Subtidal sea level and current variations in the northern reach of San Francisco Bay

Analyses of sea level and current-meter data using digital filters and a variety of statistical methods show a variety of phenomena related to non-local coastal forcing and local tidal forcing in the northern reach of San Francisco Bay, a partially mixed estuary. Low-frequency variations in sea level are dominated by non-local variations in coastal sea level and also show a smaller influence from tidally induced fortnightly sea level variations. Low-frequency currents demonstrate a gravitational circulation which is modified by changes in tidal-current speed over the spring-neap tidal cycle. Transients in gravitational circulation induce internal oscillations with periods of two to four days.     

Sea level response to ENSO along the central California coast: how the 1997–1998 event compares with the historic record

Long-term monthly sea level and sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies from central California show that during winter months, positive anomalies are associated with El Niño events and the negative ones with La Niña events. There is no significant impact on monthly mean anomalies associated with Pacific decadal oscillations, although there is a tendency for more extreme events and greater variance during positive decadal oscillations. The very strong 1997–1998 El Niño was analyzed with respect to the long-term historic record to assess the forcing mechanisms for sea level and SST. Beginning in the spring of 1997, we observed several long-period (>30 days) fluctuations in daily sea level with amplitudes of over 10 cm at San Francisco, California. Fluctuations of poleward long-period alongshore wind stress anomalies (AWSA) are coherent with the sea level anomalies. However, the wind stress cannot entirely account for the observed sea level signals. The sea level fluctuations are also correlated with sea level fluctuations observed further south at Los Angeles and Tumaco, Columbia, which showed a poleward phase propagation of the sea level signal. We suggest that the sea level fluctuations were, to a greater degree, forced by the passage of remotely generated and coastally trapped waves that were generated along the equator and propagated to the north along the west coast of North America. However, both local and remote AWSA can significantly modulate the sea level signals. The arrival of coastally trapped waves began in the spring of 1997, which is earlier than previous strong El Niño events such as the 1982–1983 event.     

渤黄海海平面的变化及其与ENSO的关系

利用1992年12月至2007年5月的高度计资料,研究了渤黄海海平面的变化特征。统计分析表明,近14a间渤海及北黄海、中央黄海海平面的平均上升高度分别为45.9mm和34.7mm,各海域的海平面上升速度不完全相同。研究发现,南方涛动指数(SOI)、纬向风应力距平都与渤海及北黄海、中央黄海的SLA呈负相关性,渤黄海海平面显著受SOI、纬向风应力调制,并且,SOI与渤黄海海域的风场之间有良好相关。将坐标系进行旋转后,获得与当地海平面异常相关最大的风应力方向。对SLA与新坐标系下风应力距平u的低频分量分析发现,渤海及北黄海海区、中央黄海对海平面影响最大的风应力距平u方向分别为东偏南20°方向、东偏南8°方向,风应力距平u分量与SLA、SOI的低频分量呈现更好的相关性。ENSO通过大气环流过程对渤黄海海域的风场产生影响,当地风场通过纬向风应力对渤黄海海平面的年际变化产生调制作用。因此,ENSO可以通过风应力对渤黄海海平面产生影响。     

Combined Use of Remote Sensing and Continuous Monitoring to Analyse the Variability of Suspended-Sediment Concentrations in San Francisco Bay, California

Analysis of suspended-sediment concentration data in San Francisco Bay is complicated by spatial and temporal variability. In situ optical backscatterance sensors provide continuous suspended-sediment concentration data, but inaccessibility, vandalism, and cost limit the number of potential monitoring stations. Satellite imagery reveals the spatial distribution of surficial-suspended sediment concentrations in the Bay; however, temporal resolution is poor. Analysis of thein situ sensor data in conjunction with the satellite reflectance data shows the effects of physical processes on both the spatial and temporal distribution of suspended sediment in San Francisco Bay. Plumes can be created by large freshwater flows. Zones of high suspended-sediment concentrations in shallow subembayments are associated with wind-wave resuspension and the spring-neap cycle. Filaments of clear and turbid water are caused by different transport processes in deep channels, as opposed to adjacent shallow water. Crown     

梯度淹水胁迫下全日潮海区秋茄幼苗的生长和生理反应

以秋茄(Kandelia candel L.Druce)幼苗为材料,在全日潮海区广西英罗湾开展为期5个月的野外梯度淹水胁迫实验。3座平台作为重复,每座设置8个梯度,相邻高程组间的高度相差10cm。实验5个月后测定幼苗的生长状况和一些生理指标。结果表明:秋茄幼苗的生长高度、节数、叶数和大根数这4个外部形态特征指标的最大值均出现在360cm高程组。生长高度、节数、叶数的曲线较为一致,幼苗大根数的略有不同,但总体上可看出太低的高程均不利于这4个指标的增长。叶面积对淹水胁迫的反应与叶数一致,但高程组之间的差异更大。叶绿素含量则表现长时间淹水胁迫促进含量增高。在任一高程组,秋茄幼苗各新生器官生物量分配均表现为:茎>根>叶。各新生器官及全株生物量的最大值出现在360cm高程组,它们的干重曲线表现比较一致。幼苗根系中的活性氧清除酶类活性均高于叶片。根系中SOD酶和POD酶的分布规律较为一致,都以360cm高程组的活性最高。叶片中SOD酶和POD酶的变化则相反,叶片SOD酶随高程增大而降低,POD酶则随高程增大而增大。根系中活性氧清除酶类活性的水平与幼苗全株生物量的关系均呈显著相关,叶片中的则无此相关性。360cm及以上高程组幼苗全部存活,较低高程组有部分死亡。综合本文实验结果,可初步判断北部湾沿海秋茄造林的滩涂高程不宜低于当地平均海平面。     

High nutrient pulses, tidal mixing and biological response in a small California estuary: Variability in nutrient concentrations from decadal to hourly time scales

Elkhorn Slough is a small estuary in Central California, where nutrient inputs are dominated by runoff from agricultural row crops, a golf course, and residential development. We examined the variability in nutrient concentrations from decadal to hourly time scales in Elkhorn Slough to compare forcing by physical and biological factors. Hourly data were collected using in situ nitrate analyzers and water quality data sondes, and two decades of monthly monitoring data were analyzed. Nutrient concentrations increased from the mid 1970s to 1990s as pastures and woodlands were converted to row crops and population increased in the watershed. Climatic variability was also a significant factor controlling interannual nutrient variability, with higher nutrient concentrations during wet than drought years. Elkhorn Slough has a Mediterranean climate with dry and rainy seasons. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) concentrations were relatively low (10–70 μmol L⁻¹) during the dry season and high (20–160 μmol L⁻¹) during the rainy season. Dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) concentrations showed the inverse pattern, with higher concentrations during the dry season. Pulsed runoff events were a consistent feature controlling nitrate concentrations during the rainy season. Peak nitrate concentrations lagged runoff events by 1 to 6 days. Tidal exchange with Monterey Bay was also an important process controlling nutrient concentrations, particularly near the mouth of the Slough. Biological processes had the greatest effect on nitrate concentrations during the dry season and were less important during the rainy season. While primary production was enhanced by nutrient pulses, chlorophyll a concentrations were not. We believe that the generally weak biological response compared to the strong physical forcing in Elkhorn Slough occurred because the short residence time and tidal mixing rapidly diluted nutrient pulses.     

ENSO to multi-decadal time scale changes in East Australian Current transports and Fort Denison sea level: Oceanic Rossby waves as the connecting mechanism

The connection between East Australian Current (EAC) transport variability and Australia’s east coast sea level has received little treatment in the literature. This is due in part to the complex interacting physical processes operating in the coastal zone combined with the sparsity of observations available to improve our understanding of these possible connections. This study demonstrates a statistically significant (at the >90% level) relationship between interannual to decadal time scale variations in observed estimates of the EAC transport changes and east coast sea level measured at the high-quality, long record Fort Denison tide-gauge in Sydney Harbour, Australia (33°51′18″S, 151°13′32″E). We further demonstrate, using a linear reduced-gravity ocean model, that ENSO to decadal time-scale variations and the ocean-adjusted multi-decadal trend (approx. 1 cm/decade) in observed sea level at Fort Denison are strongly connected to modulations of EAC transports by incoming westward propagating oceanic Rossby waves. We show that EAC transport and Fort Denison sea level vary in a manner expected from both Tasman Sea generated Rossby waves, which account for the interannual and multi-annual variability, and remotely forced (from east of New Zealand) Rossby wave connections through the mid-latitudes, accounting for the ocean-adjusted multi-decadal trend observed at the New South Wales coast - with the regional-Tasman Sea forcing explaining the greatest overall proportion of EAC transport and sea-level variances.