Thermolability of dehydrogenases from a psychrophilic marine bacterium

The heat lability of succinic dehydrogenase, malic dehydrogenase and lactate dehydrogenase in cell-free extracts ofVibrio marinus MP-1 grown at 15C was compared for the tris buffer suspended enzymes and the NaCl suspended enzymes. The tris buffer suspended enzymes lost 50 percent activity at low thermal exposure between 5C and 27C. No activity was evident on thermal exposure between 32C and 39C. The enzyme extracts suspended in NaCl at 36 % were more heat stable, losing 50 percent activity after exposure between 16C and 40C. The enzymes lost all activity on thermal exposure between 33C and 42C in the presence of NaCl.     

Studies on the dissolution of diatomaceous silica as a function of heating

Diatomaceous silica, pretreated at various temperatures between 125 and 900C, was subjected to dissolution experiments and was analyzed using X-ray diffraction and infrared spectra. The diatomaceous silica preheated up to 900C, dissolved throughly into the solution of 2 per cent Na₂CO₃. On the digestion in the solution of 2 per cent Na₂SO₄, the dissolution of the silica decreased as the pretreating temperature increase; the degree of dissolution was different for various species. According to infrared absorption studies, the diatomaceous silica pretreated at a temperature below 500C preserved the reversibility of dehydration-rehydration almost qualitatively, while heating above 500C the samples lost the reversibility. Deformation of some kinks of diatomaceous silica pretreated above 500C, was percepted on infrared absorption spectra around 1,150 cm^–1. The samples pretreated up to 900 C, however, did not show such an internal structural change as could be identified by the X-ray diffraction analysis. The content of Al and Fe in diatomaceous silica was low and have not much difference in quality among diatom species. From these experimental results, it was adequately understandable that diatomaceous silica, which has a metastable character, is variable in the silica forms among species and its process and rate of transformation of internal structure and/or surface sites by the treatment at given temperatures also show differences.     

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.     

The thermal effects of cooling system of a thermal power plant on photosynthesis of marine phytoplankton

The activity of photosynthesis and the contents of chlorophylla and pheo-pigments were compared in the samples of the intake and effluent seawater of Owase-Mita Thermal Power Plant and in the seawater samples in the Yoshimi Bay before and after heat treatment. At Owase-Mita Thermal Power Plant, after passage of sea water through the cooling system chlorophylla content reduced to about a half and pheo-pigment content doubled in August with high temperature (25–27C), but the contents of chlorophylla and pheo-pigments changed little in January with low temperature (16C); whereas the depression of photosynthetic activity after passing through the cooling system was 71–77 % in August and 31–46 % in January. In the laboratory experiments, the heat treatment at 34–43C for 7–8 sec., which resulted in temperature rise of 7–8C, gave the decrease of chlorophylla and an increase of pheo-pigments in August temperature (26.5C), but a slight decrease of chlorophylla and a slight increase of pheo-pigments in November at the initial temperature of 19.2C, while in January and December the samples with low initial temperature (11.6 and 10.8C) showed almost no change in the content of pigments; the decrease in photosynthetic activity was 32 % in August sample,ca. 11 % in November sample,ca. 15% in January and almost no change in December. It is concluded that the photosynthetic carbon assimilation of marine phytoplankton is suppressed by passing through the cooling system of a thermal power plant even at lower water temperature in winter, while the content of chlorophylla is affected very little at a temperature below 20C.     

Detailed oceanic structure in the vicinity of the shoal Kokusho-sone

The detailed oceanic structure was observed near the shoal Kokusho-sone (3000N, 12830E), which is located near the axis of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea. The detailed temperature cross-sections along the meridian 12830E, which passes over the shoal, strongly suggest that upwelling is forced along the north slope of the shoal. The behavior of the coastal waters near the Kuroshio front and of the cold water belt along the north-western side of the Kuroshio are also discussed.     

Differential sorption of organic matter by various sized sediment particles in recent sediment from the bering sea

A recent unconsolidated marine sediment collected from the Aleutian basin of the Bering Sea (5702.9N, 17657.4W) was separated into eight size fractions by sieving. Each of the fractions was analyzed for density, organic carbon, total nitrogen and various organic materials. A detailed analysis of the correlation of organic carbon and total nitrogen to the mean diameter of the particles separated, indicated that the surface sorption processes of organic matter were the determinative factor controlling the concentration of organic carbon and total nitrogen on silt and clay particles of the sediments.Selective sorption of amino acids was found to occur in the 8–20 and 5–8m. fractions of the sediment. This is assumed to be due to their surface active property.     

The heterotrophic activity for amino acids,glucose and acetate in Antarctic waters

The kinetic approach ofWright andHobbie (1966) was used to determine the heterotrophic potential of Antarctic waters. Variations with depth and geographical location are discussed. Temperature studies indicate the psychrophilic nature of the microbial population. In samples having environmental temperatures of approximately –1C, significant activities were recorded at the lowest incubation temperatures tested (–3C). Activities increased with increasing incubation temperatures up to +3C but were somewhat depressed at +10C and above. By testing a wide range of substrates, qualitative differences were noted in the microbial populations of different areas.Highest rates of uptake were found in the euphotic zone whereas V_max values of samples from depths of 500 m and below were in most cases unmeasurable.Published as Technical Paper No. 4259, Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station.     

Phase velocity of semi-diurnal internal waves at Ocean Weather Station T

Phase velocity of semi-diurnal internal waves is determined from differences between phases at three stations which were situated to form a triangle in the vicinity of sta. T (29N, 135E). The wave phases are estimated from temporal variations in depths of isotherms obtained from serial measurements of vertical temperature profiles at these stations. The measurements were carried out in cooperative operation of two vessels, the R. V.Tansei-maru and theNojima, during the period from 30 July to 1 August 1965. Wave propagation with the speed of about 2 m/s in the direction from east to west is obtained as an average over several isotherms of temperature from 19C to 23C. The area of measurement is to the west of Izu-Mariana ridge and the distance from the ridge to the station is about 500 km, which would be about 5 times as large as the wave length of the internal waves under consideration, and so it is possible to suppose that the internal waves observed generated at the ridge and propagated to the area without being subjected to serious refraction, scattering, reflection and decay.     

Observations of upwelling around the Izu Peninsula,Japan: May 1982

Hydrographic observations between the Izu Peninsula and Oshima Island, Japan, in May 1982, showed upwelling around the tip of the Peninsula and possibly also in the lee of Oshima Island. The upwelling introduced water as cold as 18 C with nitrate concentrations of 3M to the surface. Temperature/salinity analyses indicated that the upwelled water was of Kuroshio characteristics. Slightly fresher water was advected out of Sagami Bay in a coastal counter current.Contribution number 470 from the Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba.     

Respiration rates of copepod larvae and a ciliate from a tropical sea

The respiration rates of copepod larvae and a ciliate (Placus sp.) from a tropical sea were measured with an oxygen electrode method. The general range of body size of these animals was 40–161m (diameter equivalent to a sphere), and the respiration rate measured was 0.00076–0.00176l O₂ (animal)^–1h^–1 (or 2.02–9.05l O₂ (mg wet weight)^–1h^–1) at 25.5–29.2C. There was no marked difference observed between the respiration rates of copepod larvae and the ciliate. The respiration rates obtained here are relatively higher than the rates of other similar sized protozoans found in the literature, but lower than the rate extrapolated from larger planktonic copepods in tropical seas.The present results and other information available on microzooplankton biomass suggest that microzooplankton respiration is of near equal importance to that of net zooplankton in the study of energy flow through tropical, pelagic ecosystems.     

Vertical distribution of heavy metals and its seasonal variations in Beppu Bay

From July to November, the thermocline which has strong temperature gradient (0.7C m^–1) is formed in the bottom water of Beppu Bay, and it prevents the downward mixing of surface water. This has caused the bottom water of the basin to become depleted in oxygen, and in November the bottom water below about 60 m depth becomes anoxic. Accordingly manganese and iron are reduced and more soluble under the anoxic condition, those concentrations are high relative to surface water, and the maximums are 1,240g l^–1 and 80g l^–1. Under the anoxic condition, the flux of dissolved manganese from the sediment is about 10g cm^–2 day^–1.     

Indirect evidence of deep flow east of a North Pacific seamount

East-west vertical sections centered on Kinmei Seamount (35N, 172E) of potential temperature, salinity, and oxygen, based on recent standard hydrographic measurements, and vertical profiles ofin situ temperature and density ( ₄) east of the seamount, based on STD data, show contrasting variability in the deep water characteristics east and west of the seamount. These data are consistent with horizontal variations in water mass properties (temperature-salinity and temperature-oxygen curves) east of the seamount between 2,600–3,900 m but not west of the seamount. East of the seamount on surfaces of constant potential temperature (or density) salinity and oxygen are higher at a station 200 km from the seamount than at stations on either side. From these relations and from known deep water properties of the North Pacific, it is suggested that east of the seamount, between 2,600–3,900 m, the observations are consistent with northward flow, which is interpreted to be a western boundary current with an east-west scale of about 300 km.     

Observed relationship between the drag coefficient,Cd, and stability parameter, (−z/L)

Momentum and heat flux were measured with a sonic anemometer at the Marine Observation Tower in the port of ItÔ. Under unstable conditions (T _w -T _a =3C4C), using the eddy correlation method, results show thatCd=(1.2±0.3)×10^–3 andCh=(1.5±0.3)×10^–3 at 5.5 m above mean sea level except for the case of weak winds.An unexpected relationship betweenCd and (–z/L) was observed, that is,Cd decreases as (–z/L) increases. If roughness variation over the sea is taken into account, we can explain the decrease in the range of (–z/L) less than 1, but not in the range greater than 1. This is due to a strong instability effect and the change of roughness class, from moderately rough to smooth.     

Primary productivity in the offshore Oyashio in the spring and summer 1990

Primary productivity was measured byin situ method using¹³C in the offshore Oyashio region in the spring (May) and summer (September) of 1990. Most of the values were within the range of 0.1 to 4 gC 1^–1 h^–1 although a very large value, 7.96 gC l^–1 h^–1, was observed in summer. Most daily primary production fell within the range of 372 to 633 mgC m^–2 d^–1 although a very large value, 2,109 mgC m^–2 d^–1, was observed around the frontal area in summer. Chlorophylla (Chl.a) exceeded 1 g l^–1 in many cases, and the maximum was 4.61 g l^–1 in spring and 7.53 g l^–1 in summer. Most primary productivity per unit Chl.a (photosynthetic assimilation ratio) was within the range of 0.1 to 3 gC gChl.a ^–1 h^–1 although higher values, 3–6 gC gChl.a ^–1 h^–1, were observed where small-size phytoplanktons (<2 m) were dominant. These results were compared with results obtained until now in the Oyashio region. The values beyond the range obtained so far in the offshore region were also observed in this study. Furthermore, it was pointed out that the size composition of phytoplankton community has significant influence on the results of Chl.a and photosynthetic assimilation ratio in the Oyashio region.     

AOU as indicator of water-flow direction in the central North Pacific

Salinity, preformed phosphate and AOU distribution on the sigma-t surfaces of 26.8 and 27.3 of the central North Pacific Ocean, as well as the topography of these density surfaces, were studied. The direction of water flow suggested by the AOU distribution on these density surfaces was compared to that indicated by the acceleration potential contours on the _t =125 cl/ton and _t =80cl/ton surfaces drawn by Joseph L.Reid, Jr. The disagreements were explained in terms of mixing and possible gradients of primary production at the sea surface. On the 26.8 sigma-t surface a southward flow connecting the westward flow south of the Aleutian chain and the eastward flow farther south, between 175E and 180 is suggested by the AOU distribution but is not implied by the acceleration potential contours. If the circulation pattern at this density surface is similar to that at the sea surface, this southward flow is very likely to be real.     

Error of digitization of multidimensional random hydrophysical fields with power spectra

Exact and approximate formulae are proposed to evaluate the errors of spatial/temporal digitization (aliasing) of then-dimensional random fields withm-power spectra atn=1, , 4 and 1m5, which satisfactorily approximate temperature, velocity, density, and other fields in the sea and atmosphere.Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

Observations of internal tides in Uchiura Bay

Remarkable tidal currents associated with temperature fluctuations in the subsurface layer have been observed in Uchiura Bay. In order to study the characteristics of these tidal currents, we carried out current measurements in November 1972 and October 1974. It was confirmed from the first set of observations in 1972 that the tidal currents above and below the seasonal thermocline oscillate out of phase with each other and the tidal currents are associated with internal tides.In the second set of observations in 1974 not only current measurements but also serial BT lowerings were made. The phase of the thermocline displacements lagged behind the tidal currents by 81 for the semidiurnal constituent and by 83 for the diurnal constituent, and it is thus concluded that the internal tides in Uchiura Bay behave as standing waves.     

Chlorinated hydrocarbons in the North Pacific and Indian Oceans

PCBs, DDT compounds and HCH isomers were detected in the air and surface waters of the North Pacific and Indian Oceans, including the Bering Sea, East China Sea, South China Sea, Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. The general concentrations of each chlorinated hydrocarbon were as follows: water PCBs 0.1 to 1.0, DDT 0.01 to 1.0, HCH 1.0 to 10 ngl ^–1; air DDT 0.01 to 1.0, HCH 0.1 to 10 ng m^–3. PCB concentrations in surface waters were slightly lower than those of the North Atlantic and North Sea previously reported, while DDT concentrations in the air and water were higher. Remarkably high concentrations of DDT and HCH were found in the air off the western coast of India. Also in the Pacific site off Central America, a fairly high concentration of DDT was observed in an air sample. These data suggest that large amounts of DDT and HCH are being used in the tropical zone, especially in southern Asia. Furthermore, high concentrations were observed both in the air and water of the Northwest Pacific between 30°N and 40°N latitude. There is a possibility that both pesticides are not only still being used in lower latitude countries but also in the mid-latitude ones of the Asian continent excluding Japan. In addition to this atmospheric circulation may also contribute to the concentration of these pesticides in the mid-latitudinal zone.     

Radiation balance and heat budget at the ocean/atmosphere interface in the western North Pacific

The downward short- and long-wave radiation fluxes at the sea surface (S, L) were measured aboard the R/VHakuho Maru, University of Tokyo, for the period of 117 days on six cruises from 1981 to 1985 in the western North Pacific near Japan. The upward fluxes of short- and long-wave radiation (S, L) were calculated by Payne's (1972) table and the Stefan-Boltzmann's law, respectively. The sensible and laten heat fluxes (Q _h ,Q _e ) were also estimated from an aerodynamic bulk method.From April to August, the daily mean value ofS varied with the amplitude of 100200 Wm^–2. The value ofS was estimated approximately 6% ofS in all seasons. The difference betweenL andL was so small that the net radiation flux (Q _n ) was dominated byS. In addition, the net heat flux at the sea surface was also dominated byS due to small values ofQ _h andQ _e , and then the ocean was warmed at the rate of 111 Wm^–2 in April and 63 Wm^–2 in August in the Oyashio Area, and 132 Wm^–2 in May and 164 Wm^–2 in June in the Kuroshio Area, respectively.From September to March, a remarkable negative correlation between the day to day variation ofS and that ofL was observed except when an intense cold air outbreak occurred. It was found that the correlation was caused by the cloud climatological feature of the western North Pacific in this period.S was not a dominant factor in the net heat flux. The value ofQ _h +Q _e in the Kuroshio Area ranged from 260 Wm^–2 to 630 Wm^–2, much larger thanQ _n which ranged from –8 Wm^–2 to 92 Wm^–2 in the leg mean values (each leg period was about 10 days). Then the ocean was cooled at the rate of –160–620 Wm^–2 during this period. The net heat flux in the Kuroshio Area averaged over five legs from late November to February was –473 Wm^–2. This value is 50100% larger than the climatological values reported so far.The temporal and spatial variability of radiation fluxes and heat fluxes during each leg was also discussed.     

Parameterization of the dispersion relation of internal waves using the data of hydrological soundings in the Tropical Atlantic

Dependences have been determined which connect the parameters of the dispersion relation of the lowest mode of internal waves with the integral characteristics of the seasonal thermocline when 10 min30 min, 20 mh150 m, and 0·4 m²/s² Q5·2 m²/s².Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov.