The role of tidal vortices in material transport around straits

The strong tidal current (tidal jet) in straits generates tidal vortices with a scale of several kilometers. The role of the vortices in material transport was investigated in the Neko Seto Sea, located in the western part of the Seto Inland Sea of Japan. A clockwise vortex with a diameter of about 0.8 km was observed in Nigata Bay (lying between two straits, the Neko Seto Strait and the Meneko Seto Strait). It was concluded that the clockwise vortex was the tidal vortex which was generated by the tidal jet in the Meneko Seto Strait. The vortex moved into the bay with the tide, but tended to stay on the sand bank in the bay. It was confirmed by current measurement with an ADCP and turbidity measurement that the secondary convergent flow was generated in the bottom layer of the vortex. This secondary flow seemed to contribute to the formation of the sand bank. It was suggested that tidal vortices may play an important role in the sediment transport and formation of topography in and around straits.     

Variations in turbulent energy dissipation and water column stratification at the entrance of a tidally energetic strait

We observed tidal currents, turbulent energy dissipation and water column stratification at the entrance of a narrow strait (Neko Seto) in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan, using a free-falling turbulent microstructure profiler (TurboMAP) and acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP). The variation in turbulent energy dissipation at the entrance of the strait was not at quarter-diurnal frequency but at semi-diurnal frequency; turbulent energy dissipation was enhanced during the ebb tide, although it was moderate during the flood tide. This result is consistent with the results of Takasugi (1993), which showed the asymmetry of tidal energy loss during a semidiurnal tidal cycle using control volume analysis. It is suggested that significant turbulent energy dissipation is generated in the strait, which influences the properties of water outside the strait when tidal currents flow out from the strait.     

On the formation of sand banks of finite extent

We consider a model where the fluid depth depends on both horizontal coordinates, quasi-steady depth-uniform non-divergent fluid flow is governed by inertial, pressure and bottom-frictional forces, sand transport is proportional to the cube of the instantaneous current but augmented by a down-slope component and by wind-wave action, and sand is conserved.It is found that low parallel banks grow fastest, so that in an extensive spatially uniform sea previous calculations for linear banks are appropriate. The inclination of banks to the tidal currents can be interpreted in terms of similarly inclined deposition bands resulting from vorticity generation and advection in flow over a small isolated hump. A small bump can evolve to an equilibrium bank (typically after an initial rapid extension across the tidal currents) provided that sand is sufficiently restricted and particularly if some wind-wave action prevents growth up to the sea surface. Sand banks are likely to be in a late stage of evolution, when the main change is a slow lengthening as the net current and transport along the bank side slows and turns around the bank end with net deposition. The equilibrium is apparently stable except when there is an overall bed slope in the direction of the tidal currents, or when sand is abundant.     

Generation mechanisms of tidal residual circulation

Two new types of mechanism for the generation of tidal residual flow are revealed with the use of a hydraulic model experiment. A remarkable anticlockwise tidal residual circulation is formed in a model bay due to the presence of a tidal current, the Coriolis force and a horizontal boundary. A similar circulation is also formed due to the presence of a bottom slope, a horizontal boundary and a tidal current which flows normal to the inclination of the bottom slope. The residual circulation in the Sea of Iyo in the Seto Inland Sea is considered to be due to a combination of the effects of the Coriolis force, a bottom slope, a horizontal boundary and the tidal current. We classified some of the generation mechanisms of tidal residual flow which have been described to date into seven types on the basis of vorticity considerations.     

Entrainment of bottom sediment in the Seto Inland Sea in summer

Time series of the vertical distribution of resuspended matter and bottom current were collected concurrently during summer at a few anchored stations in the Seto Inland Sea. The vertical distribution of resuspended matter was measured every hour for about one tidal cycle and the three components of current fluctuation were obtained at each sampling station. Current data at each sampling station show that the bottom is hydraulically smooth.Assuming that the averaged vertical distribution of resuspended matter for one tidal cycle shows a steady state distribution, the settling velocityWs of resuspended matter is estimated to be in the range of 1.2×10^–2 to 5.7×10^–2 cm sec^–1 from analysis of the averaged distributions.The relation between the erosion rate and the bottom shear stress for this study area is investigated and is compared with that for other areas. The results show that the erosion of sediment in the Seto Inland Sea during summer occurs even due to the low bottom shear stress which is considered as almost smooth hydraulically.     

Current and Turbidity Variations in the Western Part of Suo-Nada, the Seto Inland Sea, Japan: A Hypothesis on the Oxygen-Deficient Water Mass Formation

A hydrographic survey and a 25-hour stationary observation were carried out in the western part of Suo-Nada in the summer of 1998 to elucidate the formation mechanism of the oxygen-deficient water mass. A steep thermocline and halocline separated the upper layer water from the bottom water over the observational area except for near the Kanmon Strait. The bottom water, in comparison with the upper layer water, indicated lower temperature, higher salinity, lower dissolved oxygen, higher turbidity, and higher chlorophyll a. Turbidity in the upper layer water changed with semi-diurnal period while the bottom water turbidity showed a quarter-diurnal variation, though the M₂ tidal current prevailed in both waters. From the turbidity distribution and the current variation, it is revealed that the turbidity in the upper layer water is controlled by the advection due to the M₂ tidal current. On the other hand, the quarter-diurnal variation in the bottom water turbidity is caused by the resuspension of bottom sediments due to the M₂ tidal current. The steep thermocline and halocline were maintained throughout the observation period in spite of the rather strong tidal currents. This implies an active intrusion of the low temperature and high salinity water from the east to the bottom of Suo-Nada. Based on the observational results, a hypothesis on the oxygen-deficient water mass formation was proposed; the periodical turbidity variation in the bottom water quickly modifies the oxygen-rich water in the east to the oxygen-deficient bottom water in Suo-Nada in a course of circulation.     

Strong Tidal Mixing and Ventilation of Cold Intermediate Water at Kashevarov Bank, Sea of Okhotsk

Tidal mixing at the Kashevarov Bank, Sea of Okhotsk, has been investigated using observations of bottom pressure and currents. The tides are dominated by the diurnal constituents. The water motion over the Bank is predominantly controlled by strong diurnal tidal currents, which bring cold water on the bank from its source, a cold intermediate layer. The temperature fluctuations are about 1.2°C at the southern edge of the bank. The maximum observed velocity is about 164 cm/s at the top of the bank. A superposition of the original diurnal constituents K₁ and O₁ reveals a strong fortnightly (M_f) variability of the current speed. Tidal-induced mixing is responsible for ventilation of the cold intermediate layer of the Sea of Okhotsk. Strong tidal mixing creates a well-defined tidally mixed front around the bank. This front acts like a barrier separating well-mixed water on the bank from stratified water on its flanks. There is a residual current of the order of 10 cm/s.     

末次冰消期以来渤、黄、东海陆架潮汐、潮流演变过程模拟研究

末次盛冰期结束、海侵开始后渤、黄、东海陆架潮汐、潮流的演变对该区泥沙的输运与沉积 ,以及海底地貌的形成、分布以及演变等具有深刻影响。文中数值模拟末次冰消期以来 4个特定时期 ,即比现在海面低 80 m、5 2 m、30 m海面以及全新世最大海侵时渤、黄、东海陆架的潮汐、潮流。根据不同时期的潮汐、潮流分布特征得出 ,末次冰消期以来渤、黄、东海陆架潮汐、潮流的演变过程大致以全新世最大海侵为界划分为两个阶段 :1全新世最大海侵前为渤、黄、东海陆架潮汐、潮流基本分布格局的形成阶段 ;2全新世最大海侵后 ,为基本分布格局的局部调整阶段。末次冰消期以来基本海岸轮廓的变迁是渤、黄、东海陆架区潮汐、潮流演变的主要控制因素     

夏季北黄海水体浊度分布特征的初步研究

应用2007月7月国家908专项北黄海区块水体调查获取的浊度资料,与同步获得的悬浮物质量浓度进行拟合分析,结果表明,中底层水的相关系数在0.94以上,表层相关度较差.根据调查海域浊度的水平大面分布及选取的6个典型断面的垂直分布,初步阐述了夏季北黄海水体浊度的分布特征——近岸高和底层高,山东半岛北部沿岸、成山角海域和老铁山水道以及庄河河口附近海域为高浊度区.夏季北黄海冷水团对水体浊度分布具有控制性影响:调查海域水体垂向层结稳定,北黄海冷水团海域中下层表现为高盐、低温、高密特征,水体浊度小,且浊度锋面的分布与温度较为相近.同时,夏季北黄海冷水团对悬浮物的分布起到了屏障作用——在山东半岛北部沿岸和辽东半岛南部沿岸阻止了近岸悬浮物的经向输送,而在山东半岛东部沿岸则阻止了近岸悬浮物的纬向输送.     

鸭绿江河口最大浑浊带水动力特征对叶绿素分布的影响

在河口最大浑浊带有独特的生态动力过程。利用鸭绿江河口最大浑浊带上下游两个定点站和大面站的流速、叶绿素和浊度数据,在分析最大浑浊带形成的基础上探讨了悬沙浓度与叶绿素浓度分布的对应关系及最大浑浊带水动力特征对叶绿素分布的影响。分析结果表明,定点站大小潮涨落潮时均出现悬沙浓度与叶绿素a浓度的高值分布中心,该中心主要出现在底部,且高叶绿素a浓度与高悬沙浓度中心相对应。通过对最大浑浊带形成机制的分析发现,强烈的底部泥沙再悬浮是鸭绿江河口最大浑浊带形成的主要原因。最大浑浊带内悬沙浓度与叶绿素a浓度的相关关系均为底层大于表层,大潮高于小潮;高叶绿素a浓度与高悬沙浓度时刻有很好的对应关系,在一定程度上表明水动力特征对叶绿素a浓度在时间和空间上的分布有重要影响。初步分析认为鸭绿江河口最大浑浊带内的高叶绿素a浓度主要是由再悬浮作用使底部沉积物中的底栖藻类和沉积物一起聚集在水体的底部造成的,但是该结论还有待结合其他相关研究进一步检验。     

波流耦合下桩周珊瑚砂冲刷机理研究

针对我国南海某岛礁珊瑚砂地基上的圆形桩基础,采用N-S方程k-ε模型、双向耦合方式跟踪流场中颗粒运动轨迹的方法,对桩周珊瑚砂的冲刷规律进行了求解,分析了桩体周围流体的速度场以及桩体表面剪应力场的分布规律,同时对桩周珊瑚砂冲刷坑的形成过程进行了模拟。计算结果表明,在桩体周围形成的马蹄形漩涡和桩柱后方的尾涡作用下,桩周土体出现了较为明显的冲刷现象,涡旋的释放显著地影响着珊瑚砂地基上桩基的冲刷坑形状;而且,由于珊瑚砂颗粒密度较石英砂小,水动力作用下桩周冲刷坑更容易形成,所以实际工程中需要考虑有效的防护措施。     

Seasonal variation of bottom turbidity layer in Etauchi Bay

The beam attenuation coefficient, organic carbon (POC) and organic nitrogen (PON) contents of suspended materials in Etauchi Bay, which has little inflow of river water as well as very weak tidal current (maximum speed: 6.5cm·sec⁻¹), were measured as a function of depth for all seasons to understand a seasonal variation of bottom turbidity layer. In spring and summer, the beam attenuation coefficient in bottom layer and POC and PON contents of suspended materials in the surface water layer increased with time, which brought the occurrence of the bottom turbidity layer. From autumn to winter, however, their concentrations became low and constant over the whole depth almost independent of time. As a result, the bottom turbidity layer disappeared in winter and beam attenuation coefficient became constant over the whole depth. From these results, it may be considered that the bottom turbidity layer was produced by phytodetritus brought from surface water layer, rather than by resuspension of bottom sediment in Etauchi Bay.     

南黄海辐射状沙脊成因的沉积动力学研究

自南黄海辐射状沙脊被发现，尤其是江苏省海岸带和海涂资源综合调查揭示了其全貌，并同时测得辐射状沙脊区存在辐射状潮流场(任美愕，1986)以来，对南黄海辐射状沙脊的成因，主要包括其形成的水动力条件、物质来源、形成机理与形成过程等，本领域学术界一直存在争论1)(李从先等，1979；任美锷，1986；李成治等，1981；周长振等，1981；万延森，1982；刘振夏，1983；刘振夏等，1983，1995；耿秀山等，1983；夏东兴等，1984；夏综万等，1984；杨长恕，1985；黄易畅等，1987；张光威，1991；赵松龄，1991；朱大奎等，1993；杨治家等，1995；朱玉荣等，1995，1997；张东生等，1996；李从先等，1997)。 南黄海辐射状沙脊的形成机理及形成过程是与其形成的水动力条件、物质来源紧密联系在一起的。持该区的辐射状潮流场是受海底地形与(或)局部弶港海湾形态控制而形成观点的学者，多认为辐射状潮流场形成的同时或之后会反作用于海底地形，逐渐将海底地形改造成辐射状沙脊1)(任美锷，1986；李成治等，1981；万延森，1982；张光威，1991)，并且认为辐射状沙脊的形成需要几千年的时间1)，或是一个历史过程(李成治等，1981)，或经过最近一百多年的改造而形成(万延森，1982)，或形成于距今4000年前以来(张光威，1991)。这种观点的本质在于认为辐射状沙脊的辐射状形态是由海底地形的初始辐射状形态决定的，辐射状潮流场的作用在于使具初始辐射状形态的海底地形的辐射状形式更好，即认为辐射状潮流场对辐射状沙脊辐射状形态的形成不起决定作用。认为辐射状潮流场是由东海传入黄海的前进潮波与山东半岛南部的旋转潮波相交汇而形成，并且认为辐射状潮流场有可能自全新世海侵影响本区，或自7000年前以来就一直存在(对古海岸时辐射状潮流场存在的认识只是推测，尚缺乏证据)的学者，多认为辐射状沙脊的辐射状形态是由该区潮流场的辐射状形态决定的(周长振等，1981；刘振夏,1983；夏综万等,1984；杨长恕,1985；黄易畅等，1987；朱大奎等,1993；朱玉荣等，1995，1997),即认为辐射状潮流场对辐射状沙脊的辐射状形态起决定作用。这两种观点根本对立。     

Sedimentation rates and heavy metal pollution of sediments in the Seto Inland Sea

In the Suo-Nada area of the Seto Inland Sea, Japan, sedimentation rates and the sedimentary record of anthropogenic metal loads were determined by combining the Pb-210 dating technique with heavy metal analysis of the sediments. The sedimentation rates vary from 0.11 to 0.27 g cm^–2 yr^–1. Lower sedimentation rates were observed in the eastern part of the basin which is characterized by a bottom with sand and gravel, and fast tidal currents.Anthropogenic and natural loads of copper and zinc into the sediments are 34 and 326, and 65 and 375 ton yr^–1, respectively. The anthropogenic loads are fairly low compared with those of the other main areas of sediment accumulation in the Seto Inland Sea. The highest level of zinc and copper pollution was observed in the western part of the basin because of waste discharge from an old and big ironworks outside basin since the early 1900's.     

Turbid bottom water layer and bottom sediment in the Seto Inland Sea

Measurement of the vertical distribution of total suspended matter (TSM) was carried out during summer throughout the Seto Inland Sea. TSM concentration near the bottom is influenced significantly by water movement and turbid bottom water is observed in all areas where median grain size (Md) of the bottom sediment is more than 47gf. The high concentration of TSM near the bottom may be due to resuspension of the surface layer of bottom sediments. Comparison of the organic content of the resuspended matter with that of the bottom sediment shows that the resuspended matter contains more organic matter with a lower C : N ratio than the bottom sediment. The C : N ratio of the resuspended matter is similar to that of TSM in the surface layer of the water column. It is thought that TSM in surface waters sinks and settles on the surface of the bottom sediment. This deposited material is then easily resuspended in the water column by tidal currents before becoming permanently incorporated into the bottom sediment.     

琼东南盆地北礁凹陷梅山组单向迁移水道特征及成因探讨

深水区重力流与底流交互作用的过程、响应及动力学机制是海洋沉积学研究的前沿和薄弱环节。本文通过三维地震资料,在深水区北礁凹陷南西部梅山组发现多条相间分布的长条形顺直强振幅水道,垂直于西沙隆起(南部隆起)北斜坡走向,向南西方向单向迁移,水道具有南西陡(凹岸或陡岸)北东缓(凸岸或缓岸)的特征,该类水道分为侵蚀界面和水道砂-堤岸泥过渡复合体系两个单元,侵蚀界面在凹岸的削截反射明显多于凸岸,水道砂-堤岸泥过渡复合体振幅强度由凹岸强振幅逐渐过渡为凸岸弱振幅。分析认为,该类水道发育于中中新世半深海环境,不同于向底流下游方向单向迁移的峡谷,它们向底流上游方向发生单向迁移,并提出其成因模式:前期来自南部的浊流下切形成负向地貌单元(水道),底流对这一地貌单元进行改造,形成迎流面缓(凸岸)背流面陡(凹岸)的地貌,同时驱使浊流上部顺底流方向偏移,形成溢岸浊流沉积,致凹岸沉积速率低,凸岸沉积速率高,这样就迫使水道逆底流方向偏移。沉积物源、中层水相关底流、古气候和海平面的变化、北礁凸起古地形控制是该区单向迁移强振幅水道发育的因素。本研究在南海首次发现这种向底流上游方向单向迁移的水道,是底流与重力流交互作用的新型类型,对古海洋、古气候研究,深水油气勘探有着重要的意义,希望引起地质学家的重视。     

围垦对舟山群岛海域潮流结构及潮能分布影响研究

舟山群岛海域潮能丰富,近年来大面积的围垦工程影响了邻近海域的潮流结构与潮能分布特征。基于FVCOM(finite volume coastal ocean model)三维水动力数值模型,选取1984年、2010年、2019年三个代表年份,探讨围垦工程影响下舟山群岛海域潮流结构与潮能分布的时空变化状况。结果显示:1984年至2010年间围垦面积相对不大,且较为分散,主要改变外海进入杭州湾各通道的潮能分配,对能量耗散的影响较小。2010年至2019年间的围垦工程缩窄了潮汐通道,流速增大使得螺头水道及邻近水道的潮能增加,近底流速增大与较强湍流涡旋的产生,使得围垦工程周边海域能量耗散更为集中。     

Middle Layer Intrusion as an Important Factor Supporting Phytoplankton Productivity at a Tidal Front in Iyo Nada, the Seto Inland Sea, Japan

Field observations were conducted to examine the processes governing the phytoplankton distribution and photosynthetic activity in and around a tidal front formed in Iyo Nada, the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. The existence of a middle layer intrusion, which, it has been suggested, moves from the mixed region to the stratified region of the tidal front, was ascertained by the phytoplankton distribution in addition to a T-S diagram. Skeletonema costatum, which originally inhabited the mixed region, was used as the indicator to reveal the intrusion. However, the tip of water containing the S. costatum population did not extend deeply into the stratified region. The velocity of the intrusion seemed to be slow enough to make biological processes, such as nutrient uptake by phytoplankton and subsequent growth, as well as the decrease in cell density due to zooplankton grazing, dominate during the transportation. The patchy distribution of copepod nauplii implied that grazing has an influence on the distribution pattern of phytoplankton. The location of high photosynthetic activity did not coincide spatially with the center of high phytoplankton biomass, suggesting the importance of these biological processes. Therefore, it is considered that the middle layer intrusion plays a role as an inducer of subsequent biological processes at the tidal front by not only supplying nutrients from the mixed region but also by increasing the vertical diffusivity.     

潮流场对渤、黄、东海陆架底质分布的控制作用

运用二维潮流数学模型，模拟了渤、黄、东海陆架的M2潮汐、潮流。结果表明，渤、黄、东海陆架的潮流有强弱之分以及往复流和旋转汉之别。在此基础上，计算了8种粒径沙的湖平均悬移输沙率、潮平均推移输沙以及相应的输沙率散度。根据输沙率散度的正负，划分了海底冲刷区与淤积区。根据不同粒径泥沙输沙率散度的相对大小，确定出海底的主要底质类型为砂质沉积、粉砂质泥沉积和以粉砂为主的混合沉积。计算结果表明，海底3种主要底负类型的分布格局与海底的冲淤格局以及与输沙率矢量的发散和聚合状况基本一致。在渤、黄、东海陆架，沙脊主要在强往复流区形成，沙席主要在强或较强的旋转流区形成，泥质沉积主要在弱潮流区形成。砂质沉积、泥质沉积以及混合沉积这3种主要底质类型并非孤立存在，而是受渤、黄、东海陆架潮流场控制而形成的一个完整的潮流沉积体系。渤、黄、东海陆架的砂质沉积与泥质沉积并非残留沉积，而是潮流沉积。在没有冷涡的情况下，黄、东海陆架的典型泥质沉积在弱潮流环境中同样可以形成，因此，认为冷涡并非黄、东海陆架典型泥质沉积形成的必要条件。