A role for a superficial sediment layer in upward nutrient fluxes across the overlying water–sediment interface

A superficial sediment layer (SL) is the top 2–3 mm layer of surface sediment that may contribute to high upward nutrient flux. To study the characteristics and the biogeochemical processes in the superficial layer, the seasonal variation in the total phytopigments (chlorophyll a and pheo-pigments), total organic carbon (TOC), and total nitrogen (TN) of the surface sediments in a shallow coastal area, Shido Bay, were measured, and the influence of the superficial sediment layer on nutrient flux at the sediment–water interface was investigated. TOC and TN content were relatively constant for the SL and subsurface layers (0–1 and 1–2 cm) during the study period. In contrast, total phytopigments content was higher in the SL layer than in the subsurface layers. The results of upward nutrient flux experiments showed higher nutrient release within the whole sediment core (SL remaining) than the SL-less (SL removed) core. Moreover, high nutrient fluxes were observed during the high temperature season, indicating that seasonal variation in nutrient flux was regulated by temperature. Moreover, in the low temperature season, the SL seemed to absorb nutrients, probably because of microphytobenthos photosynthesis that took up the nutrients under the sufficient light penetration to the sea floor.     

On the origin of the Tsushima Warm Current Water

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The sediment types in the northeastern part of the South Cnina Sea—A discussion on regularity of the sedimentary types

Based on the comprehensive analysis of the types of sedimentary grain size in the studied region and the characteristics of organism, mineral and chemical compositions of the sediments, from the view-point of origin of the sediments, the sediments in the studied region are classified into four sedimentary types, namely, terrigenous detritus, biogenic-terri-genous, authigenous-terrigenous and volcanic-terrigenous (Fig. 1). Their characteristics, distributions and sedimentary regularities are approached in this paper.     

Variability of the Continental Water Boundary near the Pryda Bay

Based on the data obtained during the 15th Antarctic Expedition of China between November 1998 and February 1999,the paper discusses the water masses distributed on both sides of the Continental Water Boundary(CWB) as well as the spacial variability of the physical characteristics of the central location,the frontal width,the frontal strength,the vertical depth,and the vertical thickness for CWB,The above results are compared with the results from the data obtained during the 9th Antarctic Expedition of China between December 1992 and February 1993,and the temporal variabiltiy of those characteristics is discussed.In addition,the inhomogeneity of the kinematic characteristics and the patterms of the dynamic heights for those water masses located on both sides of CWB are illustrated.As it is pointed out in the paper,the trough in the dynamic height field is identified with the frontal location of CWB and the oceanic current shear.Furthermore,the dynamic reason for the upwelling of the circumpolar deep water can be understood by the explanation described in the paper.     

Biogeochemical transformations of dissolved organic matter at the sediment–water interface: results from in situ incubations within benthic chambers

Biogeochemical transformations of dissolved organic matter at the sediment–water interface were investigated by the use of benthic chambers in the western Gulf of Lions. The experimental approach used for this study consisted of in situ incubations of radiolabeled glutamic acid (¹⁴C-Glu), followed by a sequential extraction allowing the quantification of the radioactivity associated to different chemical fractions, representative of different biogeochemical processes. This technique was devised to simulate the fate of simple dissolved compounds resulting from the degradation of particulate organic matter near the seafloor. In our experiment the substrate underwent both biotic (mineralization, bacterial incorporation) and abiotic (geopolymerization) transformations. Significant spatial variations were put in relation with sediment characteristics (e.g. fine-grained fraction, Eh, CaCO₃ contents) and biological activities, such as bacterial respiration and infaunal burrowing. Biologically mediated processes decreased from onshore to deep sites, with mineralization always accounting for the bulk of transformations of the injected ¹⁴C-Glu. Geopolymerization did not display a clear spatial trend and appeared to be a quantitatively important process on the Gulf of Lions margin.     

Distribution of molluscan remains in the sediment of the Chukchi Sea and its vicinity, the Arctic

INTRODUCTIONInordertostudythemarinesedimentationoftheChukchiSeaandBeringSeaandgathertheinformationofpaleoceanographyandpaleoenvironment,theFirstChineseNationalArcticResearchExpeditionTeamcollectedbenthonicmolluscansamplesintheChukchiSea ,BeaufortSeaandBeringSeafromJuly 1sttoSeptember 9th ,1 999byicebreakerXuelong .ItwasnotonlythefirstsamplingthatChinesescientistscollectedmolluscaremainsinabove mentionedar eas,butalsooneofinvestigationsinasinglecruisewithhighersamplingrateandalotofb…     

Water mass properties and fluxes in the Rockall Trough, 1975–1998

A time series of a standard hydrographic section in the northern Rockall Trough spanning 23 yr is examined for changes in water mass properties and transport levels. The Rockall Trough is situated west of the British Isles and separated from the Iceland Basin by the Hatton and Rockall Banks and from the Nordic Seas by the shallow (500 m) Wyville–Thompson ridge. It is one pathway by which warm North Atlantic upper water reaches the Norwegian Sea and is converted into cold dense overflow water as part of the thermohaline overturning in the northern North Atlantic and Nordic Seas. The upper water column is characterised by poleward moving Eastern North Atlantic Water (ENAW), which is warmer and saltier than the subpolar mode waters of the Iceland Basin, which also contribute to the Nordic Sea inflow. Below 1200 m the deep Labrador Sea Water (LSW) is trapped by the shallowing topography to the north, which prevents through flow but allows recirculation within the basin. The Rockall Trough experiences a strong seasonal signal in temperature and salinity with deep convective winter mixing to typically 600 m or more and the formation of a warm fresh summer surface layer. The time series reveals interannual changes in salinity of ±0.05 in the ENAW and ±0.04 in the LSW. The deep water freshening events are of a magnitude greater than that expected from changes in source characteristics of the LSW, and are shown to represent periodic pulses of newer LSW into a recirculating reservior. The mean poleward transport of ENAW is 3.7 Sv above 1200 dbar (of which 3.0 Sv is carried by the shelf edge current) but shows a high-level interannual variability, ranging from 0 to 8 Sv over the 23 yr period. The shelf edge current is shown to have a changing thermohaline structure and a baroclinic transport that varies from 0 to 8 Sv. The interannual signal in the total transport dominates the observations, and no evidence is found of a seasonal signal.     

Annual change of the number of anaerobic sulf ite reducing bacteria in sediment of the Daya Bay

The surface sediment samples were collected month by month at nine stations in the Daya Bay from January to December 1987, and the number of anaerobic sulfite reducing bacteria and their spores and the regularity of seasonal change were determined. The effect of environmental factors, water temperature and the resoluble oxygen concentration in the bottom of seawater on the number of them were discussed. The results show that the number of anaerobic su|fite reducing bacteria were low in sediment of the Daya Bay, indicating that the hay was less contaminated.     

Climatic ‘norms’ of the main properties of the world's oceans

The important values in the ocean's climatology — the norms of the main parameters of seawater such as temperature, salinity, density and dissolved oxygen — have been studied. The results of computation of the multi-annual average values of these parameters were analysed for the entire world's oceans and their separate regions. General regularities adherent in the global structure of the main hydrophysical and hydrochemical fields are revealed. A series of fundamental conclusions was derived that indicate the exclusive stability of the ocean's climate.Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov.     

Building A World-Class Water Research Institution——In Celebration of the 80~(th) Anniversary of NHRI

<正>On the occasion of the 80~(th)anniversary of Nanjing Hydraulic Research Institute(NHRI)in 2015,NHRI would like to express its cordial gratitude and high respect to leaders at all levels,domestic and overseas alumni and people from all walks of life who have shown concern for and provided support to the construction and development of NHRI over the long term.NHRI,set up in 1935,originally called Central Hydraulic Research Institute,is the oldest of its kind in     

Biochemical Mechanism of the Eutrophication and Its Prevention—the Deep Treatment of Waste Water and Its Denitrification and Dephosphorization

Biochemical mechanism of forming the red tide is discussed in this paper.The existence of a large number of nitrates and phosphates in the eutrophic water is the prerequisite of explosive increase of algae and the forming of red tide.Reduction of eutrophication is an important approach to preventing the red tide.The method of deep treatment of the waste water and its denitrification and dephosphorization are introduced,and a new opinion on the red tide formation and fundamental prevention is put forward.     

Analysis of sediment stability on the Peru‐Chile continental slope

Abstract

Potential sediment mass movement was analyzed at ten locations on the continental slope off Peru and northern Chile, using samples obtained from up to 3 m below the seafloor. Shear strength parameters were obtained from consolidated‐undrained triaxial compression tests. Sediment behavior in these tests reflects the influence of organic matter, which is concentrated in the slope deposits by coastal upwelling. High water content of the organic‐rich sediments and the high de‐formability of organic matter contribute to the prevalent ductile behavior. Aggregation of clays by organic matter is apparently responsible for the high friction angles, up to 44°, displayed by the slope deposits. Sediment stability was assessed using infinite slope analyses. These analyses indicate that gravitational forces alone are not sufficient to cause sediment failure at any of the slope locations. Sediment accumulation on the slope is not rapid enough to generate excess pore pressure and reduce the resistance to gravitational sliding. Effects of earthquakes on slope stability were evaluated by modeling earthquake‐induced inertia forces as static forces and estimating pore pressures developed during cyclic loading. This analysis shows that sediments of the lower slope off Peru possess the highest susceptibility to failure during earthquakes. Earthquake accelerations on the order of 0.2 gravity are sufficient to trigger slumping at all ten slope locations. Indirect evidence suggests that creep and mass flows initiated at shallower water depths are factors that might contribute to sediment failure on the slope.     

Compression–shear coupling rheological constitutive model of the deep-sea sediment

In deep-sea mining engineering, the compression–shear coupling effect of the sediment on the moving tracked mining vehicle must be considered, since it is proved to be existing in compression–shear creep test of the sediment simulant. Based on the endochronic theory, the compression–shear coupling rheological model is established by the definition of intrinsic time and calculation of deviatoric tensor, where the coupling rheological parameters can be obtained by the compression–shear creep test. For simulating sinkage and traction force of the moving tracked mining vehicle, the compression–shear coupling rheological model as well as compressive rheological model and direct shear rheological model (regardless of coupling rheological effect) is programmed and introduced into RecurDyn software (with only traditional elastic–plastic constitutive model) for comparison. Research results show that the sinkage is the largest, and the traction force is the smallest under the compression–shear coupling rheological model, which could better reflect the worse working situation. The compression–shear coupling rheological model could provide theoretical basis for optimal design and safety assessment of the tracked mining vehicle.     

Model of the Dead Sea. Simulation of the Variability of the Thermohaline Water Structure in 1992–2000

Within the framework of the integral model in isopycnic coordinates including the upper mixed layer, we study the rearrangement of temperature and salinity fields in the Dead Sea. It is forced by the variability of atmospheric factors and mass fluxes through the lateral boundaries of the basin, which are connected with the freshwater run-off to the sea and the outflow from the sea to the shallow south bay, where evaporator installations for salt extraction are located. Such factors as solar radiation, wind velocity, air temperature, and relative humidity are prescribed. Evaporation is calculated with the use of a bulk formula, whereas precipitation intensity and discharge through the lateral boundaries are determined as functions of the sea level obtained from observations. This model reflects the specific character of the Dead Sea and takes into account the effect of water salinity on its evaporation, salt concretion, and mechanical evaporation. Comparison with the data of observations shows that the proposed model fairly precisely describes the observed specific features of the thermohaline water structure in the meromictic (1992–1996) and holomictic (1996–2000) periods.     

The rule of sediment transport on the Nanhui tidal flat in the Changjiang Estuary

The Nanhui tidal flat is located in the area of slow current where the ebb currents from the Changjiang Estuaryand the Hangzhou Bay converge and the flood current from the sea diverges into the estuary and the bay. The flat extends seaward in tongue shape and has a wide and gentle surface with a marked difference of tidal levels on its two sides, which results in the sediment longitudinal transport on the flat. The water-sediment conditions are diverse at different locations. The velocity and sediment concentration in intertidal zone are higher during the flood tide than those during the ebb tide. The net sediment transport is landward, resulting in a large amount of deposition of sediments on the shoal. However, the ebb current is the dominant one in deep-water area where the net sediment transport is seaward. There exist two circulation systems in plane view on the shoal and in its adjacent deep-water area, which results in the sediment exchanges between the flat and channel and between the estuary an     

A Study on the Spectral Form of Nearshore Water Waves

- The spectral form of wind waves is investigated based on the ocean wave data observed at three nearshore stations of Taiwan. In this study, the generalized forms of Pierson-Moskowitz spectrum and JONSWAP spectrum are used to describe the local wave spectrum by selecting suitable spectral form parameters. It is shown that, at a specific site, the similarity of wave spectral form exists. Thus it is possible to use a representative spectral form for a given nearshore region to describe the wave spectrum at this nearshore. On the other hand, the effects of relative water depth on spectral form are examined. The feasibility of two spectral models in finite water depth is evaluated by using the same field wave data.     

Analysis of influencing factors on fine sediment flocculation in the Changjiang Estuary

Based on the test data in dynamic water and static water, the main factors, which influence the fine sediment flocculation, are analyzed with a gray model method of correlation theory. It is shown that the main influencing factors are water temperature, settling time, salinity, grain size, sediment concentration and current velocity according to the correlation coefficients. Among them, the salinity and the sediment grain size are critical type influencing factors (CrTIF); the settling time, the sediment concentration and the velocity are continuous type influencing factors (CoTIF); and the water temperature has the characteristics of both. When the critical values of CrTIF are reached or exceeded, the fine sediments will be flocculated, but values of CrTIF will not influence the settlement strength of floes. The influence of CoTIF is continuous. The values of the CoTIF will not only influence the occurrence of flocculation but also the settlement strength of the floes.     

Suspended sediment transport of the Hangzhou Bay and its related hydrodynamic analyses

The 25-h measurements of current speed, flow direction, water depth, suspended sediment concentration and salinity were carried out at six anchored stations in the study area during spring and neap tides in winter of 1987 and summer of 1989. Caculations and analyses of the data obtained show that large amounts of suspended sediments are moved back and forth under the action of tidal current, and the net transport of sediment is small, with its predominance upstream in winter and downstream in summer. These calculations and analyses also suggest that the advective transport of sediment is dominant, while the vertical gravitational circulation of the suspended sediment comes next. Meantime, it is indicated that tidal currents play a major role in the suspended sediment transport, and residual flows have effect on the net transport of the suspended sediment, which is more remarkable during neap tide than during spring tide.     

Remote Sensing–Based Assessment of the Water Supply of Lake Bolshoye Turali

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - A set of space images covering the period from 2003 has been used to examine the natural water inflow into Lake Bolshoye Turali for the first time. This...     

The key features of the bottom sediment composition in the anoxic Lake Mogil’noe

In the summer 2006, integrated geological, geochemical, hydrological, and hydrochemical studies were performed on the relict anoxic Lake Mogil’noe (down to 16 m depths) located on Kil’din Island in the Barents Sea. The chemical and grain-size composition of the bottom sediments were compared for the lake (a permanently anoxic basin) and the Baltic Sea Deeps (periodically anoxic basins). The vertical location of the hydrogen sulfide layer boundary in the lake (9–11 m depths) was practically the same from 1974 up to now. The concentrations of suspended particulate matter in the lake in June and July 2006 appeared to be close to its summer concentrations in the seawaters of the open part of the Baltic Sea. The mud from Lake Mogil’noe compared to those of the Baltic Sea Deeps are characterized by fluid and flake consistency and by pronounced admixtures of sandy and silty fractions probably of eolic origin. The lacustrine mud contain much plant remains; iron sulfides and vivanite were also found in ooze. The concentrations of 22 elements determined in the lacustrine bottom sediments were of the same levels as those found here 33 years ago. The concentrations also appeared to be close to those in the corresponding grain-size types of the bottom sediments in the Baltic Sea. The low C_org/N value (5% on average) in the mud of Mogil’noe Lake compared to the values for the mud of the Baltic Sea Deeps (10% on average) points to the considerable planktogenic component in the organic matter composition of the lacustrine mud. No indications were reveled for anthropogenic contaminations of the lacustrine bottom sediments with toxic metals.