Problems with biogenic silica measurement in marginal seas

Surface sediment samples from the Bohai, Yellow Sea, and the Pacific were used to assess biogenic silica (BSi) content and to study uncertainties in BSi measurements. The contents of BSi in the Bohai and Yellow Sea are all less than 1%. The dissolution of BSi in sediments from the Bohai and Yellow Sea is very important to maintain high levels of silicate in the water column. The non-biogenic silica from clay minerals has an obvious effect on BSi of sediment samples in the Bohai and Yellow Sea with low BSi and high clay minerals. The solid to solution ratio was found to have a great influence on BSi measurement, which can induce uncertainties up to 75%. The effect of loss by sorption and centrifugation is negligible. Interlaboratory comparison of techniques for BSi measurement by the wet alkaline extraction technique of Mortlock and Froelich [Deep-Sea Res. 36 (1989) 1415-1426] with clay correction was suggested to give no significant differences. However, differences in sediment compositions and reagent to sample ratio may limit the application of the wet alkaline extraction method.     

OSTIA数据在中国近海业务化环流模型中的同化应用

The prediction of sea surface temperature(SST) is an essential task for an operational ocean circulation model. A sea surface heat flux, an initial temperature field, and boundary conditions directly affect the accuracy of a SST simulation. Here two quick and convenient data assimilation methods are employed to improve the SST simulation in the domain of the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea(BYECS). One is based on a surface net heat flux correction, named as Qcorrection(QC), which nudges the flux correction to the model equation; the other is ensemble optimal interpolation(En OI), which optimizes the model initial field. Based on such two methods, the SST data obtained from the operational SST and sea ice analysis(OSTIA) system are assimilated into an operational circulation model for the coastal seas of China. The results of the simulated SST based on four experiments, in 2011, have been analyzed. By comparing with the OSTIA SST, the domain averaged root mean square error(RMSE) of the four experiments is 1.74, 1.16, 1.30 and 0.91°C, respectively; the improvements of assimilation experiments Exps 2, 3 and 4 are about 33.3%, 25.3%, and 47.7%, respectively.Although both two methods are effective in assimilating the SST, the En OI shows more advantages than the QC,and the best result is achieved when the two methods are combined. Comparing with the observational data from coastal buoy stations, show that assimilating the high-resolution satellite SST products can effectively improve the SST prediction skill in coastal regions.     

Evaluation of tidal error in altimetry data in the Asian marginal seas

The magnitude and geographical distribution of the error in the Archiving, Validation and Interpretation of Satellite Oceanographic data (AVISO) altimetry data associated with tidal correction around Asian marginal seas has been revealed. The errors were evaluated by harmonic analysis of the AVISO corrected sea surface heights data (CorSSH). Errors of more than 15 cm of tidal correction were recognized in the western and northern parts of the Yellow Sea, Celebes Sea, Kuril Islands, and the northwestern part of the Okhotsk Sea. It was found that the CorSSH and sea level anomaly (SLA) data downloaded from the AVISO are not available for direct use in those marginal seas. To reduce the tidal correction error, the harmonic constants calculated from the latest tide model and regional tide model were applied as the tidal correction of the Altimetry data. The tidal errors in the Yellow Sea and the northwestern part of the Okhotsk Sea were reduced by approximately 20 cm and 10 cm, respectively. Root mean square differences between the harmonic constants derived from tide models and those derived from altimetry data were calculated. The root mean square differences were large in the Yellow and the Okhotsk Seas. Root sum squares for four principal tidal constituents in the Yellow and East China Seas and Okhotsk Sea were 7.72 cm and 8.36 cm, respectively.     

Numerical solution to the problem of variational assimilation of operational observational data on the ocean surface temperature

The problem of variational assimilation of satellite observational data on the ocean surface temperature is formulated and numerically investigated in order to reconstruct surface heat fluxes with the use of the global three-dimensional model of ocean hydrothermodynamics developed at the Institute of Numerical Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences (INM RAS), and observational data close to the data actually observed in specified time intervals. The algorithms of the numerical solution to the problem are elaborated and substantiated, and the data assimilation block is developed and incorporated into the global three-dimensional model. Numerical experiments are carried out with the use of the Indian Ocean water area as an example. The data on the ocean surface temperature over the year 2000 are used as observational data. Numerical experiments confirm the theoretical conclusions obtained and demonstrate the expediency of combining the model with a block of assimilating operational observational data on the surface temperature.     

A method of determining proximity of marginal seas to an ocean

On any area of continental shelf the foraminiferal assemblage in the bottom sediment is likely to be composed of an indigenous benthic component and an allochthonous planktonic component sedimented from the water column above. Planktonic forminiferids are essentially oceanic and it seems clear that their presence in shelf sediments is often due to transport from an oceanic source. Evidence from the Celtic Sea, northwestern Gulf of Mexico, Persian Gulf and Andaman Sea shows that with passage away from the ocean there is a reduction in the planktonic—benthic ratio in the bottom sediment, a progressive decrease in size of the planktonic tests and a reduction in diversity of the planktonic assemblage. Thus a study of the relationships between the planktonic and benthic foraminiferids in these areas gives a measure of proximity to or isolation from the ocean. It is suggested that these relationships are useful tools in the interpretation of palaeoecology and in the reconstruction of former patterns of water circulation.     

上海沿海海上搜救预测模型系统的研究和应用

利用中尺度气象模式WRF(Weather Research and Forecasting Model)、无结构网格近岸海洋模式FVCOM(Finite-Volume Coastal and Ocean Model)和基于蒙特卡洛随机统计理论的海上搜救目标漂移轨迹模式Leeway,建立了长江口及邻近海域海上搜救物漂移轨迹预测模型系统。漂移轨迹预测以风和表层海流预报为基础,考虑了包括落水位置和时间、风致漂移方向、搜救目标物状态的不确定性以及风场预报误差带来的漂移路径预测误差,经统计获得搜救目标物可能漂移集合范围。对近年来发生在长江口邻近海域的海难事故后报模拟验证结果证明了Leeway模式在长江口邻近海域的适用性,同时表明所建立的搜救模型系统具有较高的精度,操作方便、时效性高,在搜救业务化预报工作中具有广阔的应用前景。     

Problems of variational assimilation of observational data for ocean general circulation models and methods for their solution

Problems of the variational assimilation of satellite observational data on the temperature and level of the ocean surface, as well as data on the temperature and salinity of the ocean from the ARGO system of buoys, are formulated with the use of the global three-dimensional model of ocean thermodynamics developed at the Institute of Numerical Mathematics, Russian Academy of Sciences (INM RAS). Algorithms for numerical solutions of the problems are developed and substantiated, and data assimilation blocks are developed and incorporated into the global three-dimensional model. Numerical experiments are performed with the use of the Indian Ocean or the entire World Ocean as examples. These numerical experiments support the theoretical conclusions and demonstrate that the use of a model with an assimilation block of operational observational data is expedient.     

Verification of an operational ocean circulation-surface wave coupled forecasting system for the China's seas

An operational ocean circulation-surface wave coupled forecasting system for the seas off China and adjacent areas(OCFS-C) is developed based on parallelized circulation and wave models. It has been in operation since November 1, 2007. In this paper we comprehensively present the simulation and verification of the system, whose distinguishing feature is that the wave-induced mixing is coupled in the circulation model. In particular, with nested technique the resolution in the China's seas has been updated to(1/24)° from the global model with(1/2)°resolution. Besides, daily remote sensing sea surface temperature(SST) data have been assimilated into the model to generate a hot restart field for OCFS-C. Moreover, inter-comparisons between forecasting and independent observational data are performed to evaluate the effectiveness of OCFS-C in upper-ocean quantities predictions, including SST, mixed layer depth(MLD) and subsurface temperature. Except in conventional statistical metrics, non-dimensional skill scores(SS) is also used to evaluate forecast skill. Observations from buoys and Argo profiles are used for lead time and real time validations, which give a large SS value(more than 0.90). Besides, prediction skill for the seasonal variation of SST is confirmed. Comparisons of subsurface temperatures with Argo profiles data indicate that OCFS-C has low skill in predicting subsurface temperatures between 100 m and 150 m. Nevertheless, inter-comparisons of MLD reveal that the MLD from model is shallower than that from Argo profiles by about 12 m, i.e., OCFS-C is successful and steady in MLD predictions. Validation of 1-d, 2-d and 3-d forecasting SST shows that our operational ocean circulation-surface wave coupled forecasting model has reasonable accuracy in the upper ocean.     

Influence of particle composition on thorium scavenging in the marginal China seas

Thorium-234 and particle composition (organic matter, biogenic silica, carbonate and lithogenic component) were examined in the East China Sea (ECS) and the northern South China Sea (NSCS) in order to constrain the particle types scavenging thorium isotopes. Good positive correlations between particulate organic matter (POM) or carbonate and thorium-234 in suspended particulate matter (SPM) indicates that POM and carbonate are efficient to scavenge thorium-234. No relationship between biogenic silica and thorium-234 suggests that geochemical behavior of thorium-234 may be not influenced by biogenic silica. A simple model was used to evaluate the affinity of thorium-234 to different particle components. The results show that POM is the most efficient scavenger for thorium-234 in the ECS and the NSCS, followed by carbonate. The authors'' results lend support to the utility of thorium-234 as a proxy of POC and carbonate in the upper layer. However, the strong dependence of thorium scavenging on particle composition challenges thorium-230 as a constant flux proxy.     

Noble metals in ferromanganese crusts from marginal seas of the Northwest Pacific

Based on data on the concentration of noble metals (Au, Ag, Pt, Os, Ir, and Ru) in bulk samples of ferromanganese crusts, the presence of inclusions of micro- and nanosized grains of Ag, Au, Pd, and Pt, often with impurities of other elements, as well as their chaotic distribution, three sources of incorporation of these metals into ore crusts of Far Eastern seas are suggested: seawater, postvolcanic gas–hydrothermal fluids, and hydrothermal plumes. The presence of grains of platinoids and gold in ferromanganese crusts on only some mounts may result from peculiarities in the formation of volcanic rocks on the ancient continental basement.     

海洋温盐度资料多变量同化研究进展

早期海洋资料同化仅考虑温度的调整而忽略盐度的变化,这往往会带来虚假信息,可能导致密度场被严重恶化,同化后的结果甚至比没有同化任何观测资料时还要差。为了解决这个问题,海洋资料同化中的一些温、盐度多变量调整方案便被提出来了。本文对广泛应用于多变量分析的资料同化方法及不同温、盐度多变量调整方案进行了系统的回顾,对它们的优缺点进行了分析与讨论,并指出了不同调整方案的适用条件及应用现状,最后对Argo资料在海洋资料同化中的重要性及今后的研究重点进行了探讨。     

拉格朗日资料同化的研究进展

拉格朗日资料对了解海洋环流和大气环流的动力学过程起到很重要的作用,同化拉格朗日资料有很大的必要性.拉格朗日观测工具主要提供的是水团或空气微团的位置和速度等信息,因为拉格朗日资料提供的是移动框架的数据而不是欧拉格点上的模式变量,所以随着拉格朗日观测覆盖大部分海洋和全球海洋环流模式的实现,采用先进的同化方法充分利用这些资料来提高分析预报准确性势在必行.在同化方法不断的发展中最优插值、变分同化、卡尔曼滤波这几种方法都有很好的应用.     

中国近海现场海洋观测系统设计评估

中国科学院正在发展一个在中国近海(包括黄海、东海和南海)现场海洋观测系统。观测系统包括3个沿岸观测站点、4个近海离岸浮标和由观测船只按固定航线做的船舶观测断面。观测站点、浮标和断面的位置已经预先确定,这个计划在2008-2011实施。利用基于卡尔曼理论的样本集合方法对这样一个能够监测大尺度的季节和年季变率的观测系统设计进行了评估。根据卡尔曼滤波理论,用集合样本的方法能够给出经过同化这个观测系统位置的观测资料后能够减少多少分析误差和分析场的不确定性。用2个来自不同模式、不同分辨率的模式的结果作为集合样本来计算静态的背景误差协方差,这2套样本分别是来自分辨率是0.5°×0.5°的模式同化结果和高分辨0.125°×0.125°的模式结果。由这2个不同资料得到的结果是一致的。发现来自3个近岸和4个离岸浮标得到的观测能够有效地减少SST在渤海、黄海、东海和南海中部的分析误差。然而在越南东部和台湾东部海域,分析误差减少的百分比相对要小。最后,给出了中国近海最优的观测位置序列设计。     

集合资料同化方法的理论框架及其在海洋资料同化的研究展望

在海洋动力系统的数值模拟中,海洋资料同化是一种能够有效融合多源海洋观测资料和数值模式的方法。它不仅可以显著地提高数值模拟的效果,构造海洋再分析资料场,还能有效减少海洋和气候预报时模式初始条件的不确定性。因此,海洋资料同化对于海洋研究和业务化应用具有非常重要的意义。资料同化方法的研究一直是大气、海洋科学的热门课题之一。其中,集合卡尔曼滤波器(EnKF)是一种有效的资料同化方法,自提出以来经过了20多年的发展和改进,已经在海洋资料同化中得到了广泛的研究和应用。近年来,随着动力模式的不断发展和计算能力的提高,粒子滤波器由于不受模型线性和误差高斯分布假设的约束,也逐渐成为了当前资料同化方法研究的热点。本文分析和总结了目前关于集合卡尔曼滤波器和粒子滤波器的一些最新理论研究结果,在贝叶斯滤波理论的框架下讨论了这两类算法的关联和区别,以及各自在资料同化实践中的优势和不足。在此基础上,我们探讨了粒子滤波器应用于海洋模式资料同化的主要困难和目前可行的一些解决方法,展望了集合资料同化方法研究的新趋势,为集合资料同化方法的进一步发展和应用提供理论基础。     

Development and application of an operational tide and storm surge prediction model for the seas around Taiwan

Storm surges are abnormal rises in sea level along coastal areas and are mainly formed by strong wind and atmospheric depressions.When storm surges coincide with high tide,coastal flooding can occur.Creating storm surge prediction systems has been an important and operational task worldwide.This study developed a coupled tide and storm surge numerical model of the seas around Taiwan for operational purposes at the Central Weather Bureau.The model was calibrated and verified by using tidal records from seas around Taiwan.Model skill was assessed based on measured records,and the results are presented in details.At 3-minute resolution,tides were generally well predicted,with the root mean-square errors of less than 0.11 m and an overall correlation of more than 0.9.Storms(winds and depressions) were introduced into the model forcing by using the parameter typhoon model.Five typical typhoons that threatened Taiwan were simulated for assessment.The surges were well predicted compared with the records.     

In.uence of particle composition on thorium scavenging in the marginal China seas

Thorium-234 and particle composition (organic matter, biogenic silica, carbonate and lithogenic component) were examined in the East China Sea (ECS) and the northern South China Sea (NSCS) in order to constrain the particle types scavenging thorium isotopes. Good positive correlations between particulate organic matter (POM) or carbonate and thorium-234 in suspended particulate matter (SPM) indicates that POM and carbonate are e.cient to scavenge thorium-234. No relationship between biogenic silica and thorium-234 suggests that geochemical behavior of thorium-234 may be not in.uenced by biogenic silica. A simple model was used to evaluate the a.nity of thorium-234 to di.erent particle components. The results show that POM is the most e.cient scavenger for thorium-234 in the ECS and the NSCS, followed by carbonate. The authors’ results lend support to the utility of thorium-234 as a proxy of POC and carbonate in the upper layer. However, the strong dependence of thorium scavenging on particle composition challenges thorium-230 as a constant .ux proxy.