Nonhydrostatic aspects of coastal upwelling meanders and filaments off eastern ocean boundaries

Coastal upwelling meanders and filaments are common features off eastern ocean boundaries. Their growth is reinvestigated herein using a nonhydrostatic three-dimensional model and a reduced-gravity model, with the objective of assessing contributions from two mechanisms that emerge in the nonhydrostatic regime. The first mechanism is caused by the vertical projection of the Coriolis force in the momentum equation. It is found that the vertical Coriolis force often acts as a restoring force against numerical damping off eastern ocean boundaries and thus enhances the growth of meanders and filaments. The second mechanism arises from unstable ocean stratification when the cold upwelled water intrudes seaward over the warm layer. The unstable stratification, albeit transient, further enhances the growth of meanders and filaments. It is concluded that although nonhydrostatic effects do not change our understanding of how meanders and filaments grow, the realism can be enhanced using a nonhydrostatic model insofar as meanders and filaments off eastern ocean boundaries are concerned.     

Morphological characteristics and sand volumes of different coastal dune types in Essaouira Province, Atlantic Morocco

Altogether three coastal dune fields, one located north and two south of the city of Essaouira, Atlantic Morocco, have been investigated to establish the distribution and overall sand volumes of various dune types. The purpose of the study was to characterize and classify the aeolian landforms of the coastal dune belt, to estimate their sand volumes and to assess the effectiveness of coastal dune stabilization measures. The northern dune field is 9 km long and lined by a wide artificial foredune complex fixed by vegetation, fences and branches forming a rectangular grid. Active and ephemeral aklé dunes border the inner backshore, while some intrusive dunes have crossed the foredune belt and are migrating farther inland. The total sand volume of the northern dune belt amounts 13,910,255 m³. The central coastal sector comprises a much smaller dune field located just south of the city. It is only 1.2 km long and, with the exception of intrusive dunes, shows all other dune types. The overall sand volume of the central dune field amounts to about 172,463 m³. The southern dune field is characterized by a narrower foredune belt and overall lower dunes that, in addition, become progressively smaller towards the south. In this sector, embryonic dunes (coppice, shadow dunes), tongue-like and tabular dunes, and sand sheets intrude from the beach, the profile of which has a stepped appearance controlled by irregular outcrops of old aeolianite and beach rock. The total volume of the southern dune field amounts 1,446,389 m³. For the whole study area, i.e. for all three dune fields combined, a sand volume of about 15,529,389 m³ has been estimated. The sand of the dune fields is derived from coastal erosion and especially the Tensift River, which enters the sea at Souira Qedima some 70 km north of Essaouira. After entering the sea, the sand is transported southwards by littoral drift driven by the mainly north-westerly swell climate and the Trade Winds blowing from the NNE. This sand feeds the beaches along the coast, from where it is blown obliquely onshore to generate the dune fields. The maximum sand input occurs in the north, from where it gradually decreases southwards, this being also reflected in the grain size and dune typologies. The study shows that dune stabilization measures have been reasonably effective along most of the coast, with the exception of a large area immediately north of Essaouira where the almost complete destruction of the plant cover has reactivated sand mobility—this may in the future threaten the city.     

连云港洪门古沙堤沉积特征及其意义

通过钻孔、年代地层、沉积物粒度和有孔虫组合综合分析,并配合探地雷达,对洪门古沙堤的成因类型以及古海岸环境进行了探讨。洪门古沙堤沉积物和海州湾现代沙滩、苏北平原贝壳堤相比较,颗粒集中在粗砂-极粗砂范围,分选性偏差,极有可能形成于靠近河口或受河口影响的环境。探地雷达揭示洪门古沙堤曾有过向海方向的进积和生长,指示当时沙源丰富。洪门古沙堤的浅钻地层反映了洪门地区在6 400 aBP左右为滨海沼泽环境,此时期与青莲岗文化期的年代相吻合;湖沼沉积结束后,洪门地区迎来了中全新世的最大海侵,受周围地形的制约,洪门地区可能形成了河口浅海湾环境,普遍沉积了2 m左右的青灰色淤泥沉积,有孔虫组合反映当时的环境并非完全开敞,而是受到一定程度限制的近岸浅水环境,反映了洪门地区为浅海湾环境;6 000 aBP左右,随着砂砾质沉积物供应的丰富以及相对海平面下降,洪门古沙堤开始发育,直到5 000 aBP苏北和连云港地区普遍发生海退,古沙堤发育结束。     

Defining the seaward extent of New Zealand's coastal zone

The seaward extent of New Zealand's coastal zone (defined here in a biophysical sense as the area of terrigenous influence) was determined from remotely sensed ocean colour and turbidity data. The cross-shore behavior of the colour and turbidity fields were quantified at a number of transects around the coastline and the locations where these fields changed from coastal to oceanic signatures were identified. Results from these analyses suggest that the coastal zone can extend several hundreds of kilometers offshore. Furthermore, the seaward extent determined from these analyses was not correlated to the underlying bathymetry of the continental shelf and slope; features commonly used to define the offshore extent of coastal zones. The estimated seaward limits determined from the analyses of the remotely sensed data were compared to limited available in situ data and predictions from a numerical circulation model. Observations of coastal zooplankton species several hundreds of kilometers offshore suggest good agreement with the predicted seaward extent of coastal zones determined from the remotely sensed data. Offshore transport of surface particles predicted by the circulation model also suggested that pelagic organisms and suspended inorganic particles may be advected offshore at least several hundreds of kilometers.     

Seston transport and deposition in Pelorus sound,south Island,New Zealand

Transport of seston (suspended sediment) in Pelorus Sound is controlled by tides and freshwater inflow. During high freshwater inflow, a moderately stratified estuarine circulation may be superimposed on the tidal circulation, but the latter dominates and transports seston seawards and landwards with the ebb and flood phases respectively. With extreme freshwater inflow, the estuarine circulation gains impetus and most seston is rapidly transported seaward in the low saline surface layer.

Irrespective of circulation there is a persistent trend in seston concentrations. Highest values occur at the sound's head because of the influence of nearby Pelorus and Kaituna Rivers and because of resuspension of bottom sediment by strong tidal currents. Seston concentrations wane along the sound until near the entrance, where values increase as a result of greater production of biogenic seston and because additional seston is brought in from Cook Strait with the flood tide. This trend parallels variability in the thicknesses of muddy bottom sediments. Muds are thick at the head where an extensive delta extends from the river mouths; muds gradually thin seaward and then thicken markedly in the vicinity of the sound entrance.

Seston weight and composition patterns and 3.5 kHz seismic profiles indicate Pelorus Sound acts as a double‐ended sediment trap. The upper reaches receive and retain river‐derived seston, whereas the sound entrance traps seston derived from Cook Strait. This situation appears to hold for both high and extremely high influxes of sediment.     

Spatial and temporal variability of titanomagnetite placer deposits on a predominantly black sand beach

Titanomagnetite forms rich placer deposits along the northwest coast of New Zealand. These deposits were sampled along 3 shore-normal transects spaced over the southern 2 km of a dissipative high-energy beach on the west coast in 5 field campaigns covering one year. The percentage of opaque minerals (mainly titanomagnetite) was extremely high in the upper 30 m of the beach face, extending seaward where these opaque minerals were gradually replaced with variable amounts of lighter augite, hornblende and plagioclase. The pattern appeared to be divided into two regions, a lower seaward and an upper landward region, separated by a point where either marine dominated over aeolian processes or where swash dominated over breaking processes. In the seaward region, the percentage of opaques increased and particle size fined landward as undertow removed the lighter larger particles seaward. In the landward region, the percentage of opaques and particle size were more constant, or even showed the reverse pattern as wind transported the lighter material shoreward, or swash asymmetry transported the heavier material seaward. The similarity of settling velocities over the whole beach face suggests that sorting by size rather than weight plays a dominant role in separating the mineral assemblages. Considerable variations existed between transects. This could be explained by the spatial changes in surfzone waves and currents that were associated with proximity to the southern headland and various rip current channels that characterised this dissipative site. Surprisingly, the percentage of opaques decreased when the wave conditions of the day of sampling were more energetic. In contrast to many other placer deposits, these deposits are abundant on the beach face, forming an armouring layer during lower wave energy conditions. During higher wave conditions, the surface layer erodes allowing lighter augite, plagioclase and hornblende to be released from the sediments below.     

侵蚀浪条件下沉水植被对沙坝-潟湖海岸的冲淤影响研究

全球海岸生态系统正遭受气候变化及人类活动带来的威胁, 本文基于沙坝-潟湖系统海岸典型剖面形态, 通过设计实施动床波浪水槽试验, 定量研究了侵蚀浪条件下沉水植被对该系统海岸冲淤的影响。结果表明: 沉水植被明显削弱了沙坝前坡波浪破碎区前缘的波高增大幅度, 并使坝后波高衰减; 植被作用使波浪反射和透射系数减小、耗散系数增大; 侵蚀浪作用下, 沙坝坝顶冲刷较明显, 潟湖内呈淤积趋势, 海岸前丘受波浪冲刷呈陡坎形态。植被影响下沙坝和前丘区域最大侵蚀厚度均减小; 植被可减少沙坝净侵蚀量、潟湖内淤积量及离岸输沙量, 对海岸前丘有较好的保护作用。     

Submerged terraces in the Laccadive Islands,India

The Laccadive atolls have recently been surveyed in detail (1:5,000 and 1:10,000). These surveys indicated the occurrence of a number of terraces on the seaward reefs of these islands at 7–12, 15, 21–36 (prominent) and 43–47 m depths. The first break in the profile of the seaward reefs occurs at depths of 3–5 m and on the windward side this extends down to about 12 m, the break at this shallow depth represents a wave-cut platform. The deeper terraces (>12 m) appear to have been formed during periods of lowered sea level. The most prominent terrace at 21–36 m is correlable with similar terraces recorded on other atolls. The terraces at Bangaram Island are covered by sediment while those at Kadmat do not have any sediment. In some of the atolls, surfaces at depths comparable to the seaward terraces are found in the lagoons also indicating extensive effects of lowered sea levels.     

西沙群岛宣德环礁的精细水下地貌组合特征及其成因机制

海底地形地貌及类型分布特征对指示区域地质构造影响、海平面升降、海洋水动力等有重要意义。本文通过侧扫声呐、单波束测深、表层沉积物取样等方法,分析了西沙群岛宣德环礁精细水下地貌组合特征,并探讨了其成因机制。结果表明:（1）宣德环礁为残缺型环礁类型,中部为潟湖沉积,礁盘之间形成西沙洲口门、“红草门”、环礁西缺口和环礁南缺口等4处水深超过60 m的深水口门,并首次识别了西沙洲口门;（2）宣德环礁水下地貌类型可划分为3级11类地貌类型。研究区的沙波及槽沟等动力地貌单元显示,宣德环礁浅水区海底特征地貌由盛行季风和波浪场所控制,深水口门形成的潮汐通道水体为塑造宣德环礁潟湖区动力地貌的主要因素。研究区东南部向海坡存在6级水下阶地,通过对比南海珊瑚礁阶地特征,宣德环礁向海坡阶地成因很可能是全球海平面变化和地壳沉降的共同作用。     

适用于曲边界的浅水非线性波浪数值模型

实际工程中存在大量的曲边界,因此在曲边界上的计算准确性可以考察出一个数值模型的实用价值。利用Beji的改进型Boussinesq方程建立了一个有限元方法的数值波浪模型。造波方面采用Fenton提出的非线性规则波浪解;在墙边界处,以求解法线方向和切线方向的速度和导数代替求解x、y方向的速度和导数,从而使边界条件直接适用、严格满足,保证了对曲边界计算的准确性。"重开始广义极小残量法"的使用保证了求解方程组的效率和精度,使造波和边界处理方法的有效性和准确性得到了合理地诠释。通过与试验数据、他人数值结果、解析解的比对,显示出该模型计算稳定、结果准确,真正体现出了有限元方法对曲边界适用的优势。     

Changes in topography and vegetation near gaps in a protective foredune

Data gathered on a foredune on a nourished beach reveal the relationships between topography and plant communities at gaps in the dune crest. Sand inundation at gaps allows plants in some portions of the dune to rejuvenate to earlier successional stages, while an increase in richness occurs in other portions. Ammophila breviligulata can create an initial dune ridge, colonize new areas of bare sand within the dune field, facilitate growth of other species, and provide a natural alternative to fencing in managing gaps. Foredune mobility can be considered a positive factor if beach width and dune volume provide adequate protection.     

Patterns of unsuccessful shell-crushing predation along a tidal gradient in two geographically separated salt marshes

Gradients in salt marsh ecosystems that result from reduced tidal inundation time in the high marsh offer an opportunity to assess the importance of predation as a selective agent (indexed by the time-averaged record of unsuccessful predation, which integrates potentially confounding short-term – inter-seasonal and inter-annual – fluctuations in predation pressure). Spatial patterns in selection pressure are expected to decrease landward from the seaward edge of the marsh. Interaction between shell-breaking predators and their snail prey, Littoraria irrorata, however, generated a pattern in the frequency of sublethal injury (shell repair), standardized for snail size, that did not follow this simple, single-variable prediction of decreasing repair frequencies with distance from the seaward edge of the marsh, based on inundation time alone. Patterns of repair frequency increased landward from the seaward edge of the marsh, only declining as predicted after a zone of dense stands of salt marsh grass. The interaction of tidal inundation time and primary habitat structure ( e.g. physical vegetative barriers to dispersion of predators into the marsh) is hypothesized to shape selection gradients in salt marshes, as inferred from the record of unsuccessful predation.     

Over time and space changing characteristics of estuarine suspended particles in the German Weser and Elbe estuaries

Fine cohesive, suspended sediments appear in all estuarine environments in a predominately flocculated state. The transport and deposition of these flocs is influenced by their in-situ and primary particle size distribution. Especially the size of the inorganic particles influences the density and hence the settling velocity of the flocculated material. To describe both the changes in primary particle size of suspended particulate matter as well as the variability of floc sizes over time and space, the data of In-Situ Particle-Size Distributions (ISPSDs), Primary Particle Size Distributions (PPSDs) and Suspended Sediment Concentrations (SSCs) were collected. For this, Laser In-Situ Scattering and Transmissiometry (LISST) measurements as well as the water samples were collected in the German Elbe and Weser estuaries, covering seasonal variability of the SSC.The data of the ISPSDs show that the inorganic and organic Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM), as found in the Elbe and Weser estuaries, mostly appears in a flocculated state. The substrate for organic matter is mainly imported from the seaside and transported into the estuaries as indicated by an upstream decrease of the amount of fine particles. In winter, when the freshwater discharge is high, different PPSDs are found in the case of the Elbe estuary in the Turbidity Maximum Zone (TMZ) as well as in the landward and in the seaward sections close to the TMZ. In summer, the distance between the seaward and the landward section is too low to obtain an individual PPSD within the Elbe TMZ.A missing correlation between the PPSD and ISPSD shows that the inorganic constituents do not have an influence on the in-situ floc size. Although flocs aggregate and disaggregate over a tidal cycle and with changing SSC, they do not change their PPSD. The microflocs are therefore strong enough to withstand further breakage into their inorganic constituents.     

Storm-built sand ridges on the Maryland inner shelf: a preliminary report

Several aspects of the Maryland ridge field are pertinent to the problem of ridge genesis in response to Holocene sea-level rise. There is a systematic morphologic change fromshoreface ridges throughnearshore ridges tooffshore ridges, which reflects the changing hydraulic regime. Grain size is 90° out of phase with topography, so that the coarsest sand lies between the axis of each trough and the adjacent seaward ridge crest, while the finest sand lies between each ridge crest and the axis of the adjacent seaward trough. Finally, analysis over a 43-year period on an outer ridge reveals a systematic pattern of landward flank erosion, seaward flank deposition, and seaward crest migration. These relationships support a model which explains the ridges as consequences of the up-current shift of maximum bottom shear stress with respect to the crests of initial bottom irregularities. The oblique orientation of the ridges with respect to the beach may be at least partly due to the more rapid migration rate of the ridges’ inshore ends.     

River flooding, storm resuspension, and event stratigraphy on the northern California shelf: observations compared with simulations

Coast-hugging surface flood plumes occur on the inner shelf of northern California during the winter season, generating dense, near-bottom suspensions which may attain fluid mud concentrations as particles settle. The period of storm-heightened waves may continue into the flood period, leading to gravity-driven seaward displacement of the bottom suspension; or the wave regime may ameliorate, leaving the suspension to consolidate as a short-lived, inner-shelf flood bed. Such beds tend to be resuspended within days or weeks by subsequent storm events that may recreate the original high concentrations. The sediment is thus dispersed seaward by gravity flows, to be deposited as a muddy flood bed on the central shelf. The locus of deposition of these “high-concentration regimes” is a function of the relative intensities of river discharge and storm wave height. Greater discharge piles thicker storm beds nearer shore, while intense wave regimes allow deposition of the fluid mud further seaward. During events with high values of both parameters, large amount of fluid mud may bypass over the shelf edge. In contrast, “low-concentration regimes” occur during storm periods when there has been no recent flood deposition on the inner shelf. The shelf floor is better consolidated than in the previous case, and the resulting suspended sediment concentrations are lower. As a consequence, low-concentration regimes are winnowing and bypassing regimes, and the beds deposited are thinner and sandier. Algorithms describing deposition by high and low-concentration regimes have been embedded in a probabilistic model. A simulation of a 400-year sequence of beds deposited by winter storms and floods suggests that on the Eel shelf, the Holocene transgressive systems tract consists of back-stepping, seaward-fining event beds, whose timelines (bedding planes) dip more gently than do their gradational facies boundaries. At these longer time scales, flood beds dominate over storm beds.     

南沙群岛礁概化地形上拍岸浪数值模拟与统计分析

南沙群岛珊瑚岛礁众多,大多数岛礁具有向海坡陡峭、外礁坪比较平缓的特征。将南沙群岛岛礁的迎浪向地形概化为陡坡和缓坡组成的双斜坡,采用FUNWAVE-TVD模式数值模拟概化地形上的波浪,根据模拟的破碎波高分析其拍岸浪特征。对拍岸浪数值模拟结果进行比较分析,向海坡的坡度对拍岸浪影响不大,外礁坪上拍岸浪高随地形坡度增大而略有增大;向海坡和外礁坪交界位置(即坡折点)水深对拍岸浪有比较明显的影响,拍岸浪高随坡折点水深增大而减小;拍岸浪高随入射波高和波周期增大而增大。利用大量的拍岸浪数值模拟数据对国内外5种统计模型进行检验,并且基于拍岸浪数值模拟数据建立了3种南沙群岛岛礁拍岸浪统计模型,计算结果显示这些模型适用性较好。     

Using choice models to inform large marine protected area design

During the last decade a number of Large Marine Protected Areas (LMPAs) – marine protected areas that exceed a minimum size threshold and are often in offshore or open ocean waters – have been designated in an effort to meet marine conservation objectives. Research on the human dimensions of LMPAs is limited, though comprehensive policy analysis requires an understanding of the full range of social, cultural and economic benefits associated with LMPA designation. This paper addresses this need by employing a stated preference choice experiment survey of U.S. west coast households to examine public preferences for different protected area designs sited off the U.S. west coast. Using data from over 3000 randomly selected households in California, Oregon, and Washington we estimate choice models and calculate economic values for a suite of LMPAs that vary in size and in the types of restrictions within area boundaries. Results show that the LMPA size yielding the highest value is ~15.6% of the west coast Federal waters. Results also underscore the importance of restriction type, as there are considerably different threshold sizes above which diminishing returns and negative economic values are derived from no-access reserves, no-take, and multiple-use designations. While the value of any specific configuration can be estimated using the model, results offer insight on optimal use designations from a public perspective for small (< 2.5% of west coast Federal waters), medium (2.5%–~10%) and large (> 10%) LMPAs sited off the U.S. west coast.     

An experimental model application of wavescreen: Dynamic pressure, water particle velocity, and wave measurements

This paper analyses the results of an application of a piled wavescreen. Experimental measurements were undertaken in the laboratory conditions for a given structural configuration under the attack of regular and irregular waves. Dynamic pressure distribution along and around the inclined piles was obtained employing pressure transducers. Using these data, in-line dynamic wave forces acting on piles were also determined. Water particle (orbital) velocities were measured at seaward and landward of the wavescreen using two acoustic Doppler velocimeters (ADV) simultaneously. Furthermore, wave data were collected using resistance type wave gauges at the seaward and landward of the structure. Based on those data, wave attenuation performance of the wavescreen was explored for two different depth values. Findings showed that piled wavescreen can provide effective shore protection as an environmentally friendly coastal structure.     

Sediment flux and equilibrium slopes in a barred nearshore

Estimates of time-integrated values of total (ITVF) and net (INVF) sediment volume flux and the associated changes in bed elevation and local slope were determined for a crescentic outer nearshore bar in Kouchibouguac Bay, New Brunswick, Canada, for eight discrete storm events. A 100 × 150 m grid of depth-of-activity rods spaced at 10 m intervals was used to monitor sediment behaviour on the seaward slope, bar crest and landward slope during the storms, at which time winds, incident waves and near-bed oscillatory currents were measured. Comparisons between storm events and between these events and a longer-term synthetic wave climatology were facilitated using hindcast wave parameters. Strong positive correlations between storm-wave conditions (significant height and total cumulative energy) and total volume flux contrasted strongly with the zero correlation between storm-wave conditions and net volume flux. ITVF values ranged up to 1646 m³ for the experimental grid and were found to have power function relations with significant wave height (exponent 2) and cumulative wave wave energy (exponent 0.4); values of INVF ranged from 0 up to 100 m³ for the same grid indicating a balance of sediment volume in the bar form through time. Sediment reactivation increased linearly with decreasing depth across the seaward slope and bar crest reaching maxima of 20 cm for the two largest storms; bed elevation, and thus slope, changes were restricted to the bar crest and upper landward slope with near zero morphological change on the seaward slope. The latter represents a steady-state equilibrium with null net transport of sediment under shoaling waves. Measurements of the asymmetry of orbital velocities close to the bed show that the energetics approach to predicting beach slope of Inman and Bagnold (1963) is sound. Gradients predicted vary from 0.01 to 0.03 for a range of angles of internal friction appropriate to the local sediment (tan ø = 0.3–0.6). These compare favorably with the measured seaward slope of 0.015 formed under average maximum orbital velocities of 1.12 m s⁻¹ (landward) and 1.09 m s⁻¹ (seaward) recorded during the period of the largest storm waves.     

Continental margin off Sergipe and Alagoas, northeastern Brazil: A reconnaissance geophysical study of morphology and structure

The stable continental margin of northeastern Brazil is unusually narrow, probably because of the small size and tropical character of the drainage basins of the hinterland, and correspondingly low rates of land erosion and marine sedimentation. The continental shelf, which is mainly a marine erosion surface, is also remarkably shallow, either because of upwarping or, more probably, because of the ineffectiveness of Pleistocene marine erosional processes on steeply sloping continental margins. Sediment accumulation is confined to the Sāo Francisco delta, seaward of which are fossil (?) lagoonal deposits, and to a poorly developed nearshore sand prism.The margin formed by seaward progradation of sediment on a subsiding basement, but the present morphology of the continental slope reflects chiefly Pleistocene canyon cutting and mass gravitational movements of sediment, which have exposed older strata in the upper slope. Beneath the continental slope is a magnetic anomaly (like the slope anomaly off the eastern U.S.A.), probably caused by a deeply buried dike of oceanic basalt, and apparently associated with a buried ridge which may have formed the seaward margin of the Sergipe—Alagoas Basin during the early history of the South Atlantic. Similar structures may be typical of the narrow easternmost part of the Brazilian margin.