Nutrient budgets for the South China Sea basin

Varying atmospheric forcing and an elaborate geography make for a complex flow in the South China Sea (SCS). Throughout the year, the surface waters of the Kuroshio flow into the SCS, while the surface waters of the SCS flow out through the Bashi Channel. Cumulatively, there is a small (1 Sv) net outflow of surface water (0–350-m depth) from the SCS in the wet season, but a net inflow (3 Sv) in the dry season through the Bashi Channel. The differences are mainly made up by inflow and outflow of Sunda Shelf Water in the wet and dry seasons, respectively.Seawater, phosphorus, nitrogen and silicate budgets were calculated based on a box model. The results point out an intermediate water outflow (350–1350-m depth) into the West Philippine Sea (WPS) through the Bashi Channel in both the wet and dry seasons, though this, along with the nutrients it carries, is slightly larger in the dry season (2 Sv) than in the wet (1.8 Sv). More importantly, the export of nutrient-laden SCS intermediate water through the Bashi Channel subsequently upwells onto the East China Sea (ECS) shelf. The denitrification rate for shelves in the SCS is 0.11 mol N m⁻² year⁻¹, calculated by balancing the nitrogen budget. The oxygen consumption and the nutrient regeneration rates, based on the mass-balance and the one-dimensional advection–diffusion models, stand between those for the Bering Sea and the Sea of Japan.     

南海北部中生代沉积模式

南海东北部与西北部海域均分布有中生代地层,地震勘探揭示南海北部中生界东、西之间在地震相及沉积充填结构上存在明显差异,东部中生界为双层结构,而西部为单层结构.东部中生代地层由海相及海陆过渡相侏罗系与陆相白垩系组成,而西部则由陆相白垩系构成,缺失侏罗系.从海水入侵方向看,南海北部中生界与特提斯域无关,可能更受太平洋域的影响.侏罗纪古太平洋边缘海盆在南海北部主要分布在珠江口盆地东部及台西南盆地,从早侏罗世到晚侏罗世海盆范围逐渐缩小;白垩纪南海北部整体抬升,除台西南盆地东部接受海相沉积外,白垩纪南海北部以小型断陷盆地为特征,在断陷盆地内接受陆相河湖相沉积.南海北部在中生代时期位于特提斯构造域与太平洋构造域的交接部位,东部中生界双层结构、西部单层结构的沉积模式进一步明确濒太平洋构造域的对南海北部中生界的控制作用,同时东部将是中生代油气勘探的有利区域.     

Stratigraphic architectures and associated unconformities of Pearl River Mouth basin during rifting and lithospheric breakup of the South China Sea

Marine Geophysical Research - The lithosphere breakup processes from initial rifting of the crust to the complete rupture of the lithosphere underwent several tectonic evolution stages and resulted...     

Deep-Water Bottom Current Research in the Northern South China Sea

This article discusses an effective way to study deep-water current activity with the sedimentary features of seabed sediments. In the paper, we have processed a seismic survey line crossing the Northwest sub-basin of the South China Sea (SCS). In the seismic profile, we can clearly distinguish the contourite sediment waves and find the erosion scope formed by the deep-water bottom current. Combining the analytic result of piston cores sediments in the research area, we can conclude that the deep-water current is the contour current. It enters the SCS through the narrow Bashi Channel and then it flows to the southwest direction along the isobaths of Dongsha uplift and Southern uplift, but there isn't direct evidence to explain that bottom current flows to the direction of the deep-sea basin. The conclusion confirms former speculation about the passage of deep-water current and provides an important foundation to construct the whole structure of deep-water circulation for the SCS.     

南海北部海底沙波研究

南海北部水深100~250 m的陆架和陆坡斜坡海底分布着大片沙波地貌,本文采用底形相图参数近似计算和泥沙起动流速2种计算方法,结合海底微地貌的实际形态,研究了沙波的沉积特征及其成因机理。研究认为,区内的沙波为现代沉积地貌;控制沙波形成发育的主要水动力因素是潮流与风暴条件下风海流的叠加;区内泥沙颗粒粒径适宜,海底坡度平缓,有利于海底沙波的发育。     

2009年夏季南海北部的网采浮游植物群落

本文报道2009年夏季(7月19日～8月16日)在南海北部海域(18°N～22°30＇ N,109°30＇E～120°30＇ E)33个站位网采浮游植物的分析结果.经初步鉴定,共发现浮游植物4门54属180种(含变形及变种),其中硅藻门35属93种;甲藻门17属84种;金藻门1属1种;蓝藻门1属2种.浮游植物平均细胞丰度为6.02×104 cells·m3,呈现近岸区域高于远岸区域的平面分布格局.其中硅藻在细胞丰度上占有优势,其次为甲藻.调查区浮游植物的生态类型多为热带暖水性类群和广布性类群,部分大洋性物种.优势种为菱形海线藻(Thalassionema nitzschioides)、笔尖形根管藻(Rhizosolenia styliformis)、双凹梯形藻(Climacodium biconcavum)、距端假管藻(Pseudosolenia calcar-avis)和伏氏海线藻(Thalassionema frauenfeldiinfeldii).固氮蓝藻铁氏束毛藻(Trichodesmium thiebautii)在调查海域广泛分布,主要集中在海南岛东部以北近岸和吕宋海峡海域,以E601站最多,高达1.06×107 cells·m-3,部分站位也有少数红海束毛藻(Trichodesmium erythraeum)的分布.调查区浮游植物多样性程度较高,与细胞丰度平面上呈相嵌分布,仅在近岸出现低值.     

The Central Submarine Canyon in the Qiongdongnan Basin, northwestern South China Sea: Architecture, sequence stratigraphy, and depositional processes

Submarine canyons have been the subject of intense studies in recent years because of their close link to deepwater systems. The Central Canyon is a large unusual submarine canyon in the northwestern margin of the South China Sea, has a total length of about 425 km and is oriented sub-parallel to the continental slope. Using integrated 2D/3D seismic, well log, core, and biostratigraphy data, the current study documents the stratigraphic framework, internal architecture, depositional processes, and controlling factors of the segment of the Central Canyon located in the Qiongdongnan Basin.The integrated analysis shows that the canyon fill consists of four 3^rd-order sequences, SQ4, SQ3, SQ2, and SQ1. Each of them is bounded by regionally important erosional surfaces (3^rd-order sequence boundaries). Within each 3^rd-order sequence there is maximum regressive surface separating a regressive systems tract in the lower part and a transgressive systems tract in the upper part. Nine facies are identified and are further grouped into five depositional units, DU1 through DU5.The canyon evolved through four cut-and-fill stages, with a change from predominantly axial cut-and-fill to primarily side cut-and-fill. Axial cut-and-fill dominated during the first stage, and the slope-subparallel paleo Xisha Trough was intensely eroded by large-scale axial gravity flows. During the second cut-and-fill stage, the Central Canyon experienced both axial and side cut-and-fill. The third stage was dominated by side cut-and-fill. The canyon was eroded and fed by slope channels that transported sandy sediments from the shelf to the north during regression, and was covered by side-derived muddy MTCs during transgression. The last stage was also dominated by side cut-and-fill. The canyon, however, was filled predominantly by side-derived muddy MTCs.Evolution and depositional processes in the Central Canyon were likely controlled by slope-subparallel negative-relief induced by paleo-seafloor morphology, structural inversion of the Red River Fault and the slope-subparallel basement faults. Additionally, Coriolis force, sea-level fluctuations, high sedimentation rate, and rapid progradation of the slope also controlled and influenced the depositional processes, and internal architectures of the canyon.     

南海北部温跃层逐月变化特征分析

本文利用Levitus逐月再分析海温资料,通过对南海北部沿几个主要经、纬线剖面的温跃层特征逐月变化进行分析,研究了南海北部海域温跃层的逐月变化特征,并简要分析了其原因.结果发现,该海域跃层深度逐月变化显著,但厚度和强度变化不大;跃层深度、厚度和强度的变化不同步.另外,与外海相比,近岸跃层期短,且跃层较浅、较薄、较强,但...     

南海海盆地形与NW向断裂

新的2'×2'卫星测高获得的水深数据表明,除了在南海中央海盆扩张脊附近分布有高耸、断续的近东西向海山链外,在南海深海平原上还存在一些北西向的连续线状凸起特征.这些线状特征高约500m,宽10-30km,绵延数百至近千公里.反射地震数据则显示,这些海底线状隆起实际上是宽50-100km的走滑断裂带,在该断裂带内还有一些低幅和隐伏褶皱,它们代表了海盆内部的压性走滑断裂带,反映了海盆扩张停止后台湾-吕宋岛弧向西的构造挤压应力对南海海盆的持续作用.其中一条穿过116°E的北北西向断裂带构成了中央海盆与西南海盆的边界断裂.     

The variability of internal tides in the Northern South China Sea

An array of three bottom-mounted ADCP moorings was deployed on the prevailing propagation path of strong internal tides for nearly 1 year across the continental slope in the northern South China Sea. These velocity measurements are used to study the intra-annual variability of diurnal and semidiurnal internal tidal energy in the region. A numerical model, the Luzon Strait Ocean Nowcast/Forecast System developed at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory that covers the northern South China Sea and the Kuroshio, is used to interpret the observed variation of internal tidal energy on the Dongsha slope. Internal tides are generated primarily at the two submarine ridges in the Luzon Strait. At the western ridge generation site, the westward energy flux of the diurnal internal tide is sensitive to the stratification and isopycnal slope associated with the Kuroshio. The horizontal shear at the Kuroshio front does not modify the propagation path of either diurnal or semidiurnal tides because the relative vorticity of the Kuroshio in Luzon Strait is not strong enough to increase the effective inertial frequency to the intrinsic frequency of the internal tides. The variation of internal tidal energy on the continental slope and Dongsha plateau can be attributed to the variation in tidal beam propagation in the northern South China Sea.     

中国南海北部海图深度基准面换算关系的研究

中国南海北部不同时期的海图采用的深度基准面不一样,深度基准面的多样性使的不同时期所计算的深度基准面数值不具有统一性,无法充分利用诸多历史海图资料,有必要了解历史海图深度基准面之间的关系。针对中国南海北部,利用多年实测潮位资料进行调和分析并根据调和常数计算验潮站的深度基准面,获得中国南海北部14个验潮站的深度基准面值,探讨了不同深度基准面之间的换算关系,研究表明最低低潮面不适合日潮海区,理论最低潮面与略最低潮面之间平均间距为18cm,理论最低潮面与最低天文潮面除厦门、三亚外两者平均差距达到1.88cm,具有近似一致性。     

南海北部深水区东西构造差异性及其动力学机制

This paper overviews research progress in observation, theoretical analysis and numerical modeling of submesoscale dynamic processes in the South China Sea(SCS) particularly during recent five years. The submesoscale processes are defined according to both spatial and dynamic scales, and divided into four subcategories as submesoscale waves, submesoscale vortexes, submesoscale shelf processes, and submesoscale turbulence. The major new findings are as follows.(1) Systematic mooring observations provide new insights into the solitary waves(ISWs) and the typhoon-forced near-inertial waves(NIWs), of which a new type of ISWs with period of 23 h was observed in the northern SCS(NSCS), and the influences of background vorticity, summer monsoon onset, and deep meridional overturning circulation on the NIWs, as well as nonlinear wave-wave interaction between the NIWs and internal tides, are better understood. On the other hand, satellite altimeter sea surface height data are used to reveal the internal tide radiation patterns and provide solid evidence for that the ISWs in the northeastern SCS originate from the Luzon Strait.(2) Submesoscale offshore jets and associated vortex trains off the Vietnam coast in the western boundary of the SCS were observed from satellite chlorophyll concentration images. Spiral trains with the horizontal scale of 15–30 km and the spacing of 50–80 km were identified.(3) 3-D vertical circulation in the upwelling region east of Hainan Island was theoretically analyzed. The results show that distribution patterns of all the dynamic terms are featured by wave-like structures with horizontal wavelength scale of 20–40 km.(4) Numerical models have been used for the research of submesoscale turbulence. Submesoscale vertical pump of an anticyclonic eddy and the spatiotemporal features of submesoscale processes in the northeastern SCS are well modeled.     

南黄海中、古生界油气勘探前景

近几年少量的地球物理勘探工作表明，南黄海印支面以下存在厚达5000m以上的海相中，古生界，而且保存远比苏北陆区好，是南黄海新的勘探领域，中部隆起和勿南沙隆起稳定，面积大，有望找到大中型油气田，是具有远景的勘探新区。南黄海的油气勘探，中部隆起和勿南沙隆起应注意寻找与两个不整合面有关的，上有盖层封堵的非构造型内幕原生油气藏，在有利凹陷区以及隆起与坳陷接合部位应注意寻找中，上古生界再生油气藏；北部坳陷在注意寻找陆相中生界油气藏的同时还应注意寻找断块潜山型海相中，古生界再生油气藏。     

南海北部声散射季节变化

声散射是重要的声学现象,海洋水体产生的高频声散射信号既可用于开展多种目的的声学海洋学研究,也可能对水下声学设备产生干扰,而海洋水体背景声散射具有显著的时空变异特征,因此针对特定海区开展声散射时变观测具有重要意义。本文利用在南海北部布放的锚系系统所搭载的声学多普勒流速剖面仪,获取了覆盖4个季节的累计约80 d的声散射数据,数据包括75 kHz和300 kHz两个频段,观测水深几乎覆盖了从海面到约600 m水深的整个水体。结果表明,水体在垂向上分布着上散射层和深散射层2个主要散射层。上散射层分布深度在冬夏较浅,位于约100 m以浅,在春秋较深,位于约200 m以浅;深散射层分布深度同样为冬季最浅,位于约300 m以深,但夏季则最深,位于约400 m以深。因此,两散射层的距离在夏季最远,在春秋最近。2个散射层的声散射强度（Sv）同样具有明显的季节变化,上散射层散射强度夏秋较强而春冬较弱,深散射层则正好相反。     

南海深海盆地沉积柱样中的浊流沉积

本文根据南海深海盆地三个沉积柱样的粒度结构、地球化学、微体古生物等特征分析,深讨了南海深海盆地细粒沉积物的浊积现象。结果表明,位于南海北部陆架斜坡上KL37孔的浊流沉积现象并不明显;位于陆架斜坡和深海盆地交界处的KL29孔存在着大量的浊积层,属于浊流沉积和半远洋沉积环境;位于南海盆地中部的KL91孔虽然已属于远洋性沉积环境,但除出现火山灰沉积外,浊流沉积作用仍然是相当活跃的。     

Crustal structure and inferred rifting processes in the northeast South China Sea

TAIGER project deep-penetration seismic reflection profiles acquired in the northeastern South China Sea (SCS) provide a detailed view of the crustal structure of a very wide rifted continental margin. These profiles document a failed rift zone proximal to the shelf, a zone of thicker crust 150 km from the shelf, and gradually thinning crust toward the COB, spanning a total distance of 250–300 km. Such an expanse of extended continental crust is not unique but it is uncommon for continental margins. We use the high-quality images from this data set to identify the styles of upper and lower crustal structure and how they have thinned in response to extension and, in turn, what rheological variations are predicted that allow for protracted crustal extension. Upper crustal thinning is greatest at the failed rift (β_uc ≈ 7.5) but is limited farther seaward (β_uc ≈ 1–2). We interpret that the lower crust has discordantly thinned from an original 15–17 km to possibly less than 2–3 km thick beneath the central thick crust zone and more distal areas. This extreme lower crustal thinning indicates that it acted as a weak layer allowing decoupling between the upper crust and the mantle lithosphere. The observed upper crustal thickness variations and implied rheology (lower crustal flow) are consistent with large-scale boudinage of continental crust during protracted extension.     

Magnetic zoning and seismic structure of the South China Sea ocean basin

We made a systematic investigation on major structures and tectonic units in the South China Sea basin based on a large magnetic and seismic data set. For enhanced magnetic data interpretation, we carried out various data reduction procedures, including upward continuation, reduction to the pole, 3D analytic signal and power spectrum analyses, and magnetic depth estimation. Magnetic data suggest that the South China Sea basin can be divided into five magnetic zones, each with a unique magnetic pattern. Zone A corresponds roughly to the area between Taiwan Island and a relict transform fault, zone B is roughly a circular feature between the relict transform fault and the northwest sub-basin, and zones C, D, and E are the northwest sub-basin, the east sub-basin, and the southwest sub-basin, respectively. This complexity in basement magnetization suggests that the South China Sea evolved from multiple stages of opening under different tectonic settings. Magnetic reduction also fosters improved interpretation on continental margin structures, such as Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary basins and the offshore south China magnetic anomaly. We also present, for the first time, interpretations of three new 2D reflection seismic traverses, which are of ~2,000 km in total length and across all five magnetic zones. Integration of magnetic and seismic data enables us to gain a better 3D mapping on the basin structures. It is shown that the transition from the southwest sub-basin to the east sub-basin is characterized by a major ridge formed probably along a pre-existing fracture zone, and by a group of primarily west-dipping faults forming an exact magnetic boundary between zones D and E. The northwest sub-basin has the deepest basement among the three main sub-basins (i.e., the northwest sub-basin, the southwest sub-basin, and the east sub-basin). Our seismic data also reveal a strongly faulted continent–ocean transition zone of about 100 km wide, which may become wider and dominated with magmatism or transit to an oceanic crust further to the northeast.     

东海陆架盆地南部中生代断裂系统与盆地结构

以东海陆架盆地南部为研究对象,运用丰富的二维地震资料,在对中生界断裂体系精细刻画的基础上,分析了断裂的展布特征,并就断裂系统对盆地结构的控制作用进行了研究,结果表明：该区域中生界断裂系统十分发育,断层表现出张性或张扭性特征并具有多期活动的特点;根据断裂平面展布及组合特征,可划分出3类构造样式,8种断裂组合;根据断裂发育时间,可将断裂的活动期次划分为燕山期和喜山期;受控于NE和NNE向的断裂系统,中生界盆地构造格局表现为“三凹两凸”结构特征;断裂发育的时间及特点对中生界盆地的构造演化和沉积过程起着重要的控制作用。     

南海北部海洋四维变分同化试验研究

为了研究四维变分同化方法在南海北部海洋数值预报中的适用性,使用海洋区域模式(ROMS),建立了南海北部海洋资料四维变分同化系统,进行了温盐廓线和海面温度数据同化试验,初步对比分析了三种四维变分实现方法的同化效果。研究结果表明,四维变分同化方法具有较好的同化效果,其中,增量强约束方法(I4DVar)具有较好的稳定性,其稳定性高于4DPSAS和R4DVar。本文研究成果为建立南海业务化海洋四维变分同化及预报系统奠定技术基础。     

南海北部及巴士海峡附近的水团分析

为解释黑潮水进入南海的方式 ,通过对 2 0 0 2年 5月 2 9日～ 6月 6日在南海及巴士海峡附近太平洋海域观测所得的资料进行水团分析 ,以四边形水团定量分析方法得到各水团在海区内的分布状况 ,同时分析了温度、盐度、密度和溶解氧的分布 ,并对在相同深度层次上的南海水和黑潮水性质进行了比较。观测海域的水团分为表层水团 (SW ) ,次表层水团 (SSW ) ,中层水团 (IW )和深层水团 (DW ) ,分别处于 0～ 5 0m ,5 0～ 3 0 0m ,40 0～ 10 0 0m ,10 0 0m以深。黑潮水进入南海 ,但是势力较弱 ,未能越过 119.5°E深入南海。