Potential conflict in the South China sea and environs

There are many territorial disputes in Asia — both on continental Asia and in the surrounding seas. These disputes are often extensions of wider ethnic, historical and ideological rivalries. A relatively new development in disputes over island territories and EEZ boundaries is the economic dimension that has been added to old disputes and rivalries: the disputing nations, aware of the benefits that offshore oil and minerals, as well as fishing, can provide to their economies, have a clear financial incentive to pursue their claims as strongly as they dare. National pride and wider political and ideological conflicts with their rival claimants further reduce the prospects for compromise. Tensions are increased by the possibility that a military conflict in pursuit of a claim could lead to escalation, drawing the USA and the USSR into the dispute. This article outlines some of the major tension points in the area of the South China Sea.     

Marine geology of the Aleutian Abyssal Plain

Five expeditions (1965–1970) across parts of the Aleutian Abyssal Plain and adjacent areas in the Gulf of Alaska, and results of the Deep Sea Drilling Project, provide new information for the geologic history of the region which forms restrictive limits on models of plate tectonics. In general: (1) the Eocene-Oligocene, turbidite Aleutian Abyssal Plain was deposited from channelized turbidity currents from the north or northeast; (2) the plain is bounded on the south by the northern ridges of the Surveyor Fracture Zone, and is isolated from the Tufts Abyssal Plain; (3) turbidites were deposited from many buried channels and smaller surficial channels, but mainly from four great channels: Seamap, Sagittarius, Aquarius, and Taurus.The channels are depositional features; accumulation of sediments causes the channels to lie, topographically, along low ridges, with channels above distal portions of their levees. Western levees are higher and broader than eastern levees. Levee heights decrease from 30–100 m in the north to 15–25 m in the south.Rates of deposition and thicknesses of pelagic sediments in the northwest are 3 to 4 times greater than in the southeast. The data indicate the pelagics were deposited near the margin of the Pacific, at or near present locations. Thus, little or no northward plate motion is indicated.Turbidite thicknesses decrease from about 400–800 m in the north to about 200 m in the south. Turbidite thicknesses in the east-central plain are greater than in the Alaskan Abyssal Plain (formed since the Miocene), the northern Tufts Abyssal Plain, or the Sohm Abyssal Plain in the North Atlantic.Faulting and flexure of the oceanic crust seaward of the Aleutian Trench have strongly affected the channels. Seamap Channel has its high point midway along its course. The other three major channels are uplifted and faulted in the north.Required volumes of off-scraped sediments, undisturbed turbidites in the Aleutian Trench floor, and paleoclimatology also argue for little northward plate movement.The total evidence indicates that the turbidite Aleutian Abyssal Plain was formed in the Eocene-Oliogocene at, or near, its present position, and that the sediment source was probably Alaska. Cretaceous flysch of the Alaska Peninsula continental terrace was a possible source.The evidence does not require, but does not exclude, plate tectonics hypotheses. The evidence apparently excludes those continuous spreading models which cannot explain deposition of an Eocene-Oligocene turbidite plain over the magnetic bight, or which require an active, subducting, paleogene Aleutian Trench. Plate movements to the north over small distances cannot be excluded. The evidence is consistent with concepts of discontinuous sea-floor spreading with episodic subduction, or discontinuous, relative plate motion in this area. Two models are outlined which are consistent with the regional evidence: (1) a model with discontinuous relative plate motion and episodic subduction (a variation of one published by Hayes and Pitman, 1970); or (2) a no-plate-motion, or very-little-motion, model with long periods of inter-plate inactivity without subduction.     

Neon distribution in South Atlantic and South Pacific waters

We present and assess the distribution of neon in South Atlantic and South Pacific waters, on the basis of more than 3000 mostly new neon data which were obtained primarily under the hydrographic program of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (predominantly southern summer to fall cruises). Data precision is better than±0.5%, and the set is internally consistent within±0.3% and partly better, and compatible with reported high-quality neon values. Using suitably averaged data (precision 0.1–0.3%), we find that the total range of neon anomalies relative to a solubility equilibrium with atmospheric neon at the observed potential temperature and salinity (using the solubilities of Weiss, J. Chem. Eng. Data 16 (1971) 235) is approximately 0–4%, and below 2000 m depth, 3–4% only. We consistently observe two types of neon depth profiles, one for the temperate-latitudes ocean, which is characterized by a near-surface maximum and a minimum in Antarctic Intermediate Water, and one for the Southern Ocean that essentially displays a steady increase with depth. The neon distribution reflects the influence of air injected by submerged air bubbles, the areal distribution of atmospheric pressure, seasonal temperature changes in the mixed layer and solar heating below it, and interaction with sea ice and glacial ice, largely in keeping with previous work. However, it appears that interaction with sea ice reduces neon anomalies distinctly less than the literature suggests. The temperate-ocean shallow maxima point to widespread subsurface heating in the course of the summer season by roughly 1 K. Among the major source water masses of the deep waters, the neon anomalies are lowest in Antarctic Intermediate Water (∼1.5%), intermediate in North Atlantic Deep Water (∼3%, confirming previous work) and similarly in Circumpolar Deep Water, and highest in Antarctic Bottom Water (∼3.8%). The anomalies in Southeast Pacific deep waters (>2500 m) are comparatively less (only∼3.3%), as a result of the contribution of Antarctic Intermediate Water. The present study is the first attempt to deal with the oceanic distribution of neon in a systematic fashion. The results can serve to assist assessments of the oceanic distributions of other dissolved gases.     

Marine geology of the Sodwana Bay shelf, southeast Africa

The geostrophic current-controlled northern Zululand shelf displays a unique assemblage of interesting physical, sedimentological and biological phenomena. The shelf in this area is extremely narrow (3 km) and is characterised by submarine canyons, coral reefs, and steep gradients on the continental slope. Three submarine canyons occur in the study area and are classified as mature- or youthful-phase canyons depending on the degree to which they breach the shelf. These canyons originated as mass-wasting features which were exploited by palaeo-drainage during sea-level regressions. Shelf lithology is dominated by a series of coast-parallel patch coral reefs which have colonised beachrock and aeolianite sequences that extend semi-continuously from −5 to −95 m, and delineate late Pleistocene palaeocoastline events. The unconsolidated sediment on the shelf is either shelf sand (mainly terrigenous quartz grains) or bioclastic sediment. Large-scale subaqueous dunes commonly form in the unconsolidated sediment on the outer-shelf due to the Agulhas Current flow. These dunes occur as two distinct fields at depths of −35 to −70 m; the major sediment transport direction is towards the south, but occasional bedload parting zones exist where the bedform migration direction changes from south to north.     

长岛县海洋产业结构优化研究

21世纪是海洋的世纪,科学利用海洋资源、发展海洋经济是实现人类社会可持续发展的重要途径。海岛地区,要在新一轮竞争中抢占发展先机、实现新的跨越,必须加快产业结构调整,推动产业转型提质增效。对此,以长岛为例,对海洋产业结构优化进行了专题研究。     

Evaporite deposition in the Aptian South Atlantic Ocean

The Aptian salt deposits of the South Atlantic Ocean extend for 250 km offshore and underlie the continental rise off Brazil and Angola in 4000 m water depth. These salt deposits do not occur south of the Walvis Ridge and Rio Grande Rise, and apparently lie on oceanic and continental crust. Geological evidence and an Aptian-Middle Barremian reconstruction of the South Atlantic suggests the pre-Aptian South Atlantic was closed at both ends, thus favouring widespread salt deposition on oceanic and continental crust. Three models of halite deposition are discussed briefly.     

Sea-floor spreading rate changes in the South Atlantic

A computer correlation technique was used to deduce the spreading history of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge from 5 magnetic profiles between 28°S and 43°S. In general, several possible histories are indicated for each profile involving changes of spreading rate and faulting, some of which are easily overlooked by the visual method. The only spreading history that was consistent will all the profiles required spreading at approximately 2.2 cm yr^-1 from 11 m.y.b.p. to approximately 5.5 m.y.b.p., followed by a decrease in rate to 1.7 cm yr^-1 relative to the Vine (1966) magnetic reversal model based on the South Pacific. Comparison of the data with other reported spreading rate discontinuities suggests that the South Pacific may be reponsible for the reported spreading rate changes.     

Remote sensing and surface POC concentration in the South Atlantic

Several SeaWiFS products have been compared with shipboard data to assess the possibility of using remote sensing to estimate particulate organic carbon (POC) concentration in surface waters. Transmissometer data were collected during six South Atlantic Ventilation Experiment (SAVE) hydrographic expeditions conducted between November 1987 and March 1989 from R/V Knorr, and Melville. A total of 361 beam attenuation profiles were made with a SeaTech transmissometer interfaced with a CTD/rosette. In order to calculate the POC concentration from transmissometer profiles, a regression between beam attenuation and POC for open Atlantic Ocean waters derived from our research in the North Atlantic (North Atlantic Bloom Experiment, NABE) and enhanced by data from the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series Station (BATS) was applied. The profiles were processed and examined as vertical sections of the surface 250 m. The data were collected in two successive years, during the same season, which allowed us to compile a combined data set over the austral summer for examination. Beam attenuation/POC concentrations were integrated down to one attenuation depth with the intent of making comparisons with satellite optical data. No satellite optical data were available for 1987–1989, so the only option was to compare our integrated data with SeaWiFS-derived variables from later years averaged over the same season as SAVE data. Analysis of four SeaWiFS products acquired from 1997 to 2002 demonstrated very low variations from year to year for seasonally averaged data, suggesting that making comparisons of the beam attenuation/POC fields with averaged satellite optical products from later years is a valid (though not optimal) approach for this area. The highest correlation between beam attenuation/POC concentration and remotely derived products was found with normalized water-leaving radiance at 555 nm. Other SeaWiFS-derived variables—chlorophyll concentration, diffuse attenuation coefficient at 490 nm and integral chlorophyll (integrated over one attenuation depth)—were also compared but showed a slightly less satisfactory correlation.     

Diversity and distributional patterns of Polychaeta in the deep South Atlantic

This study provides new information about the composition, diversity and zoogeography of abyssal polychaetes in the little-studied South Eastern Atlantic (Angola Basin). During the austral winter of 2000, twenty-five box core samples (total area sampled 6 m²) were taken along a 500-km transect in five work areas at depths exceeding 5000 m. A total of 1047 individuals representing 86 species belonging to 32 families was collected. Well over half the polychaetes (58 species; 67%) appear to be new to science, with the highest number of new species among the Cirratulidae, Paraonidae, Phyllodocidae, Ampharetidae, Opheliidae, and Spionidae. Eight of these new species were among the 16 dominant species in the deep Angola Basin whereas, 32 species (37%) were considered to be rare with only 1–2 individuals collected. Species accumulation curves did not level off at a fixed number of species, indicating that diversity would increase with additional sampling. Polychaete community assemblages among box core samples were highly variable. Ten of the known species are biogeographically widespread outside the Angola Basin whereas five appear to be restricted to the deep Atlantic. Two species have only been recorded in the Southern Ocean, and one in the southern hemisphere. Twenty (35%) of the species considered to be new to science were also found in samples from the deep Southern Ocean, whereas eight of the known species found in the Angola Basin have not been reported from the Southern Ocean to date. Surface deposit feeders and carnivores were the dominant functional groups both in terms of number of individuals and number of species. Necessary steps to further our knowledge of the little-known abyssal ecosystem are discussed.     

南海现代沉积地质学的若干问题

本文根据大量实际调查资料,从地质学和海洋沉积学角度,论述南海现代沉积地质学7方面的规律问题,获得初步认识是:(1) 沉积物有8种沉积成因类型,5种沉积环境和相,及具有3次海退、海进旋回的沉积演化模式;(2) 沉积成因类型以陆源碎屑和生物源为主;(3) 生物沉积是判别沉积环境和相的重要标志。沉积物粒度特征,是反映主要水动力作用的可靠标志;(4) 海洋有用砂矿物和锰结核的沉积,受沉积成因类型和沉积环境所控制。     

The distribution and speciation of mercury in the South and equatorial Atlantic

Mercury concentration and speciation were measured in surface and deep ocean waters of the South and equatorial Atlantic. In the surface waters, total Hg was 2.9±1.7 pM on average, with a significant fraction present as reactive Hg (1.7±1.2 pM). The reactive Hg fraction consisted of elemental Hg (Hg°) as the dominant species (1.2±0.8 pM). Measurements in surface waters also showed that Hg partitioned to the “colloidal” phase (0.33±0.28 pM) and was associated with particulate matter (0.1±0.05 pM). No dimethylmercury (DMHg;<0.01 pM) or monomethylmercury (MMHg; <0.05 pM) was detected in mixed layer samples. The highest DMHg concentrations were found in recently formed deep waters – Antarctic Intermediate Water and Antarctic Bottom Water and in the equatorial sub-thermocline region. Higher concentrations of DMHg coincided with higher values of apparent oxygen utilization, indicative of a link between microbial activity and methylated Hg production. The lowest-deep water DMHg concentrations were found in the core of the North Atlantic Deep Water. Incubation experiments on-board demonstrated that light enhanced the decomposition of DMHg, with MMHg as the major product. In deep waters, Hg° was still an important constituent and is likely formed as a decomposition product from MMHg. These results suggest that methylated Hg production occurs primarily in regions of high biological activity, and that ionic Hg is strongly complexed to organic matter (colloidal material) in open ocean surface waters.     

Plankton communities of the South Atlantic anticyclonic gyre

Data collected during cruises of the Former Soviet Union (in 1963–1989) and the British Atlantic meridional transect program (in 1995–1999) were used to analyse macroscale patterns in phyto- and zooplankton biomass, size structure, species diversity, chlorophyll a, and plankton bioluminescence in the macroscale anticyclonic gyre of the South Atlantic Ocean. The spatial pattern of bioluminescence intensity was in good agreement with that of remotely sensed (CZCS) chlorophyll a, phosphate, salinity, and copepod species diversity index distributions especially in terms of geographic inclinations of the isolines, both associated with the north-westward pattern off the South equatorial current. Among the 416 copepod species recorded in samples, 51 species were noted throughout the whole gyre. On the other hand, there were a number of species found only in one of the currents. The mesozooplankton biomass size spectra (calculated in carbon units), exhibited a fairly stable slope of the curve from the eastern periphery of the gyre to its centre. The British Atlantic meridional transect program meridional transect through the western part of the gyre showed mesozooplankton size spectra in greater detail between the equator and 50° S. Although the spectra change slowly along the transect as far as 36° S, there is a general trend toward increasing slopes from the equatorial region to the oligotrophic central gyre. The calculated phyto-to-zooplankton ratio indicated that for the tropical anticyclonic gyres, the mesozooplankton carbon biomass could be represented as the exponential function of the phytoplankton carbon.     

A Zonal Pathway for NADW in the South Atlantic

Several large deployments of neutrally buoyant floats took place within the Antarctic Intermediate (AAIW), North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW), and the Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) of the South Atlantic in the 1990s and a number of hydrographic sections were occupied as well. Here we use the spatially and temporally averaged velocities measured by these floats, combined with the hydrographic section data and various estimates of regional current transports from moored current meter arrays, to determine the circulation of the three major subthermocline water masses in a zonal strip across the South Atlantic between the latitudes of 19°S and 30°S. We concentrate on this region because the historical literature suggests that it is where the Deep Western Boundary Current containing NADW bifurcates. In support of this notion, we find that a net of about 5 Sv. of the 15–20 Sv that crosses 19°S does continue zonally eastward at least as far as the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Once across the ridge it takes a circuit to the north along the ridge flanks before returning to the south in the eastern half of the Angola Basin. The data suggest that the NADW then continues on into the Indian Ocean. This scheme is discussed in the context of distributions of dissolved oxygen, silicate and salinity. In spite of the many float-years of data that were collected in the region a surprising result is that their impact on the computed solutions is quite modest. Although the focus is on the NADW we also discuss the circulation for the AAIW and AABW layers.     

Meridional Mass Transport of Bottom Water in the South Atlantic

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - Estimates of the meridional mass transport of Antarctic Bottom Water, calculated using the coupled ocean-atmosphere Earth System Model on the basis of...     

南黄海海域的海相地层含油气系统

南黄海海域油气勘探近40年成果证实,南黄海盆地与相邻的苏北盆地具有相似的发育历史。目前,苏北已在中、古生界近50口钻井中见到油气显示,其中在下三叠统青龙组和上石炭统船山组发现了大量油气显示,在盐城朱家墩发现源于中、古生界的再生气田,在黄桥镇苏174井志留系坟头组以及泥盆系五通组砂岩中钻遇液态CO2及轻质油,证明下扬子中、古生界存在油气生成和运聚的成藏过程,具有良好的油气勘探前景。     

科尔武岛海洋保护区管理模式及其启示

目前海洋保护区(MPA)受到国际社会的重点关注。科尔武岛海洋保护区是发达国家边远小岛开展海洋保护区管理的重要案例,其管理模式包括社区主导型和政府主导型2种。文章介绍科尔武岛的概况,阐述2种管理模式的主要内容并对其进行比较分析;在此基础上提出我国边远海岛海洋保护区管理的借鉴和启示,即须具备建立海洋保护区的逻辑思维、社区层面须提升公民参与意识以及政府层面须提高制度执行力度。     

Marine mineral resources of the South China sea

Abstract

The South China Sea is located within the domain of a plate triple‐junction and can be divided into five major geotectonic blocks that control the formation and distribution of the mineral resources of the region: (1) the southern China faulted block, (2) the eastern Indochina faulted block, (3) the Nansha‐Borneo faulted block, (4) the Taiwan‐Luzon faulted block, and (5) the central ocean basin faulted block. Apart from oil and gas, the most intensively exploited mineral deposits in the South China Sea are near‐shore placer minerals of titaniferous magnetite, zircon, monazite, tin, gold, and chromite. Based on analyses of submarine morphology and sea level change during the past 15,000 years, the South China Sea continental shelves are considered to be highly prospective for additional placer occurrence associated with such submarine features as: submerged platforms and terraces, drowned rivers and sand bars, ancient beaches, and seafloors covered by relict sediments. Additionally, based on available data, polymetallic sulfides and manganese nodules and crusts are considered as speculative resources of the future in the South China Sea.     

南大西洋副热带偶极子的年际变化

南大西洋副热带偶极子(South Atlantic Subtropical Dipole;SASD)为南大西洋海洋与大气相互作用的主要模态。它的空间型为海表面温度异常呈现东北-西南偶极子分布。当SASD指数大于1,为SASD正事件,小于-1,为负事件。根据1960-2016年HadISST(Hadley Center Global Sea Ice and Sea Surface Temperature)数据,本文鉴别出57年中共发生6次正事件和9次负事件。SASD存在显著的5~8年周期的年际变化特征。本文进一步利用1992-2016年ECCO2(Estimating the Circulation and Climate of the Ocean,PhaseⅡ)模式数据,根据温度倾向方程分别诊断了SASD西南极和东北极的混合层温度变化。诊断结果表明,SASD的年际变化主要来自于表面热力强迫项的年际变化。考虑到表面热力强迫项主要由短波辐射项控制,SASD的年际变化最终来源于短波辐射项的年际变化。     

Residual depth and residual geoid anomalies of the South Atlantic ocean

Abstract

We have obtained the residual depth and residual geoid anomalies of the South Atlantic Ocean and interpreted them in terms of upper mantle processes. Starting from the 5’ X 5’ SYNBAPS data, we computed the 1° X 1° mean water depth. We digitized a recent sediment thickness map of the South Atlantic and corrected for the isostatic sediment loading effects. A plot of the corrected basement depth against crustal ages shows a good match to the depth‐age curve of the plate model. We then subtracted the predicted plate model depths from the corrected basement depths and obtained the 1° X 1° residual depth. The residual depth anomalies have positive values over the topographic highs and relative negative values over the ocean basins. A prominent asymmetry is observed between the residual depth over the Argentine Basin and that over the Cape Basin.

We have obtained the 1° X 1° residual geoid of the South Atlantic by subtracting both the long wavelength features and the geoid variations due to the plate cooling from the 1° X 1° Seasat altimeter derived geoid. The long wavelength features are represented by the degree and order 10 geoid of GEM1OC, and the geoid variations due to the plate cooling effects are predicted by the plate model geoid‐age relationship. The residual geoid anomalies also show an asymmetry although weaker than the case of the residual depth, between the Argentine and Cape basins.

By taking the 5° X 5° averages, we removed possible plate bending effects on the depth and geoid anomalies. We then compared those two data sets with respect to the reported hot spot tracks in the South Atlantic. The residual depth generally shows positive values over the hot spot tracks, whereas the residual geoid does not show any sign of them. A prominent asymmetric feature of depth and geoid anomalies is observed over the Argentine and Cape basins. This asymmetry is probably caused by hotter and less dense materials beneath the Cape Basin. Hot spots or other mantle upwellings may be the heat sources.