Effects of longshore variation of coastline geometry and bottom topography on coastal upwelling in a two-layer model

Effects of the longshore variation of the coastline geometry and the bottom topography on coastal upwelling are discussed. Longshore variations of the topography cause local enhancing or weakening of upwelling in the process of the generation and propagation of internal Kelvin and the shelf waves.     

A numerical study on the role of wind forcing,bottom topography,and nonhydrostacy in coastal upwelling

The responses of coastal upwelling to different magnitudes of wind stress over a narrow and a wide shelf are studied using a 3-D primitive equation numerical model. The results show that the position of the upwelling front depends on both the strength and the duration of the wind forcing. The comparison between different shelf widths shows that wide shelf will limit the cold water intrusion, so that the corresponding decrease in sea surface temperature is less compared to narrow shelves. Besides, the difference between hydrostatic and nonhydrostatic model results shows that nonhydrostatic effects will enhance the growth of surface meandering, and can be more pronounced near steep fronts. Although difference does exist, our results show that the nonhydrostatic effects are very small at least in this idealized study case.     

Influence of straits and bottom topography on the structure of barotropic currents in a flow-through basin

The development of currents and eddies in a basin of variable depth with two straits is studied within the framework of the nonlinear theory of long waves taking into account turbulent viscosity and the Coriolis parameter. The problem is solved numerically. We perform the comparative analysis of the results of modeling of currents in a homogeneous liquid. It is shown that these results depend on the location of the straits and bottom topography. Only jet currents are formed in basins of constant depth with symmetric straits. Eddy structures periodically appear in the presence of asymmetric straits.     

A coupled-mode model for water wave scattering by horizontal, non-homogeneous current in general bottom topography

A coupled-mode model is developed for treating the wave–current–seabed interaction problem, with application to wave scattering by non-homogeneous, steady current over general bottom topography. The vertical distribution of the scattered wave potential is represented by a series of local vertical modes containing the propagating mode and all evanescent modes, plus additional terms accounting for the satisfaction of the free-surface and bottom boundary conditions. Using the above representation, in conjunction with unconstrained variational principle, an improved coupled system of differential equations on the horizontal plane, with respect to the modal amplitudes, is derived. In the case of small-amplitude waves, a linearised version of the above coupled-mode system is obtained, generalizing previous results by Athanassoulis and Belibassakis [J Fluid Mech 1999;389:275–301] for the propagation of small-amplitude water waves over variable bathymetry regions. Keeping only the propagating mode in the vertical expansion of the wave potential, the present system reduces to an one-equation model, that is shown to be compatible with mild-slope model concerning wave–current interaction over slowly varying topography, and in the case of no current it exactly reduces to the modified mild-slope equation. The present coupled-mode system is discretized on the horizontal plane by using second-order finite differences and numerically solved by iterations. Results are presented for various representative test cases demonstrating the usefulness of the model, as well as the importance of the first evanescent modes and the additional sloping-bottom mode when the bottom slope is not negligible. The analytical structure of the present model facilitates its extension to fully non-linear waves, and to wave scattering by currents with more general structure.     

Mesoscale distribution of clupeoid larvae in an upwelling filament trapped by a quasi-permanent cyclonic eddy off Northwest Africa

The distribution of fish larvae in relation to a filament shed from the Northwest African coastal upwelling was studied in February 2001. During the cruise, the filament was located between 27°N and 28°N, extending from the African coastal upwelling zone to the south of Fuerteventura Island (Canary Islands). This filament was trapped and remained over the quasi-permanent cyclonic eddy observed in previous studies. Almost all Sardina pilchardus, Engraulis encrasicolus and Sardinella aurita larvae caught during the cruise were associated with upwelled waters and filament structures. The sampled larval fish assemblage was composed by 12.6% of clupeoid larvae. These were distributed as follows: 73.9% were S. pilchardus, 20.7% were E. encrasicolus and 5.4% were S. aurita. Their distribution suggested that the coastal upwelling filament is a mechanism of transport from the upwelling area to oceanic waters, but its junction with the generated cyclonic eddy may not always work as a retention structure for those transported larvae, as described in previous studies. Physiological studies based on gut fluorescence and ETS activity of clupeoid larvae, as proxies for grazing and respiration, respectively, denoted a switch from pigmented food near the upwelling zone to unpigmented food toward the ocean. This pattern agrees with observed mesozooplankton feeding along an upwelling filament in previous studies. Therefore, this work confirms the close relationship between clupeoids distribution and mesoscale circulation, as well as constitutes the first assessment of the metabolic activity of those larvae in the region.     

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.     

Effect of stratification on long period trapped waves on the shelf

The effect of stratification on very long-period waves trapped on a straight continental shelf of constant depth is examined for a two-layer model. There are 4 modes in this system. The characteristics of the mode with the largest phase velocity can be approximated by the barotropic mode. The mode corresponding to the barotropic shelf-wave mode is modified by the baroclinic motions significantly, and in the limit of very narrow shelf width, the mode characteristics are transformed from those of the barotropic shelf-wave to the baroclinic Kelvin wave if the long-shore wave length is larger than the internal deformation radius. In this case, the stratification has an apparent effect of increasing phase velocity of barotropic shelf-waves. The remaining two modes are dominated by baroclinic motions with significant contribution from barotropic motions: among which the one has a shelf-wave characteristics for small values of the shelf width and approaches the mode corresponding to the baroclinic Kelvin wave in shallower water for large shelf width and the other is a stationary mode. If the long-shore wave length is much shorter than the internal deformation radius, the motions in the upper and lower layers are decoupled: the surface and bottom modes analogous to those discussed byRhines (1970) appears.If the interface is deeper than the shelf depth, the stationary mode is absent and the characteristics of the third mode approaches those of the baroclinic double Kelvin wave mode as the shelf width increases.     

Effect of bottom slope in northeastern North Pacific on deep-water upwelling and overturning circulation

Hydrographic data show that the meridional deep current at 47°N is weak and southward in northeastern North Pacific; the strong northward current expected for an upwelling in a flat-bottom ocean is absent. This may imply that the eastward-rising bottom slope in the Northeast Pacific Basin contributes to the overturning circulation. After analysis of observational data, we examine the bottom-slope effect using models in which deep water enters the lower deep layer, upwells to the upper deep layer, and exits laterally. The analytical model is based on geostrophic hydrostatic balance, Sverdrup relation, and vertical advection–diffusion balance of density, and incorporates a small bottom slope and an eastward-increasing upwelling. Due to the sloping bottom, current in the lower deep layer intensifies bottomward, and the intensification is weaker for larger vertical eddy diffusivity (K _V), weaker stratification, and smaller eastward increase in upwelling. Varying the value of K _V changes the vertical structure and direction of the current; the current is more barotropic and flows further eastward as K _V increases. The eastward current is reproduced with the numerical model that incorporates the realistic bottom-slope gradient and includes boundary currents. The interior current flows eastward primarily, runs up the bottom slope, and produces an upwelling. The eastward current has a realistic volume transport that is similar to the net inflow, unlike the large northward current for a flat bottom. The upwelling water in the upper deep layer flows southward and then westward in the southern region, although it may partly upwell further into the intermediate layer.     

Generation of internal waves resulting from the interaction of a barotropic tide with a horizontallyinhomogeneous density field and bottom topography

This paper addresses the problem of the generation of internal waves by a barotropic tide propagating in a uniformly stratified sea across the frontal zone overlying a submerged ridge or a continental slope. Using Riemann's technique, we have performed computations and analysed the wave fields' spatial characteristics and have defined the dependences of the generated wave amplitudes, bottom topography parameters, and density field. It is shown that the presence of a horizontally-inhomogeneous density region over a subwater feature may lead to substantial alteration of the maximum amplitudinal values of internal waves, both inside and around the frontal zone.Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

The generation of baroclinic tides over steep non-uniform bottom topography

The internal waves generated by semi-diurnal barotropic tides over steep non-uniform bottom topography are considered within the framework of the general linear theory. For the distribution of a fairly general form of the Bruth-Väsälä frequency, a method is suggested for computing the wave fields over critical and post-critical topographic non-uniformities which takes into account wave motion in shadow areas. A specific analysis has been carried out for the fluid stratification, modelling pycnocline, and the bottom profile given by a simple trigonometric relation.Translated by V. Puchkin.     

Effects of bottom topography and density stratification on the formation of western boundary currents

A wind-driven, general circulation for a two-layer ocean with continental shelf-slope along the western boundary is studied numerically. Special attention is focused on the formation process of the western boundary current in the subtropical gyre. The western boundary current develops in the upper layer along the western boundary on the shelf-slope with a bottom trapped poleward flow in the lower layer. The poleward undercurrent is concentrated approximately along the contour lines of the potential vorticity,f/D, wheref is the Coriolis parameter andD the depth of the ocean. The separation of upper- and lower-layer flows on the shelf-slope represents a typical transient response. As the response approaches a steady state, the poleward undercurrent decreases in amplitude, and the motion tends to be confined to the upper layer. The flow pattern becomes similar to that found in a flat bottom ocean. A steady-state response is expected to be isostatic (no motion in the lower layer), even on the shelf-slope, as conservation of potential vorticity would suggest.The remarkable increase in transport of the western boundary current produced by the formation of an anticyclonic vortex on the shelf-slope extending throughout the hemisphere (Holland, 1973) does not occur in the wind-driven general circulation.     

Satellite SAR observation of shallow bottom topography of the east Australia Sea

INTRODUCTIONOne of the interesting oceanographic features detected with SAR is the shallow bottom toPOgraphic feature and bathymetry nearshore. The knowledge on sea bottom toPOgraphy is of vitalimPOrtance not only for shipping, fishery and all kinds of offshore activities, but also for the calibration and validation of morphodynamic models which are currently under development. Traditional bathymetric surveys consume time and cost. SAR remote sensing of oceanography may offeran altern…     

On the reconstruction of upwelling history: Namibia upwelling in context

Eastern boundary upwelling is an important aspect of the modern ocean, despite the relatively small area involved. Consequences of increased upwelling during the Neogene, as a result of intensifying trade winds, include increased heat transport by the ocean, increased mixing, increased fractionation of phosphate from silicate, and opportunities for evolution of new species. Coastal upwelling has been studied since the first decade of the 20th century. The processes involved are complex, and differ depending on geographic setting. Off Namibia, upwelling history has been studied by a number of drilling expeditions; the last of these was ODP Leg 175, which occupied seven sites on the continental slope between Walvis Ridge and Cape Town, during September and October of 1997. Productivity proxies all along southwestern Africa suggest the presence of increased upwelling and organic matter supply to the sea floor during glacial periods. At the same time, there is a decrease in the supply of diatoms and other siliceous plankton remains. This is the Walvis Opal Paradox, established through the contrasting results of studies by Diester-Haass (1985) and Oberhänsli (1991). We propose that the Walvis Opal Paradox is fundamental to the understanding of glacial–interglacial productivity fluctuations on a global scale. Furthermore, a central feature of the history of late Neogene upwelling off Namibia is the Matuyama Opal Maximum, centered between Gauss and Olduvai magnetic chrons [Wefer et al., Proc. ODP 175 (1998)]. It is due to the fact that diatom supply first increases (during the Gauss) when the planet cools and then decreases again during additional cooling, on entering the Quaternary. On a 400 000-year scale, peak productions are coincident with (or slightly lag) maximum seasonal contrast potential in the high-latitude insolation curve. We suggest that this is further evidence that the nutrient content of thermocline waters was diminished during glacial periods. The reasons why this should be so remain to be discovered.     

Upwelling age: an indicator of local tendency for coastal upwelling

A proxy named “upwelling age”, defined as the ratio of wind time scale to “advection time”, was developed to quantify the local tendency for coastal upwelling. The formulation of the “advection time” was derived from Ekman theory. A 3D numerical model was used to validate and refine the theoretical formula by simulating a total of 30 cases of different bottom topographies and wind stresses. The results agree reasonably well with the theoretical formulation although some modifications are necessary. The final formulation of the “advection time” was parameterized as a function of pycnocline depth, bottom slope, and wind stress.     

蓬莱附近 海区水下地形的星载合成孔径雷达遥感

本文依据山东蓬莱附近海区１９９２年４月１９日的ＥＲＳ－１ＳＡＲ图像，分析了该海区的水下地形并探讨了水下地形雷达成像机理。分析结果显示，ＳＡＲ图像较好地揭示了该海区四人洲、潮待洲、新井洲等水下地形。研究指出，流经水下地形的潮流对海洋表面波的水动力调制是水下地形ＳＡＲ成像的主要机理。     

Seasonal energy cycle of wind-driven ocean circulation with particular emphasis on the role of bottom topography

We investigate how the bottom slope affects the time-dependent global energy balance of a two-layer subtropical gyre driven by seasonal winds in order to reformulate the concept joint effect of baroclinicity and bottom relief (JEBAR) based on energetics rather than vorticity dynamics. It is shown that the role of JEBAR in this situation is to transfer energy between the barotropic and baroclinic fields. Since a deep current tends to flow in meridional directions along a meridional ridge, the geostrophically balanced pressure-gradient forces can perform work on the zonal barotropic flow over the ridge. The direction of the deep motion, and hence the sign of the work is reversed seasonally because the pressure field in the lower layer exhibits an anticyclonic tendency in winter and a cyclonic tendency in summer. The topographic beta effect strengthens the work on the northwest and southeast sides of the ridge, so that the net contribution from the ridge region is negative in winter and positive in summer. On the other hand, this work must be canceled by enhancing the energy conversion to satisfy the energy equation. As a result, the ridge not only accelerates but also seasonally reverses the sign of the rate of energy conversion. With some modification, a meridional trench and a western continental slope turn out to have qualitatively the same effect on the seasonal transport variation. Therefore, the annual range in the barotropic transport of the gyre is, to varying degrees, reduced irrespective of the details of the large-scale bottom topography.     

Relation of sea beam echo peak statistics to the character of bottom topography

Histograms of echo peaks from three different topographic regions in the outer beams of a Sea Beam sonar show distinct variation as the topography changes from the North Cleft ridge to the Cascadia abyssal plain in the Pacific Ocean. Parameter estimation of probability density functions (pdfs) shows significant departure from Rayleigh pdf for the nonabyssal plain sites. The spectral character of the sea-floor roughness from an acoustic backscatter model suggests that the ridge area is dominated by large-scale roughness and the abyssal plain by small scale. It appears that change in roughness magnitude effects the observed histogram characteristics.     

Hydroelastic response of a very large floating structure over a variable bottom topography

An influence of sea-bottom topography on the hydroelastic response of a Very Large Floating Structure (VLFS) is considered. When the floating structure is constructed near the shore, the sea-bottom topographical effect should be considered. In this study, the effect of sea-bottom topography is investigated for four different bottom cases. To calculate the sea-bottom effects rigorously, the finite-element method based on the variational formulation is used in the fluid domain. The pontoon-type floating structure is modeled as the Kirchhoff plate. The mode superposition method is adopted for the hydroelastic behavior of the floating structure.     

地形与流对水平无旋浅水波的影响

本文在水平无旋及Boussinesq假设之下,导出了水面变化与水平速度场耦合方程组,以及相应的压力与垂向速度解析表示式。通过数值方法求得水面变化及某一特定水深的水平速度分布之后,压力分布及其余水深的速度分布即可由简单计算得到。由色散关系式可知,不同水深的长波色散关系在O(ε)近似之下是等同的。粘性的存在会使波高随时间的增加而衰减,但粘性与底斜率的耦合又可能使波高增长,形成不稳定;计算及分析说明,当同向流增大时,波速增大,波长增大,波高会增加;而水深减少,使波速减少,波长缩短,振幅增加。