Nutrient Loading of the Don and Kuban on the Ecosystem of the Sea of Azov

Hydrochemical data collected in field studies in the near-mouth area and delta of the Don R. (Aksay T.—the mouths of Don delta branches) in 2006–2015 are analyzed. The seasonal dynamics is demonstrated, and the average annual concentrations were evaluated for mineral, total dissolved, and total forms of nitrogen, phosphorus, silica; dissolved and particulate organic carbon; and total suspended solids in river water. The export of dissolved and particulate organic carbon and nutrients by the Don River into the Sea of Azov in the low-water period of 2007–2015 is evaluated. Retrospective analysis of nutrient export into the Sea of Azov with river runoff in the XX–early XXI century is given.     

Current Desalination of the Sea of Azov and Its Correlation with Long-Term Variations in Atmospheric Circulation

Correlation is established between the long-term variations in the frequency of the atmospheric circulation forms, water balance elements, and the Sea of Azov water salinity. It is found that the river runoff into the sea and the sea freshwater balance increase and the sea salinity decreases in the periods, when northern and western forms of atmospheric processes develop; in the periods with a greater frequency of the eastern type of atmospheric macroprocesses, the situation is reverse. It is also found that the effect of atmospheric circulation on the sea salinity tends to strengthen, whereas the effect of the human-induced decrease in river runoff tends to diminish. The current desalination of the Sea of Azov down to 10.5 is shown to be mainly due to the development of western and northern forms of atmospheric circulation in the cold season of a year during the last 10–15 years.     

Long-Term Water Level Variations in the Eastern Sea of Azov and in the Mouth Reach of the Don River

Studies of long-term water level variations at marine hydrometeorological stations in the eastern Sea of Azov established a rise in the sea level which accelerated in the past 40 years. Allowance for the tectonic component permitted assessing the average rate of eustatic rise in the level. Oppositely directed long-term level variations were established in the mouth area of the Don River. Water level was found to rise at the downstream gages because of the backwater effect caused by the Sea of Azov level rise and delta deposits subsidence and to drop at the upstream gages mainly because of bed erosion owing to a reduction in sediment runoff after the construction of the Tsimlyanskoe Reservoir.     

黄海及其邻近地区的Pn波速度与各向异性

利用中国东部地震台网和ISC 报告1980~2004年的地震走时数据,反演了黄海及其邻近地区的Pn波速度和各向异性,根据岩石层地幔的横向非均匀性分析了区域地质构造的深部特点.Pn波速度的变化与区域地质构造有一定的对应关系,黄海地区上地幔顶部的P波平均速度较高,没有发现明显的低速异常,表明上地幔顶部不存在大范围的地幔扰动.速度异常的分布表明,南黄海东部和西部有可能分属于不同的构造块体,其间的分界大致对应于南北走向的黄海东部断裂带,具有相对较低的Pn波速度.边界东、西两侧的Pn波各向异性存在明显的差异：南黄海西部Pn波的快波方向以北东—北北东方向为主,反映了海区内部扬子块体向北运动产生的构造变形;南黄海东部Pn波的快波方向为南北方向,与黄海东部断裂带的走向基本一致,说明黄海东部和西部之间存在一个深达岩石层地幔的南北向转换边界.结合相关资料估计黄海东部断裂带在中生代时期发生了右旋走滑运动,以响应中国东部郯庐断裂带的大规模左旋剪切以及南黄海扬子块体的向北嵌入.     

Variations in wind direction and speed from arctic to the Caspian Sea as a manifestation of modern climate changes

The regularities in present-day variations in the wind speed vector are examined at 18 stations along the section from Kola Peninsula to the Caspian Sea. Data on long-term variations in the major climate-forming factors and climatic parameters are generalized. The statistically significant tendency toward a considerable decline in the wind speed with a maximum module and the most frequent wind speeds of zonal, mostly western, directions (this tendency has been revealed earlier for the eastern coast of the middle and southern Caspian Sea) was found to hold for the greater part of the European Russia. Possible causes of present-day climate changes and their manifestations at the regional level are analyzed. A possible mechanism of present-day climate changes is proposed     

Probabilistic Regularities in Setup Variations in the Level of a Large Inland Water Body: Case Study of the Caspian Sea

The results of probabilistic analysis of data on setup level variations collected during long-term observations at all gages along the Caspian Sea coast are discussed. A procedure for evaluating low-probability sea level extremes is proposed. Estimates are given for the probabilities of outstanding setups in the Caspian Sea and the Sea of Azov.     

Spatial-temporal variations in organic matter of the Sea of Azov

The spatial-temporal variations in the amount and biochemical composition of organic matter and the rates of its transformations in the ecosystems of the Russian part of the Sea of Azov are analyzed. Maximum OM concentrations are typical for Taganrog Bay. A characteristic feature of the Sea of Azov is a large proportion of particulate organic matter, which in summer in Taganrog Bay exceeded 35%. It is shown that not only the concentration of organic matter changes from season to season, but also its elementary (C_org, N_org, and P_org) and biochemical composition (proteins, carbohydrates, and lipids). The major biochemical compound of dissolved organic matter is shown to be carbohydrates (13–28%), and that of particulate matter is protein (44–51%). The hydrolytic (phosphatase and protease) and oxidation-reduction enzymes of electron-transport system demonstrate a high activity in summer. The estimated short turnover times of phosphates and protein suggest the rapid and complete utilization of organic matter in the Sea of Azov.     

地球内核及其边界的结构特征和动力学过程

现代地震学展现出了一个复杂的地球内核内部和表面结构.地球内核内部结构的主要特征表现为其地震波速度和衰减呈现各向异性,且各种结构（速度、衰减和各向异性）均呈现东西半球差异,而内核表面的新发现则包括其局部区域存在起伏的地形和固液并存的糊状层.地球内核压缩波速度和衰减均呈现以地球旋转轴为轴的柱对称各向异性,沿地球旋转轴方向传播的压缩波比沿赤道方向传播的压缩波传播更快且衰减更强烈.同时,内核各向异性结构随深度而变化：内核顶部约100~400 km接近各向同性,而在内核最深处300~600 km内则可能存在一个具有不同各向异性特征的内内核.地球内核的东西半球差异表现在多方面：在内核顶部~100 km厚度内,东半球的各向同性速度比西半球快约0.8%,东半球具有较强的衰减（Q=250）,而西半球则具有较弱的衰减（Q=600）;西半球的顶部各向同性层厚度约为100 km,而东半球顶部各向同性层厚度则约为400 km;在各向同性层底下,西半球具有较强的各向异性（~4%）,而东半球则具有较弱的各向异性（~0.7%）.地球内核边界在菲律宾海、黄海、西太平洋以及中美洲下方存在1~14 km高的地形起伏,在鄂霍次克海西南部下方存在4~8 km厚的糊状层.地球内核的这些新发现引发了对许多可能的新物理机制的探讨,也促使我们重新评估我们对外核成分、外核热化学对流、内核凝固过程和地球磁场驱动力的认识.这些结果表明内核凝固过程和地球磁场的热和化学驱动力远比传统观念认为的横向均匀分布复杂得多.内核西半球可能不断凝固并释放潜热和轻元素,而东半球则可能不断熔化并吸收潜热和轻元素,外核对流的驱动力在东西半球可能截然不同,甚至呈现相反方向.这些凝固与熔化交替过程也发生在局部地形起伏区域.在糊状层区域,地球内核凝固释放潜热和化学能,而在大部分无糊状地区,内核凝固只释放潜热.     

Changes in Moskva R. runoff under anthropogenic impacts

An algorithm has been proposed for assessing the hydrological role of the main anthropogenic factors governing the formation of Moskva R. runoff both separately and in total. The effect of landscape transformations, hydroengineering structures, and water use on the runoff in the Moskva R. basin has been analyzed for characteristic periods in the recent 150 years (the middle XIX century, the early XX century, 1960–1980, and the first decade of the XXI century, the period of calculation of the average long-term runoff). The main hydrological effect of urbanization in the Moskva R. basin on river runoff formation in recent decades has been demonstrated. The shares of the anthropogenic and climatic factors in the overall changes in Moskva R. runoff in the early XXI century have been evaluated.     

Non-axial breaching of a rift valley: Evidence from the Lord Howe Rise and the southeastern Australian margin

Present models of continental breakup envisage the formation of a rift valley which undergoes a protracted period of tectonism and eventual seafloor spreading in the axial part of the rift valley. This results in evidence of pre-breakup tectonism on most Atlantic-type margins in the form of normal blockfaults beneath the continental slope. The southeastern margin of the Australian continent has an unusually steep continental slope and shows little evidence of tectonism associated with the rift valley stage of development. The margin was formed by separation of the Lord Howe Rise and Australia during a phase of seafloor spreading in the Tasman Sea which lasted from about 80 to 60 m.y. B.P. Marine geophysical data over the central Lord Howe Rise indicate a contrast between the western and eastern part of of this structure. The western part shows faulted, rough basement topography, disturbed overlying sediments, and a relatively quiet magnetic field. The eastern part shows a smooth basement surface, undisturbed overlying sediments, and a high-amplitude, high-frequency magnetic field. It is suggested that the whole of the pre-breakup rift valley remained attached to the Lord Howe Rise. This explains the absence of rift valley structures within the eastern continental margin of Australia and implies non-axial breaching along the western boundary fault of a pre-Tasman Sea rift valley.     

南海北部地震危险性分析

在建立了比较可靠的南海北部地震目录以后,采用编制中国地震动参数区划图（2001）的方法,重新划分了南海北部海域的潜在震源区和调整了相关的地球物理参数,最终计算了南海北部海域50年超越概率10％的地震动峰值加速度。南海北部的地震动峰值加速度可分成东部高值区和西部低值区。东区的地震动峰值加速度在0．160g以上,西区大部分海域的地震动峰值加速度小于0．114g,并且与它们北侧的陆区大致相似。     

Biogenic hydrocarbons and their effect on oil pollution estimates of the Sea of Azov

The results of studies on the efficiency of identification criteria for the origin of hydrocarbons in the ecosystem of the Sea of Azov. Their amount in the cells of major planktonic and benthic organisms of the Sea of Azov. The share of biogenic hydrocarbons in their total amount determined by monitoring the oil pollution of the sea is also evaluated.     

Legal Aspects of Natural Resources Management in the Basin of the Sea of Azov

Legal aspects of natural resources management in the basin of the Sea of Azov are investigated. The available legal documents and agreements are carefully analyzed. Measures to be taken both to eliminate the uncertainty of the Sea of Azov legal status and to promote cooperation in the natural conservation zone between Russia and Ukraine at the international level are suggested. The experience of Mediterranean countries succeeding in marine environment protection is analyzed.     

Effect of solar and galactic cosmic rays on the duration of macrosynoptic processes

The effect of solar and galactic cosmic ray variations on the duration of elementary synoptic processes (ESPs) in the Atlantic-European sector of the Northern Hemisphere has been studied. It has been found that solar cosmic ray (SCR) bursts result in an increase in the duration of ESPs, which belong to the western and meridional forms of atmospheric circulation. Forbush decreases in galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) are accompanied by an increase in the duration of ESPs, which belong to the meridional atmospheric circulation form, and in a decrease in the duration of ESPs, which are related to the western and eastern circulation forms. It has been assumed that the observed variations in the ESP duration are caused by the effect of short-period cosmic ray variations on the intensity of cyclonic processes at middle and high latitudes, namely, the regeneration of cyclones near the southeastern coast of Greenland after SCR bursts and the development of blocking anticyclones over the northeastern Atlantic, Europe, and Scandinavia during GCR Forbush decreases.     

Characterization of the Azov Sea bottom sediments by the degree of present pollution with a complex of most hazardous toxicants

A great body of source data on the concentrations of oil products, organochlorine pesticides, and heavy metals in the Azov Sea bottom sediments in 1996–2005 is analyzed. An integral quantitative characteristicóan index of pollution of bottom sedimentsóis proposed and used for elaborating a five-level classification of sea floor regions. The causes and regularities of variations in concentrations of toxicants are established and the sites of their entry into the ecosystem are localized.     

Spatial and temporal variations in nutrient and chlorophyll-a concentrations in the northern East China Sea surrounding Cheju Island

Nutrients, chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), and environmental conditions were extensively investigated in the northern East China Sea (ECS) near Cheju Island during five research cruises from 2003 to 2007. In the eastern part of the study area, surface waters were characterized only by the Tsushima Current Water (TCW) during all five cruises. However, the western surface waters changed with season and were characterized by the Yellow Sea Cold Water (YSCW) in spring, the Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW) in summer, and the Yellow Sea Mixed Water (YSMW) in autumn. In spring and autumn, relatively high concentrations of nitrate and phosphate were observed in the surface waters in the western part of the study area, where vertical mixing brought large supplies of nutrients from deep waters. Changes in wind direction occasionally varied the inflow of the Changjiang plume in summer, clearly causing the annual variation in surface nitrate and phosphate concentrations in summer. In summer, the surface distribution of nitrate and phosphate did not coincide with that of silicate in the study area, which probably resulted from the significant drop in the Si:N ratio in the Changjiang plume since construction of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD). Despite large temporal and spatial variations in surface Chl-a concentrations, depth-integrated Chl-a concentrations exhibited little variation temporally and spatially. In the study area, surface Chl-a concentration did not well reflect the standing stocks of phytoplankton. The vertical distribution of Chl-a showed large temporal and spatial variations, and the main factor controlling the vertical distribution of Chl-a in summer was the availability of nitrate. The thermohaline front may play an important role for accumulation of phytoplankton biomass in spring and autumn.     

南海东北部及其邻近地区的Pn波速度结构与各向异性

利用中国地震台网和ISC台站1980～2004年的地震数据,反演了南海东北部及其邻近地区的Pn波速度结构和各向异性.上地幔顶部的速度变化揭示出区域地质构造的深部特征：华南地区速度较高并且变化平缓,具有构造稳定地区的岩石层地幔特征;华南沿海尤其是滨海断裂带附近出现低速异常,表明该断裂可能穿过壳幔边界深达上地幔顶部.南海北部至台湾海峡较高的速度与华南地区类似,反映出大陆边缘和陆架地区的岩石层地幔性质;西沙海槽附近较高的速度不仅反映了华南大陆向南的延伸,而且与海槽裂谷拉张引起的地幔上拱有关,整个南海北部没有发现大规模地幔热流的活动痕迹.相比之下,南海东部次海盆的上地幔顶部存在明显的低速异常,对应于海底扩张中心的地幔上涌区,表明岩石层地幔强烈减薄甚至缺失;台湾东部－吕宋－菲律宾北部的低速异常与地震、火山活动以及岩浆作用紧密相关,揭示了西太平洋岛弧俯冲带的活动特征;南海东北部的洋－陆边界清晰,南海东部和菲律宾海西部较高的速度代表了海洋岩石层地幔的性质.Pn波各向异性反映出区域性构造应力状态及岩石层地幔的变形痕迹：华南地区的各向异性较小,说明这一构造稳定地区的岩石层地幔变形程度较弱;南海北部的快波方向与地壳浅表层构造的伸展方向一致,主要反映了中、新生代以来的大陆边缘张裂和剪切作用对岩石层地幔结构的影响;琉球－台湾－吕宋岛弧两侧各向异性十分强烈,平行于海沟的快波方向表明菲律宾海板块和欧亚大陆的相互作用导致俯冲板块前缘的岩石层地幔强烈变形;台湾东南海域快波方向的变化可能与欧亚大陆和菲律宾海板块俯冲机制的转换以及岩石层被撕裂有关.     

Distribution of tritium and stable isotopes in precipitation in Syria

Abstract

The paper discusses aspects of the isotopic composition (tritium and stable isotopes) of precipitation, which was monitored from 2000 to 2003 at 12 stations in Syria. The seasonal variations in δ¹⁸O are smaller at the western stations than at the eastern ones due to low seasonal temperature variations. A good correlation between δ²H and δ¹⁸O was obtained for each station, and the slopes of the local meteoric water lines are significantly lower than the Global Meteoric Water Line. Values of d-excess decrease from 19‰ at the western stations to 13‰ at the eastern ones, indicating the influence of precipitation generated by air masses coming from the Mediterranean Sea. A reliable altitude effect represented by depletion of heavy stable isotopes (δ¹⁸O and δ²H), of about??0.21‰ and??1.47‰ per 100 m elevation, respectively, was observed. Monthly tritium contents in precipitation, and seasonal variations, are less at the western stations than at the eastern ones. The weighted mean tritium values are between 3 and 9 TU, and increase with distance from the Syrian coast by 1 TU/100 km.

Citation Al Charideh, A. R. & Abou Zakhem, B. (2010) Distribution of tritium and stable isotopes in precipitation in Syria. Hydrol. Sci. J. 55(5), 832–843.     

黄海的地壳速度结构与中朝—扬子块体拼合边界

利用中国、韩国和ISC台站的地震走时数据反演了黄海地区的地壳P波速度结构,对比重力异常和断裂体系、Pn波速度及其各向异性,分析了不同地球物理异常的相互关系以及黄海东部和西部的结构差异,为厘定黄海东部断裂暨中朝—扬子块体的拼合边界提供了新的信息.反演结果表明,北黄海和南黄海西部具有沉积盆地的地壳结构特征,P波速度明显偏低且深度较大,说明盆地内部沉积层较厚、沉降幅度较大,以北黄海、南黄海海州湾和苏北—南黄盆地最为突出.南黄海中部、胶东半岛、辽东半岛和朝鲜半岛显示出构造隆起区的地壳速度特征,其中南黄海中部的高速异常具有北东方向的伸展痕迹,与胶东地区的区域构造走向趋于一致,但是与朝鲜半岛的高速异常并不相连,其间存在明显的分界.据此推测南黄海与朝鲜半岛之间可能存在一个近南北方向的深断裂——黄海东部断裂,至于该断裂是否可以作为中朝—扬子块体在海区的拼合边界,尚需获取黄海东部及朝鲜半岛更详细的相关资料提供依据.     

Many-year variations of the average salinity of the Sea of Azov

A brief review of studies of the hydrological regime of the Sea of Azov and approaches to assessing the average salinity—a key indicator of the state of its ecosystem is given. A database of salinity measurements at 47409 oceanographic stations over hundred years (from 1913 to 2014) were used to evaluate the sea-averaged mean annual salinity. The obtained values of the average salinity were found to differ from those published before because of the different approaches used to its calculation and different volumes of data involved. The difference was most significant for Taganrog Bay because of the high variability of its hydrological regime. Anomalies of the average salinity over period 1922–2014 were constructed, and the start of one more period of salinity increase in the Sea of Azov was recognized.