Pollution studies in the Clyde Sea area

The Firth of Clyde on the west coast of Scotland is a major seaway and vacation area, it supports important commercial fisheries and receives domestic, industrial and agricultural wastes from a catchment area with a population of well over 2 million. The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland has a continuing investigation of the area to keep track of the increasing threat of pollution, particularly to the fishing industry.     

Tidal currents,energy flux and bottom boundary layer thickness in the Clyde Sea and North Channel of the Irish Sea

A high-resolution three-dimensional model of the Clyde Sea and the adjacent North Channel of the Irish Sea is used to compute the major diurnal and semidiurnal tides in the region, the associated energy fluxes and thickness of the bottom boundary layer. Initially, the accuracy of the model is assessed by performing a detailed comparison of computed tidal elevations and currents in the region, against an extensive database that exists for the M₂, S₂, N₂, K₁ and O₁ tides. Subsequently, the model is used to compute the tidal energy flux vectors in the region. These show that the major energy flux is confined to the North Channel region, with little energy flux into the Clyde Sea. Comparison with the observed energy flux in the North Channel shows that its across-channel distribution and its magnitude are particularly sensitive to the phase difference between elevation and current. Consequently, small changes in the computed values of these parameters due to slight changes of the order of the uncertainty in the open-boundary values to the model, can significantly influence the computed energy flux. The thickness of the bottom boundary layer in the region is computed using a number of formulations. Depending upon the definition adopted, the empirical coefficient C used to determine its thickness varies over the range 0.1 to 0.3, in good agreement with values found in the literature. In the North Channel, the boundary layer thickness occupies the whole water depth, and hence tidal turbulence produced at the sea bed keeps the region well mixed. In the Clyde Sea, the boundary layer thickness is a small fraction of the depth, and hence the region stratifies.Responsible Editor: Phil Dyke     

Windscale radiocaesium in the Clyde sea area

Radiocaesium, introduced into coastal waters in the effluent from the B.N.F.L. nuclear fuel reprocessing plant at Windscale, is present at significant levels throughout the Clyde Sea Area. Concentrations reached maximum in April, 1977, and have recently declined. Around 30% of Windscale radiocaesium output passes through the Clyde Sea Area but less than 0.3% remains in sediments. There appears to be no major radiological safety hazard. The radiocaesium is, however, an excellent tracer species for both waters and sediments. The Irish Sea-derived component comprises over 90% of Clyde seawater and may well introduce major inventories of pollutants. The average water residence time in the Clyde system is 4.5 months, although significantly longer entrainment is evident in northern sea lochs. Study of radiocaesium variations has enabled improved assessment of the Clyde's response to marine pollution.     

A faecal sterol survey in the Clyde Estuary

5β-Stanols, and in particular coprostanol, which is one of the principal sterols of human sewage, show promise as chemical tracers of faecal pollution in estuaries. In the present survey, coprostanol has been measured gas chromatographically in the waters and sediments of the Clyde Estuary. Thus, the bottom sediments contained 0.1–14 ppm of coprostanol (5β-cholestan-3β-ol) together with the corresponding 24-methyl- and 24-ethyl-5β-stanols, while in the seawater samples, the coprostanol concentrations closely paralled the faecal coliform counts. Overall, the amounts of coprostanol correlate well with the location and amounts of the known inputs of sewage from outfalls and dumping.     

Tidal flow simulation in the English Channel and Southern North Sea

This paper presents the results of the II Tidal Flow Forum experiment of the English Channel and the southern North Sea. The model applies the FADI (falsified alternating direction implicit) scheme and uses the data base of the Tidal Flow Forum. Discrepancies between the model results and the distributed field data of 11 tide stations and 8 tidal current measurement points are shown graphically and are quantified by calculating the RMS (root mean square) errors and the standard deviations. Sensitivity tests have been carried out by changing some parameters (frictions, Coriolis, …). The results which best fit the reference data were obtained by using the Manning's friction law. By doing so, the model can more appropriately adapt the complex bathymetry. The improvements are shown graphically.     

Incidence of polychlorinated biphenyls in Clyde seaweed

PCBs accumulate in seaweeds. This survey of concentrations found in fixed algae around the Firth of Clyde reveals a similar pattern of PCB distribution to that found in mussels.     

对黄海—东海研究区深部结构的一些新认识

综合地震层析成像与重磁数据的处理结果,选择26°N～36°N,120°E～130°E的范围作为研究区,讨论了黄、东海研究区的深部结构特点及其与周边各地质单元的相互关系,完成了研究区两条剖面的密度结构反演,认为东海陆架地区地壳厚度变化与大陆地区相比并不明显,显著减薄开始于冲绳海槽地区,中地壳消失;琉球岛弧处地壳厚度明显再度增加,特别是上地壳的厚度增加最大,推断其原因应与俯冲作用及俯冲带附近板块与地幔的运动速率之差有关.地球物理场“东西分带”是黄海—东海地区壳内结构从西向东变化的反映,但随着深度的增加,研究区的岩石层结构出现以近EW向为优势的构造格局.因此推断深部近EW向的异常是三叠纪时期南北板块碰撞、挤压所致,浅部的NE向条带异常是后期构造运动在岩石层较浅部位构造效应的反映.黄海—东海地区岩石层结构存在浅部与深部优势构造方向不协调的现象.层析成像结果证实了南黄海东缘断层的存在,还勾绘出绍兴—十万大山碰撞带为以40°左右的倾角向NW方向倾斜的高速带,另一条倾向基本相同的高速带则是南、北扬子块体结合带在深部的反映.     

南海三维热岩石圈结构及地表构造响应

为系统了解南海海底热流特征和岩石圈热结构与地表构造的关系,本文首先以最新海底热流为约束,采用三维数值模拟方法计算得到整个南海的"热"岩石圈底部边界（底界）的埋深,然后开展详细分析壳、幔热流贡献以及岩石圈热结构与地表不同构造单元之间的对应关系.结果显示南海岩石圈底部边界埋深为30~100 km,最浅埋深集中分布在南海海盆水深大于3000 m的区域（如南海西北次海盆、西南次海盆和东部次海盆西侧）,以及南海北部陆缘中部、莺歌海盆地、中建南盆地和南薇西盆地,体现了南海深部结构对地表不同构造单元的控制作用;靠近海盆东侧的马尼拉海沟具有较低的海底热流,对应岩石圈底界埋藏也较深,可能与南海和古南海洋壳俯冲有关;吕宋岛弧（119°E-122°E和13°N-17°N）表现出较高的海底热流,同时具有较浅的热岩石圈底界埋深,可能与南海板块和菲律宾海板块双向俯冲有关.     

苏门答腊俯冲带地区壳内密度结构研究

俯冲带上覆板片密度特征是认识俯冲及其引发深部岩浆过程的一个窗口.本文以苏门答腊俯冲带空间重力异常数据为基础,在2.5D密度结构剖面约束下,通过3D密度反演,获得了研究区3D密度结构分布.反演结果表明,俯冲板片角度和下倾极限深度均从研究区西北向东南方向逐渐增加;研究区上覆板片下地壳存在低密度异常,主要集中在东南部,分布范围也随深度而增加.分析认为这有可能是俯冲引发的洋壳脱水对上覆板片下地壳侵染所造成.此外,研究区东南部存在的地幔板片撕裂可能是造成该区下地壳低密度异常最为显著的另一个原因.3D密度切片揭示出下地壳密度异常具有沿NE方向延伸迹象,推断应与印澳板块在苏门答腊地区的斜向俯冲作用有关.本文还对研究区的地震分布特征进行了讨论.大部分的浅源地震集中在下倾极限附近,为脆性破裂或摩擦滑移所引发.震源深度大于200 km的地震基本分布在研究区中部和东南部,震源深度从西北向东南方向逐渐加大,这从另一角度为研究区东南部地幔存在板片撕裂的观点提供了佐证.

     

华北克拉通岩石圈三维密度结构

显生宙以来华北克拉通岩石圈遭到破坏,这一现象的科学问题已受到世界地学家广泛关注.本文首先将地震层析成像反演得到的P波速度扰动转化为密度扰动,以此作为初始密度模型,然后利用布格重力异常反演得到了华北克拉通岩石圈高分辨三维密度结构.为了避开大型稀疏矩阵求逆计算,提高计算效率,我们将代数重构技术用于密度反演解算.反演结果表明:华北克拉通岩石圈密度在横向和纵向上均存在明显的不均匀性,密度分布形态与地表构造格局有很好的相关性;研究区地壳整体表现为低密度异常,地壳以下岩石圈部分则以高密度异常为主;鄂尔多斯块体地壳范围内以低密度异常为主,80~120 km深度上为呈南北两端集中分布的高密度异常,并分别与秦岭造山带和阴山造山带的高密度异常分布相连,这暗示了鄂尔多斯块体可能受到了来自其南北两端造山带深部动力学过程的影响;80~120 km深度上,华北克拉通东部地区呈现出显著的南北向非均匀的高密度异常,这表明遭到破坏后该地区上地幔物质分布具有强烈的南北向非均匀性.     

Quasi-stationary flow structure in turbidity currents

A turbidity current is a particle-laden current driven by density differences due to suspended sediment particles. Turbidity currents can transport large amounts of sediment down slopes over great distances, and play a significant role in fluvial, lake and submarine systems. To better understand the sediment transport process, the flow system of an experimentally produced turbidity current in an inclined flume was investigated using video processing. We observed that the current progresses with constant frontal velocity and maintains an unchanged global interface geometry. In addition, the spatio-temporal profiles of the inner mean and turbulence velocity obtained by ultrasound velocity profiler (UVP) showed that similar distributions were maintained, with low dissipation. The results indicate that the turbidity current progressed in a quasi-stationary state, which enabled long-distance sediment transport. To understand the mechanisms behind the quasi-stationary flow, we analyzed the forces acting on the turbidity current. We found that under particular densities of suspended particles, the gravitational force is balanced by the viscous forces along the slope direction. We conclude that this specific force balance induces the quasi-stationary flow structure, enabling the long-distance transport of a substantial amount of sediment downstream with low dissipation.     

Numerical study of mean flow patterns in the South China Sea and the Luzon Strait

Previous investigations have suggested that wind stress curl, the balance of influx- and outflux-induced upwelling, as well as a positive vorticity source fed from the left flank of the Kuroshio are all possible mechanisms that contribute to a persistent cyclonic gyre in the South China Sea (SCS). Studies have also suggested that the loop current that forms from the Kuroshio intrusion in the Luzon Strait, similar to the Loop Current in the Gulf of Mexico (GOM), has rarely been observed in the northern SCS. In this research, an idealized numerical model driven by annual mean wind stress was adopted to investigate the relative importance of dynamic processes that control the mean flow pattern of Kuroshio in the Luzon Strait and regulate circulation in the SCS. An analysis of results drawn from numerical experiments suggests that the three mechanisms are of approximately equal importance in the formation of the persistent cyclonic gyre in the northern SCS. Unlike the Gulf Stream which enters the Gulf of Mexico through the Yucatan Channel, the two topographic ridges that align nearly meridionally in the Luzon Strait keep the Kuroshio flowing roughly northward without distinct intrusion into the SCS. Unsurprisingly, an anticyclonic loop current similar to the Gulf Stream pathway in the GOM was barely observed in the northern SCS.     

Heat flow and spreading rate in back-arc basins: the example of the Tyrrhenian Sea

The results of calculations using geothermal data, the spreading rate and the lithospheric rhickness in the Tyrrhenian Sea are given. A co-ordination of the calculations with the geological structure of the region is made.     

关于黄海深部构造的地球物理认识

利用黄海海区重磁观测数据,以最新的地震层析成像和浅层反射地震探测结果作为约束,并利用小波分解、纹理特征图像处理等手段,对研究区进行了地球物理场特征分析、岩石物性总结、断裂信息提取和磁性基底埋深反演计算,同时对南黄海海域三条剖面进行了广义逆重磁数据拟合反演和地震P波速度成像.根据地球物理数据的各种处理结果,提出在南黄海西部存在一条串珠状地球物理线性构造带,并将这条NNW向断续延伸的构造带称之为南黄海西缘断裂带.该断裂带延伸长,断裂两侧前新生代地层差异较大,有可能是造成陆区和南黄海南部盆地区前新生代油气远景差异的原因之一.文中得到南黄海磁性基底埋藏分布具有“中间浅四周深”的分布特征,与地震层析成像结果相吻合.磁性基底的局部起伏和局部构造的边界断层共同控制了前新生代残留盆地的格架和残余厚度分布,反映出“区域控制局部,深层约束浅层”的规律.     

Organic carbon flow in the Ob, Yenisey Rivers and Kara Sea of the Arctic region

Stable carbon isotope and elemental C/N ratios of the organic fraction of a set of samples along a transect in the Ob and Yenisey Rivers into the Kara Sea in the Arctic were measured. Previously, the concentrations of 239,240Pu and 137Cs in these same samples had been determined. The coupled measurements were carried out to assess possible connectivity between organic carbon flow into the Kara Sea and transport of radioactive nuclides in this marine environment. Organic carbon flow into the Kara Sea is influenced significantly by terrigenous sources carried by the Ob and Yenisey Rivers. The carbon isotope-organic carbon relationship provides evidence that a rich source of terrigenous carbon exists in the riverine system. A weak, but significant relationship between stable carbon isotope ratio and 137Cs suggests that most of the 137Cs is derived from riverine particles, as compared to Pu which is also derived from in situ scavenging within the water column.     

Density estimation of two-phase flow with multiscale and randomly perturbed data

In this paper, we describe an efficient approach for quantifying uncertainty in two-phase flow applications due to perturbations of the permeability in a multiscale heterogeneous porous medium. The method is based on the application of the multiscale finite element method within the framework of Monte Carlo simulation and an efficient preprocessing construction of the multiscale basis functions. The quantities of interest for our applications are the Darcy velocity and breakthrough time and we quantify their uncertainty by constructing the respective cumulative distribution functions. For the Darcy velocity we use the multiscale finite element method, but due to lack of conservation, we apply the multiscale finite volume element method as an alternative for use with the two-phase flow problem. We provide a number of numerical examples to illustrate the performance of the method.     

南海西南次海盆的地热流特征与分析

为系统地了解南海西南次海盆的地热流特征,本文通过对研究区及邻域地热流数据的补充采集、收集整理和统计分析,获得了87个有效的地热流数据、一批热导率和生热率的地热参数资料,地热流测点在空间上覆盖了整个区域.研究区的地热流数据分布结果表明,西南次海盆热流密度的平均值为98.1±14.8 mW·m^-2,洋陆过渡带为103.6±19.4 mW·m^-2,南沙岛礁区和西部陆缘分别为79.0±15.5 mW·m^-2和78.3±15.6 mW·m^-2.研究区表层沉积物热导率的平均值0.86±0.06 W·mK^-1,生热率的平均值1.11±0.17 μW·m^-3,海底温度的平均值为2.43±0.01℃.综合海底地形地貌、地质与地球物理资料,认为研究区的热流特征在空间上具有一定的分布规律,表现为：（1）洋盆区测点的热流密度平均值高于两侧陆缘;（2）东南缘洋陆过渡带上测点的地热流密度值高于邻近海盆和南沙岛礁区的测点,而西北缘这种特征不明显;（3）西北翼的热流密度值总体比东南翼高;（4）沿着古扩张中心方向,西南次海盆热流值具有自东北向西南端方向逐步增大的趋势,表明海盆区同时存在着洋中脊与大陆裂谷两种不同的热状态,西南段裂谷热流值比东北段洋中脊高.对西南次海盆沉积物的热导率和生热率值参数的测量及数据空间分析可见,这两种热参数的空间分布无明显规律性,可能与海盆形成之后复杂的沉积环境相关.根据热流-洋壳年龄之间的关系,在西南次海盆东北段26个测站数据中,发现靠近古扩张中心的数据与理论值呈负偏移,而远离古扩张中心的数据呈正偏移,此现象是海盆内地热流数据受不同类型的地下流体影响所致.

     

南海地区地震背景噪声成像与壳幔深部结构

利用南海地区28个陆地地震台站和2个布设于太平岛和东沙岛的新增海岛地震台站2011—2016年间的连续地震背景噪声波形数据,使用互相关方法计算得到了台站间的互相关函数,并提取出Rayleigh面波群速度和相速度频散曲线.采用快速行进和子空间方法反演获得了南海及周边地区12~40 s周期的Rayleigh面波群速度和相速度图像,并联合反演得到了研究区深至60 km的三维S波速度结构.考虑到南海数千米厚海水层对于面波频散反演的严重影响,本文在反演模型中加入了水层,显著提高了反演结果的可靠性.成像结果表明：南海及周边地区地壳上地幔顶部S波速度结构存在显著的横向不均匀性,并与这一区域的主要构造单元具有较好的空间对应关系.在5~10 km深度,莺歌海—宋红盆地区的低速异常特征可能与盆地较厚的沉积层有关.在5~15 km深度,海域高速异常区与海盆空间位置具有高度一致性,推测与海盆区地壳厚度相对陆缘区明显偏薄有关.当深度从20 km增加至30 km,海盆区的高速特征扩展至了陆缘地区,反映了地壳厚度从海盆至陆缘逐渐增厚的趋势,与OBS（海底地震仪）深地震剖面给出的地壳精细结构结果一致.至35~60 km深度,海盆的高速异常特征依然明显,且速度值随深度增加整体呈现上升的趋势,推测南海海盆区的岩石圈厚度应该大于60 km.