Sand waves and other bedforms in lower Cook Inlet,Alaska

Abstract

Lower Cook Inlet in Alaska has high‐ tidal currents that average 3–4 knots and normally reach a peak of 6–8 knots. The bottom has an average depth of about 60–70 m in the central part of the inlet that deepens toward the south. Several types of bedforms, such as sand waves, dunes, ripples, sand ribbons, and lag deposits form a microtopography on the otherwise smooth seafloor. Each bedform type covers a small field, normally a few hundred to a few thousand meters wide, and usually several kilometers long parallel to the tidal flow. High‐resolution seismic systems, side‐scan sonar and bottom television were used to study these bedforms. Large sand waves with wavelengths over 300 m and wave heights up to 10 m were observed. Fields of ebb‐oriented or flood‐oriented asymmetric bedforms commonly grade into more symmetric shapes. Several orders of smaller sand waves and dunes cover the flanks of the very large bedforms. The crest directions of both size groups are normally parallel, but deviations of up to 90° have been observed; local deviations may occur where smaller forms approach the crests of the larger sand waves. Bottom television observations demonstrated active bedload transport in a northerly direction on crests and midflanks of southward asymmetric large sand waves, but not in their troughs. Movement of bedload occurs in the form of small ripples. Although the asymmetry of the large bedforms suggests that migration has taken place in the ebb or flood directions, the very low surface angles (2.5°‐8°) of these bedforms do not indicate regular movements. The large bedforms are probably relict features, or they migrate only under severe conditions, whereas active sand transport by ripples and smaller sand waves and dunes moves bedload back and forth with the tides. An understanding of such movements is essential for determining design criteria for offshore installations and in benthic‐faunal studies.     

Predicting bed form roughness: the influence of lee side angle

Flow transverse bedforms (ripples and dunes) are ubiquitous in rivers and coastal seas. Local hydrodynamics and transport conditions depend on the size and geometry of these bedforms, as they constitute roughness elements at the bed. Bedform influence on flow energy must be considered for the understanding of flow dynamics, and in the development and application of numerical models. Common estimations or predictors of form roughness (friction factors) are based mostly on data of steep bedforms (with angle-of-repose lee slopes), and described by highly simplified bedform dimensions (heights and lengths). However, natural bedforms often are not steep, and differ in form and hydraulic effect relative to idealised bedforms. Based on systematic numerical model experiments, this study shows how the hydraulic effect of bedforms depends on the flow structure behind bedforms, which is determined by the bedform lee side angle, aspect ratio and relative height. Simulations reveal that flow separation behind bedform crests and, thus, a hydraulic effect is induced at lee side angles steeper than 11 to 18° depending on relative height, and that a fully developed flow separation zone exists only over bedforms with a lee side angle steeper than 24°. Furthermore, the hydraulic effect of bedforms with varying lee side angle is evaluated and a reduction function to common friction factors is proposed. A function is also developed for the Nikuradse roughness (k _s), and a new equation is proposed which directly relates k _s to bedform relative height, aspect ratio and lee side angle.     

基于20年卫星高度计数据的黑潮变异特征分析

本文基于改进的特征线方法,利用1992~2012年间的高度计绝对动力地形数据提取了整个黑潮流区逐月的黑潮主轴和边界位置,并对黑潮沿轴速度、主流宽度、表层水体输运以及路径标准差等黑潮特征量进行了分析研究。结果表明黑潮整体的沿轴速度在夏秋季较大,最大值可达0.95m/s,而在冬季的速度较小;黑潮主流宽度在10、11月份达到最大值;黑潮表层水体输运在夏季最大,春秋两季次之,冬季最小。沿黑潮流路分区域对黑潮特征进行分析,结果表明,越往黑潮下游,黑潮的沿轴速度、主流宽度和表层水体输运越大,同时沿轴速度和表层水体输运量最大值出现的时间也越晚,黑潮主轴位置相对于其多年平均的偏离程度越大,且随时间波动也越强烈。     

Tidal bedforms in eastern part of the Bohai Sea

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Ocean current generated sedimentary facies in the Osumi Strait, South of Kyushu, Japan

An investigation of the surface sediments and bedforms in the Osumi Strait, located between Kyushu and Tanegashima, south of Kyushu, Japan, was carried out. The distribution of some characteristics of the surface sediments and bedforms is clarified.In the Osumi Strait, the surface sediments tend to become finer in size, better sorted and lower in specific gravity from southwest to northeast. The bedform distribution shows a systematic change in the same direction. This direction is the same as the direction of sediment transportation and of the current flowing through the Strait. It is considered that these changes in bedforms and sediment properties are formed by the decrease in the energy of the current. The current generating bedforms and sediment distribution is the Osumi Branch Current, one of the branches of the Kuroshio. The sediment transportation is active under the present hydraulic conditions.The sedimentary facies developed in the Osumi Strait is controlled by a unidirectional ocean current. The ocean current is one of the important factors for sedimentary processes where strong ocean current prevails along or near the continental shelf such as around the Japanese Islands.     

基于1987-2010年实测资料对PN断面东海黑潮季节变化的分析

As the spatio-temporal variability of the Kuroshio is highly influenced by mesoscale eddies, representing its seasonal variability characteristics requires sufficiently long term observations to reduce...     

Intermediate Circulation in the Northwestern North Pacific Derived from Subsurface Floats

In order to examine the formation, distribution and synoptic scale circulation structure of North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW), 21 subsurface floats were deployed in the sea east of Japan. A Eulerian image of the intermediate layer (density range: 26.6–27.0σ_θ) circulation in the northwestern North Pacific was obtained by the combined analysis of the movements of the subsurface floats in the period from May 1998 to November 2002 and historical hydrographic observations. The intermediate flow field derived from the floats showed stronger flow speeds in general than that of geostrophic flow field calculated from historical hydrographic observations. In the intermediate layer, 8 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 10⁶ m³s⁻¹) Oyashio and Kuroshio waters are found flowing into the sea east of Japan. Three strong eastward flows are seen in the region from 150°E to 170°E, the first two flows are considered as the Subarctic Current and the Kuroshio Extension or the North Pacific Current. Both volume transports are estimated as 5.5 Sv. The third one flows along the Subarctic Boundary with a volume transport of 5 Sv. Water mass analysis indicates that the intermediate flow of the Subarctic Current consists of 4 Sv Oyashio water and 1.5 Sv Kuroshio water. The intermediate North Pacific Current consists of 2 Sv Oyashio water and 3.5 Sv Kuroshio water. The intermediate flow along the Subarctic Boundary contains 2 Sv Oyashio water and 3 Sv Kuroshio water. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Unusual Behavior of the Kuroshio Current System from Winter 1996 to Summer 1997 Revealed by ADEOS-OCTS and Other Data (Continued): A Study from Broad External Conditions with Bottom Topography

In the previous paper (Toba and Murakami, 1998) we reported on an unusual path of the Kuroshio Current System, which occurred in April 1997 (April 1997 event), using the Ocean Color and Temperature Scanner (OCTS) data of the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS). The April 1997 event was characterized by the flow of the Kuroshio along the western slope (northward) and the eastern slope (southward) of the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge, a very southerly turning point at about 32°N, followed by a straight northward path up to 37°N of the Kuroshio Extension along the eastern flank of the Izu-Ogasawara and the Japan Trenches. Overlaying of depth contours on ADEOS-OCTS chlorophyll-a images at the April 1997 event demonstrates the bottom topography effects on the current paths. A new finding based on TOPEX/Poseidon altimeter data is that the sea-surface gradient across the Kuroshio/Kuroshio Extension diminished greatly in the sea area southeast of the central Japan, as a very temporary phenomenon prior to this event. This temporary diminishing of the upper-ocean current velocity might have caused a stronger bottom effect along the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge, and over the Izu-Ogasawara Trench disclosed a weak background, barotropic trench-flank current pattern, which existed otherwise independently of the Kuroshio Extension. The very southerly path of the Kuroshio Extension from winter 1996 to autumn 1998 corresponded, with a time lag of about 1.5 years, to the previous La Niña tendency with weaker North Equatorial Current. The April 1997 event occurred in accordance with its extreme condition.     

Variability of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea in 1993 and 1994

INTRODUCTIONTherearemanyworksabouttheKuroshioVTintheEastChinaSeaanditsseasonalvariabil*ThisprojectwassupportedbytheNationalNaturalScienceFoundationofChinaundercontractNo.49776287.1.SecondinstituteofOceanography,StateOceanicAdministration,Hangzhou310012,Chinaity(Guan,1988;Nishizawaetal.,1982;SunandKaneko,1993;Yuanetal.,1990,1993,1994,1995).Thecomputationmethodusedtobethedynamicmethod(Guan,1988;Nishizawaetal.,1982;SunandKaneko,1993),butrecentlytheinverseandthemodifiedinversemetho…     

Study on the Kuroshio and the Tsushima Current

I summarize the variations of the path of the Kuroshio and of the Tsushima Current mainly based on the results of my studies. The Tsushima Current forms three branches just after it enters the Japan Sea through the Tsushima Strait. The first and third branch currents flow along the Japanese and Korean coasts, respectively, and the second branch current flows from the western channel of the Tsushima Strait to the west of the Oki Islands only in summer from June to August. Properties of the topographic waves which are thought to work on the formation of the second branch are described mainly in terms of the dispersion relations. The Kuroshio has three typical paths,i.e., the nearshore and offshore non-large-meander paths and the typical large-meander path. The Kuroshio alternately takes the nearshore and offshore paths in the non-large-meander period, occasionally changes from the nearshore nonlarge-meander path to the large-meander path and, after having taken the large-meander path for several years, changes to the offshore non-large-meander path. Sea levels south of Japan are clearly different between the non-large-meander and large-meander periods, while they are not different between the periods of the nearshore and offshore non-large-meander paths. But, sea level and water properties in the coastal region show remarkable features during short periods of transitions between the typical non-large-meander paths. Future problems and subjects of studies on these currents are indicated. Especially, importance of velocity monitoring of the Kuroshio is emphasized, and a design of the observation across the Tokara Strait is proposed.     

基于卫星高度计和漂流浮标数据间数学校验关系的黑潮流轴和流路主成分估计

由于卫星高度计数据分辨率高、观测范围广的特点,我们使用该数据开展了黑潮流的研究。在之前的研究中,卫星绝对地转流都被用于对黑潮流域的表层流场的时空变化特征进行研究,并采用了一些探测方法提取了黑潮流轴和流路。然而,海面绝对地转流是由绝对动力地形估计得到,应该被当做实际流场的地转分量,在实际应用中并不能代表真实流场。在本研究中,建立了气候态绝对地转流与网格平均的漂流浮标流场间的数学校验关系,以此对卫星绝对地转流场进行修正,即便这两种数据的性质存在些许偏差。因此,基于主成分探测法,修正后的卫星绝对地转流被用于探测黑潮流轴和流路。对比结果表明,由修正后的卫星地转流场探测得到的黑潮流轴和流路均要好于地转流和表层流估计结果。修正后的地转流有助于开展更加准确的黑潮流轴和流路的逐日探测。     

Characteristics of the eddy caused by Izu-Oshima Island and the Kuroshio branch current in Sagami Bay,Japan

Direct current measurements of the branch current of the Kuroshio intruding into Sagani Bay were carried out during 1989–1990 in order to clarify the frequency characteristics of the eddies in the lee of Izu-Oshima Island, which are well recognized as cold water mass produced by upwelling. Satellite and ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) data indicated that current velocity in the eddy fluctuates with periods of 2–4 days and 6–8 days.When the Kuroshio branch current intruding into Sagami Bay from the western channel is weak and its velocity at the depth of 400 m is approximately 10 cm s^–1, the 6–8 day period fluctuation is dominant. On the other hand, when the branch current strongly intrudes from the western channel with a velocity of approximately 20 cm s^–1, the 2–4 day period fluctuation dominates. The relationship between the periods and velocities agrees well with theory based on laboratory experiments for a flow of a homogeneous fluid past a circular obstacle. These periods correspond to the time scale of appearance of the eddy caused by the intrusion of the Kuroshio branch current into Sagami Bay and Izu-Oshima Island.     

夏季台湾海峡水及黑潮次表层涌升水向东海近陆架区营养盐输送通量的估算

According to historical mean ocean current data through the field observations of the Taiwan Ocean Research Institute during 1991–2005 and survey data of nutrients on the continental shelf of the East China Sea(ECS) in the summer of 2006, nutrient fluxes from the Taiwan Strait and Kuroshio subsurface waters are estimated using a grid interpolation method, which both are the sources of the Taiwan Warm Current. The nutrient fluxes of the two water masses are also compared. The results show that phosphate(PO4-P), silicate(SiO3-Si) and nitrate(NO3-N) fluxes to the ECS continental shelf from the Kuroshio upwelling water are slightly higher than those from the Taiwan Strait water in the summer of 2006. In contrast, owing to its lower velocity, the nutrient flux density(i.e., nutrient fluxes divided by the area of the specific section) of the Kuroshio subsurface water is lower than that of the Taiwan Strait water. In addition, the Taiwan Warm Current deep water, which is mainly constituted by the Kuroshio subsurface water, might directly reach the areas of high-frequency harmful alga blooms in the ECS.     

Radial velocity of ocean surface current estimated from SAR Doppler frequency measurements—a case study of Kuroshio in the East China Sea

Ocean currents are a key element in ocean processes and in meteorology, affecting material transport and modulating climate change patterns. The Doppler frequency shift information of the synthetic aperture radar (SAR) echo signal can reflect the dynamic characteristics of the sea surface, and has become an essential sea surface dynamic remote sensing parameter. Studies have verified that the instantaneous Doppler frequency shift can realize the SAR detection of the sea surface current. However, the validation of SAR-derived ocean current data and a thorough analysis of the errors associated with them remain lacking. In this study, we derive high spatial resolution flow measurements for the Kuroshio in the East China Sea from SAR data using a theoretical model of shifts in Doppler frequency driven by ocean surface current. Global ocean multi observation (MOB) products and global surface Lagrangian drifter (GLD) data are used to validate the Kuroshio flow retrieved from the SAR data. Results show that the central flow velocity for the Kuroshio derived from the SAR is 0.4–1.5 m/s. The error distribution between SAR ocean currents and MOB products is an approximate standard normal distribution, with the 90％ confidence interval concentrated between –0.1 m/s and 0.1 m/s. Comparative analysis of SAR ocean current and GLD products, the correlation coefficient is 0.803, which shows to be significant at a confidence level of 99％. The cross-validation of different ocean current dataset illustrate that the SAR radial current captures the positions and dynamics of the Kuroshio central flow and the Kuroshio Counter Current, and has the capability to monitor current velocity over a wide range of values.     

Velocity structures and transports of the Kuroshio and the Ryukyu current during fall of 2000 estimated by an inverse technique

An inverse calculation using hydrographic section data collected from October to December 2000 yields velocity structure and transports of the Kuroshio in the Okinawa Trough region of the East China Sea (ECS) and south of central Japan, and of the Ryukyu Current (RC) southeast of the Ryukyu Islands. The results show the Kuroshio flowing from the ECS, through the Tokara Strait (TK), with a subsurface maximum velocity of 89 cm s⁻¹ at 460 dbar. In a section (TI) southeast of Kyushu, a subsurface maximum velocity of 92 cm s⁻¹ at 250 dbar is found. The results also show the RC flowing over the continental slope from the region southeast of Okinawa (OS) to the region east of Amami-Ohshima (AE) with a subsurface maximum velocity of 67 cm s⁻¹ at 400 dbar, before joining the Kuroshio southeast of Kyushu (TI). The volume transport around the subsurface velocity maximum southeast of Kyushu (TI) balances well with the sum of those in TK and AE. The temperature-salinity relationships found around these velocity cores are very similar, indicating that the same water mass is involved. These results help demonstrate the joining of the RC with the Kuroshio southeast of Kyushu. The net volume transport of the Kuroshio south of central Japan is estimated to be 64∼79 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 10⁶ m³s⁻¹), of which 27 Sv are supplied by the Kuroshio from the ECS and 13 Sv are supplied by the RC from OS. The balance (about 24∼39 Sv) is presumably supplied by the Kuroshio recirculation south of Shikoku, Japan.     

SOME PROBLEMS ON THE FLOW IN THE SOUTH OF THE EAST CHINA SEA

Based on the observational current meter data from two mooring systems located between Chilung and the Pengjiayu Island from July 1980 to July 1981, and other oceanographic observational data in the south of the East China Sea, some problems on the flow of seawater in this area in summer are analysed in this paper. It is considered that a possible passage where the subsurface water of the Kuroshio flows into continental shelf area of the East China Sea is the lower layer of the region between Chilung and the point of 122°30′ E, 25°40′N. After passing through this passage, it flows roughly towards northeast along about 100 m isobath. The "Taiwan Warm Current" coming from the Taiwan Strait only passes through the upper layer of this area. The influence of the Taiwan Island on the flow and the eddies in this area are also discussed.     

Unusual behavior of the Kuroshio Current System from winter 1996 to summer 1997 revealed by ADEOS-OCTS and other data— Suggestion of topographically forced alternating-jet instability

While the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS) was operating, the Kuroshio and the Kuroshio Extension, or the Kuroshio Current System, exhibited unusual behavior from the winter of 1996 to the summer of 1997. This behavior of the Kuroshio Current System has been closely studied using a time series of satellite observation images of SST and ocean color obtained by ADEOS-OCTS, reinforced by SST images obtained by NOAA-AVHRR. Our findings include (i) a long lasting, very southerly path of the Kuroshio Extension; (ii) a Kuroshio path very distant from Japan with the following alternating-jet-like north-south flow pattern of the Kuroshio Extension, which occurred twice, once in February and once in April 1997, as independent events and which was observed to be affected by the bottom topography of the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge and Trench, and of the Japan Trench; (iii) cutting off of a cold water mass after the February event; and (iv) the formation of a vortex pair after the April event. A new mechanism is suggested for the formation of the alternating-jet flow pattern: a topographically forced alternating-jet instability (AJI). An SST-Chlorophyll Diagram (T-Chl Diagram) generated using simultaneous data from a single satellite is useful for analyzing the water mass structure of this region, including biological processes.     

三维斜压模式对冬季南海环流的数值计算

用一个三维、自由表面、原始方程模式对南海环流进行了计算.计算结果表明:黑潮在巴士海峡以西呈一反气旋弯曲流动路径,有一相对高温高盐的水舌从巴士海峡伸入南海,表明有部分黑潮水侵入南海.冬季南海的一些观测事实在模式结果里得到了很好的反映,像冬季逆风向东北方向流动的“南海暖流”和一些中尺度涡旋.同时还分析了巴士海峡沿120.75°E断面的流速和盐度的垂直结构,并同观测结果进行了比较.根据模式结果,我们还进一步讨论了“南海暖流”的形成和驱动机制.     

Seafloor morphology in the Mozambique Channel: evidence for long-term persistent bottom-current flow and deep-reaching eddy activity

The Mozambique Channel plays a key role in the exchange of surface water masses between the Indian and Atlantic Oceans and forms a topographic barrier for meridional deep and bottom water circulation due to its northward shoaling water depths. New high-resolution bathymetry and sub-bottom profiler data show that due to these topographic constraints a peculiar seafloor morphology has evolved, which exhibits a large variety of current-controlled bedforms. The most spectacular bedforms are giant erosional scours in the southwest, where northward spreading Antarctic Bottom Water is topographically blocked to the north and deflected to the east forming furrows, channels and steep sediment waves along its flow path. Farther north, in the water depth range of North Atlantic Deep Water, the seafloor is strongly shaped by deep-reaching eddies. Steep, upslope migrating sediment waves in the west have formed beneath the southward flow of anticyclonic Mozambique Channel eddies (MCEs). Arcuate bedforms in the middle evolved through an interaction of the northward flow of MCEs with crevasse splays from a breach in the western Zambezi Channel levee. Hummocky bedforms in the east result from an interplay of East Madagascar Current eddies with overspill deposits of the crevasse and Zambezi Channel. All bedforms are draped with sediments indicating that the present-day current velocities are not strong enough to erode sediments. Hence, it can be concluded that the seafloor morphology developed during earlier times, when bottom-current velocities were stronger. Assuming a sedimentation rate of 20 m/Ma and a drape of at least 50 m thickness the bedforms may have developed during the Pliocene Epoch or earlier.     

入侵南海的黑潮流套及其脱落涡旋

将2003年、2004年和2005年秋、冬季在吕宋海峡投放的卫星跟踪漂流浮标(Argos)资料用于分析黑潮通过吕宋海峡时的流型。结果表明,秋、冬季黑潮表层流存在3种类型:北向型、西向型和流套-涡旋型,后两种入侵南海。统计分析指出吕宋海峡表层流进入流套-涡旋型路径的概率为0.23,黑潮流套的纬向尺度最大达210km,仅发生在恒春海脊西侧的台湾岛西南海域。黑潮流套仅是黑潮流分离的一部分,而非黑潮整体蛇形入侵南海,这与墨西哥湾的蛇形流不一样。在流套内西向流速大于东向流速,这可能是流套西向发展的原因之一,黑潮流套常可演变成脱落涡旋,也可能就地消亡。脱落涡旋以约10cm/s速度西移。