemporal patterns of the mosaic junction of lithospheric plates of different age are presented for the Caledonian–Hercynian stage and for the Cenozoic evolution of the North Atlantic and Arctic oceanic basins. Special attention is given to the intersections of fault systems with different kinematics, which control the manifestation of peculiar magmatism and the formation of numerous mineral deposits. It is shown that the hydrothermal activity of the region is related to the ocean opening in the Eocene and is confined to the mid-ocean ridge.     

Modeling the variability of gas and aerosol components in the stratosphere of polar regions

A thermodynamics-microphysics model of the formation and evolution of stratospheric clouds is developed. This model was integrated into the global chemistry-climate model of the lower and middle atmosphere. Model experiments on the study of the evolution of the gas and aerosol compositions of the Arctic and Antarctic atmosphere were performed. The results of an investigation into the observed differences of changes in the contents of gaseous impurities and aerosol in polar regions showed that the presence of nitrification in the Antarctic and its absence in the Arctic are the main factors controlling distinctions between the formation of a full-value ozone hole in the Antarctic and only occasional “mini-holes” in the Arctic.     

北极各海域海冰覆盖范围的变化特征

Sea ice in the Arctic has been reducing rapidly in the past half century due to global warming.This study analyzes the variations of sea ice extent in the entire Arctic Ocean and its sub regions.The results indicate that sea ice extent reduction during 1979–2013 is most significant in summer,following by that in autumn,winter and spring.In years with rich sea ice,sea ice extent anomaly with seasonal cycle removed changes with a period of 4–6 years.The year of 2003–2006 is the ice-rich period with diverse regional difference in this century.In years with poor sea ice,sea ice margin retreats further north in the Arctic.Sea ice in the Fram Strait changes in an opposite way to that in the entire Arctic.Sea ice coverage index in melting-freezing period is an critical indicator for sea ice changes,which shows an coincident change in the Arctic and sub regions.Since 2002,Region C2 in north of the Pacific sector contributes most to sea ice changes in the central Aarctic,followed by C1 and C3.Sea ice changes in different regions show three relationships.The correlation coefficient between sea ice coverage index of the Chukchi Sea and that of the East Siberian Sea is high,suggesting good consistency of ice variation.In the Atlantic sector,sea ice changes are coincided with each other between the Kara Sea and the Barents Sea as a result of warm inflow into the Kara Sea from the Barents Sea.Sea ice changes in the central Arctic are affected by surrounding seas.     

The annual production of biogenic silica in the Antarctic Ocean

The total annual production of biogenic silica (BSi) of the Antarctic Ocean is estimated at about 50 tera (T = 10¹²) mol Si. This flux is calculated using available direct measurements of integrated silicic acid uptake rates, indirect estimates from field distribution of orthosilicic acid in austral winter compared with that in austral summer and/or after conversion of ^l4C primary production using appropriate Si/C mole ratios measured for the four Antarctic subsystems: the Polar Front Zone, the Permanently Open Ocean Zone, the Seasonal Ice Zone, and the continental shelves and coastal zones. We show that most of the total production of BSi occurs in the surface layers of the Permanently Open Ocean Zone and in the Seasonal Ice Zone, the contribution of the coastal areas being less relevant. Our results fit well with the previously described distributions of the net accumulation rates of opal in Antarctic abyssal and coastal sediments. The mean ratio of net opal accumulation at the sea-bed to the net production of BSi in the surface layer of the Antarctic Ocean is about 15%.     

Competition within the marine microalgae over the polar dark period in the Greenland Sea of high Arctic

Abstract-With the onset of winter, polar marine microalgae would have faced total darkness for aperiod of up to 6 months. A natural autumn community of Arctic sea ice microalgae was collected fordark survival experiments from the Greenland Sea during the ARKTIS-XI/2 Expedition of RV Po-larstern in October 1995. After a dark period of 161 days, species dominance in the algal assemblagehave changed from initially pennate diatoms to small phytoflagellates (<20μm). Over the entire darkperiod, the mean algal growth rate was-0.01 d~(-1). Nearly all diatom species had negative growthrates, while phytoflagellate abundance increased. Resting spore formation during the dark period was ob-served in less than 4.5% of all cells and only for dinoflagellates and the diatom Chaetoceros spp. We as-sume that facultative heterotrophy and energy storage are the main processes enabling survival during thedark Arctic winter. After an increase in light intensity, microalgal cells reacted with fast growth withindays. Phytoffa     

Dominant climate factors influencing the Arctic runoff and association between the Arctic runoff and sea ice

By using the Arctic runoff data from R-ArcticNET V4.0 and ArcticRIMS, trends of four major rivers flowing into the Arctic Ocean, whose climate factor plays an important role in determining the variability of the Arctic runoff, are investigated. The results show that for the past 30 years, the trend of the Arctic runoff is seasonally dependent. There is a significant trend in spring and winter and a significant decreasing trend in summer, leading to the reduced seasonal cycle. In spring, surface air temperature is the dominant factor influencing the four rivers. In summer, precipitation is the most important factor for Lena and Mackenzie, while snow cover is the most important factor for Yenisei and Ob. For Mackenzie, atmospheric circulation does play an important role for all the seasons, which is not the case for the Eurasian rivers. The authors further discuss the relationships between the Arctic runoff and sea ice. Significant negative correlation is found at the mouth of the rivers into the Arctic Ocean in spring, while significant positive correlation is observed just at the north of the mouths of the rivers into the Arctic in summer. In addition, each river has different relationship with sea ice in the eastern Greenland Sea.