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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Rates of net assimilation and respiration of amino acids by marine bacteria

The selectivity of amino acid assimilation by marine bacteria was examined using seven kinds of¹⁴C-amino acids and the acid hydrolysate of¹⁴C-labelled proteins. It was found that the net assimilation and respiration by marine bacteria followed MICHAELIS-MENTEN kinetics for all of amino acids used in our experiments. Maximum velocities of amino acids were 0.01 to 0.19g carbon/hour per 2×10⁷ cells for net assimilation and less than 0.18g carbon/hour per 2×10⁷ cells for respiration at 20C. The velocity of gross assimilation was found with the following order: phenylalanine>valine, glutamic acid>serine, arginine>tryptophan>glycine. The assimilation velocities of amino acids in these laboratory works showed almost the same order as those in field experiments. The assimilation velocity of an amino acid was influenced by coexisting another amino acids or glucose. The assimilation velocity in lower substrate range of amino acids was directly proportional to the number of bacterial cells in the range from 6×10² to 3×10⁴ cells per ml. No linear relation between the assimilation velocity of amino acids and reciprocal of absolute temperature was found, but a marked bending was observed at 15 to 20C. The velocity at the optimum temperature was three to six times of that at 5C.     

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.     

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.     

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.     

Reflection and breaking of internal waves on a sloping beach

The reflection and breaking of internal waves on a sloping beach were studied in a small wavetank filled with water and petroleum. The dependence of the reflection coefficient of the internal waves on wave steepness and on beach slope is found to be very similar to that of surface waves. The reflection coefficient is small for the very gentle slope, increases rapidly as the slope increases, and becomes almost constant for the steep slope. The reflection coefficient decreases with increase of the wave steepness. Also, the transition slope at which the coefficient curve has the maximum gradient increases with increase of the wave steepness. Breaking pattern of the internal waves is classified into four types; breaking, semi-breaking, wrinkle-generating, and non-breaking. Their dependence on beach slope and wave steepness is examined. The regular sequence of the four breaking types from breaking to non-breaking is observed with decrease of wave steepness or with increase of beach slope.     

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.     

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.     

Bispectra of wind-waves and wave-wave interaction

Bispectra of wind-waves in wind tunnels were calculated in order to understand the characteristics of the nonlinear wave-wave interaction in actual wind-wave field. It is shown that the nonlinearity in wind-waves increases in magnitude with the development of wind-waves and that the characteristics of nonlinearity in wind-waves in the early stage of development differ from those in the late stage. It is shown that the bispectra are classified into five types (IV), and that the bispectral type changes from the type I to the type V as the wind-waves develop from the stage of the initial-wavelets to that of the sea-waves. The relations between frequencies of the component waves interacting each other are discussed in each bispectral type.     

On the relation between the growth rate of water waves and wind speed

Various wind velocitiesu _*,U _/2,U andU ₁₀ are correlated to the measured growth rate of water waves , whereu _* is the friction velocity of the wind, andU _/2,U andU ₁₀ are the wind speeds respectively at the heights /2, and 10m above sea surface (: wave length). It is shown that within a range of the dimensionless wind speed, 0.1<u _* /C<0.6, there are no appreciable differences in the correlations, whereC is the phase velocity of water waves. The present relation between andU shows qualitatively similar properties as the one obtained by Al'Zanaidi and Hui (1984); the growth rate for waves with rough surface is larger than that with smooth surface. However, our present relations give, for the both waves with different surface roughness, larger values by factors 1.71.8 than those given by Al'Zanaidi and Hui's relation.     

Sea Beam,SeaMARC II and ALVIN-based studies of faulting on the East Pacific Rise 9°20′ N–9°50′ N

A study of Sea Beam bathymetry and SeaMARC II side-scan sonar allows us to make quantitative measures of the contribution of faulting to the creation of abyssal hill topography on the East Pacific Rise (EPR) 9°15 N–9°50 N. We conclude that fault locations and throws can be confidently determined with just Sea Beam and SeaMARC II based on a number of in situ observations made from the ALVIN submersible. A compilation of 1026 fault scarp locations and scarp height measurements shows systematic variations both parallel and perpendicular to the ridge axis. Outward-facing fault scarps (facing away from the ridge axis), begin to develop within 2 km of the ridge and reach their final average height of 60 m at 5–7 km. Beyond these distances, outward-dipping faults appear to be locked, although there is some indication of continued lengthening of outward-facing fault scarps out to the edge of the survey area. Inward-facing fault scarps (facing toward the ridge axis), initiate 2 km off axis and increase in height and length out to the edge of our data at 30 km, where the average height of inward fault scarps is 60–70 m and the length is 30 km. Continued slip on inward faults at a greater distance off axis is probable, but based on fault lengths, 80% of the lengthening of inward fault scarps occurs within 30 km of the axis (>95% for outward faults). Along-strike propagation and linkage of these faults are common. Outward-dipping faults accommodate more apparent horizontal strain than inward ones within 10 km of the ridge. The net horizontal extension due to faulting at greater distances is estimated as 4.2–4.3%, and inward and outward faults contribute comparably. Both inward- and outward-facing fault scarps increase in height from north to south in our study area in the direction of decreasing inferred magma supply. Average fault spacing is 2 km for both inward-dipping and outward-dipping faults. The azimuths of fault scarps document the direction of ridge spreading, but they are sensitive to local changes in least compressive stress direction near discontinuities. Both the ridge trend and fault scarp azimuths show a clockwise change in trend of 3–5° from 9°50 N to 9°15 N approaching the 9° N overlapping spreading center.     

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.     

On trajectories of Rossby wave-packets released in a lateral shear flow

The problem of reflexion and critical level absorption of barotropic non-divergent Rossby waves in a lateral shear flow is considered with a ray tracing method. The results are compared with those of a normal mode approach. Some oceanographical applications are suggested.     

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.     

New constraints on the width of the zone of active faulting on the East Pacific Rise 8° 30′ N – 10° 00′ N from Sea Beam Bathymetry and SeaMARC II Side-scan Sonar

Sea Beam bathymetry and SeaMARC II side-scan sonar data are used to constrain the width of the zone of active faulting (plate boundary zone) to be 90 km (0.8 Ma) wide along the East Pacific Rise 8° 30N – 10° 00N. Fault scarps, identified on the basis of contoured, shaded relief and slope intensity maps of bathymetry, are measured. These scarp measurements, used in conjunction with data from a separate near-axis study, show that both inward- and outward-facing fault scarps increase in height away from the ridge axis, reaching average heights of 100 m at 0.8±0.2 Ma, 45±10 km from the ridge axis. Beyond this distance, there is no significant increase in scarp height. Earlier studies had suggested that the width of the zone of active faulting for outward-dipping faults might be significantly narrower than for inward-dipping faults. A lower crustal decoupling zone between brittle crust and strong upper mantle is predicted to exist out to 20–200 km from the ridge based on previously published lithospheric models. Such a decoupling zone may explain why outward-dipping faults continue to be active as far off-axis as inward-dipping faults. If the width of the zone of active faulting is controlled by the width of a lower crustal decoupling zone, our observations predict an 90 km wide decoupling zone in the lower oceanic crust at this location.