Influence of ENSO variability on sinking-particle fluxes in the northeastern equatorial Pacific

A time-series sediment trap was operated from July 2003 to July 2008 at a station located in the 10°N thermocline ridge of the northeastern equatorial Pacific (10°30′N, 131°20′W), with the aim of understanding variations in natural background sinking-particle flux and the influence on such fluxes of ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation). Each one of weak El Niño, moderate El Niño and moderate La Niña were observed during the monitoring period. During non-ENSO periods, total mass fluxes varied from 4.1 to 36.9 mg m⁻² d⁻¹, with a distinct seasonal variation, ranging from an average flux of 14.0 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ in the warm season (June-November) to 25.3 mg m⁻² d⁻¹ in the cold season (December-May). This seasonal fluctuation was characterized by a distinct difference in CaCO₃ flux between the two seasons. The enhanced particle fluxes during the cold season are attributed to the supply of nutrient-enriched subsurface water by wind-driven vertical mixing, supported by a simultaneous reduction in sea surface temperature and enhanced trade winds. The weak El Niño event occurred in the monitoring period had no recognizable effect on particle fluxes in the study area, but the moderate El Niño event was accompanied by a significant reduction in particle fluxes to 60% of the average background value in the warm season. In contrast, particle fluxes during the moderate La Niña increased to a maximum value of 129.9 mg m⁻² d⁻¹, almost three times the average background value. Organic carbon and biogenic silica fluxes were most sensitive to the El Niño and La Niña conditions. The observed variations of particle fluxes are synchronized with those of chlorophyll-a, suggesting primary productivity for the main cause of flux change. The present data indicate that marked seasonal variability in background fluxes commonly exceeds the variability associated with ENSO and post-ENSO signals, which should be taken into account when evaluating the influence of ENSO on sinking particle fluxes in the 10°N thermocline ridge area.     

副热带太平洋海气变异对ENSO影响的研究进展和展望

El Ni?o–Southern Oscillation(ENSO)是热带太平洋海气作用最强的年际信号,其变化会引起全球气候异常,对东亚季风具有重要影响。2000年后中部型ElNi?o频繁发生,掀起了ENSO多样性研究热潮; El Ni?o的复杂性也对ENSO理论研究和预测提出了新的挑战。为进一步理解并深入研究ENSO物理机制,本文总结了近年来对两类ENSO的最新认识;特别对副热带太平洋通过海气界面"大气桥"和太平洋副热带-热带经向环流圈的内部经向翻转环流这一"海洋通道"与热带太平洋建立联系的相关成果进行了阐述,并对存在的关键问题进行了展望。     

Responses of carbon dioxide in western tropical Pacific to 1991~1993 ENSO event

On the basis of the data of the partial pressure of CO₂ (P_CO2)and the concentration of the total dissolved CO₂(T_CO2) in surface water during the expeditions in Nov.-Dec. 1991, the world ocean circulation experiment (WOCE) and Oct. 1992-Mar. 1993, the tropical ocean-global atmosphere coupled ocean-atmosphere response experiment (TOGA COARE) in the western tropical Pacific and of the comparison with data from 1986 to 1990 TOGA expeditions and that from Japan Meteorological Agency, the response of CO₂ in surface water to ENSO event is proved. The CO₂ signals indicated that the air-sea system in the western and central tropical Pacific from 1991 to 1993, except for a short period in autumn of 1992, was in a strong state of ENSO.
The change of CO₂ in the floating stations near 2°S, 155°E from Nov. 1992 to Mar. 1993 reflected the change of currents, water mass and its thermal and salt content during the forming and developing of ENSO.     

The particle fluxes in sediment traps from Niulang Guyot area in the Northwest Pacific Ocean

The flux of settling particles in the ocean has been widely explored since 1980s due to its important role in biogenic elements cycling, especially in the transport of particulate organic carbon (POC) in the deep sea. However, research in the seamount area of the oligotrophic subtropical Northwest Pacific Ocean is lacking. In this work, two sediment traps were deployed at the foot and another two at the hillside of Niulang Guyot from August 2017 to July 2018. The magnitude and composition of particle fluxes were measured. The main factors influencing the spatial variations of the fluxes were evaluated. Our results indicated a low particulate flux from Niulang Guyot area in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, reflecting low primary productivity of the oligotrophic ocean. The total mass flux (TMF) decreased from 2.57 g/(m2·a) to 0.56 g/(m2·a) with increasing depth from 600 m to 4 850 m. A clear seasonal pattern of TMF was observed, with higher flux in summer than that in winter. The peak flux of 26.52 mg/(m2·d) occurred in August at 600 m, while the lowest value of 0.07 mg/(m2·d) was shown in February at 4 850 m. The settling particles at the deep layers had similar biochemical composition, with calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) accounting for up to 90%, followed by organic matter and opal, characteristics of Carbonate Ocean. The POC flux decreased more rapidly in the twilight layer because of faster decomposition, remineralization, and higher temperature. A small fraction of POC was transported into the deep ocean by biological pump. Particle fluxes were mainly controlled by the calcareous ballasts besides the primary productivity of the surface water. The advection may be another important factor affecting the flux in the seamount area. The combination of settled matters rich in foraminiferal tests with topography and currents may be the reason for regulating the local abundance of benthos on seamounts. Our results will fill in the knowledge gap of sedimentation flux, improve the understanding of ecosystem in Niulang Guyot area, and eventually provide data support for the optimization of regional ecological modeling.     

Particle fluxes in San Pedro Basin, California: A four-year record of sedimentation and physical forcing

Moored sediment traps were deployed from January 2004 through December 2007 at depths of 550 and 800 m in San Pedro Basin (SPB), CA (33°33.0′N, 118°26.5′W). Additionally, floating sediment traps were deployed at 100 and 200 m for periods of 12-24 h during spring 2005, fall 2007, and spring 2008. Average annual fluxes of mass, particulate organic carbon (POC), ??¹³C_org, particulate organic nitrogen (PON), ??¹⁵N-PON, biogenic silica (bSiO₂), calcium carbonate (CaCO₃), and detrital material (non-biogenic) were coupled with climate records and used to examine sedimentation patterns, vertical flux variability, and organic matter sources to this coastal region. Annual average flux values were determined by binning data by month and averaging the monthly averages. The average annual fluxes to 550 m were 516±42 mg/m² d for mass (sdom of the monthly averages, n=117), 3.18±0.26 mmol C/m² d for POC (n=111), 0.70±0.05 mmol/m² d for CaCO₃ (n=110), 1.31±0.21 mmol/m² d for bSiO₂ (n=115), and 0.35±0.03 mmol/m² d for PON (n=111). Fluxes to 800 and to 550 m were similar, within 10%. Annual average values of ??¹³C_org at 550 m were −21.8±0.2‰ (n=108), and ??¹⁵N averages were 8.9±0.2‰ (n=95). The timing of both high and low flux particle collection was synchronous between the two traps. Given the frequency of trap cup rotation (4-11 days), this argues for particle settling rates ≥83 m/d for both high and low flux periods. The moored traps were deployed over one of the wettest (2004-2005, 74.6 cm rainfall) and driest (2006-2007, 6.6 cm) rain years on record. There was poor correlation (Pearson's correlation coefficient, 95% confidence interval) of detrital mass flux with: C_org/N ratio (r=0.10, p=0.16); ??¹⁵N (r=−0.19, p=0.02); and rainfall (r=0.5, p=0.43), suggesting that runoff does not immediately cause increases in particle fluxes 15 km offshore. ??¹³C_org values suggest that most POC falling to the basin floor is marine derived. Coherence between satellite-derived chlorophyll a records from the trap location (±9 km² resolution) and SST data indicates that productivity and export occurs within a few days of upwelling and both of these parameters are reasonable predictors of POC export, with a time lag of a few days to 2 weeks (with no time lag—SeaWiFS chlorophyll a and POC flux, r=0.25, p=0.0014; chlorophyll a and bSiO₂ flux, r=0.28, p=0.0002).     

西太平洋暖池时空分布特征及其与ENSO的关系

应用NCEP/NCAR SST资料和SODA海温资料,分析研究了热带太平洋海温场的变化特征,讨论了气候突变前后热带西太平洋暖池(以下简称WPWP)形态的显著变化及其差异,由此重新界定了WPWP的范围,并进一步分析了WPWP的时空变化特征。结果表明,新界定的WPWP气候平均场与前人定义的气候平均场分布特征基本相同,但也存在一定的差异。新界定的WPWP的优点在于它不仅能够客观反映出气候(海洋)突变前后西太平洋暖池的时空变化特征,而且重要的是可以避免由前人定义的WPWP与东太平洋暖池合为一体的现象发生,从而避免人为地计算WPWP面积变化带来的结果差异。新界定的WPWP平均深度可达130 m左右,呈现出西浅东深的"耳状"分布特征,在冬春季节,南北(经向)窄东西(纬向)宽,呈纬向带状分布;在夏秋季节,WP-WP明显向北扩展。平均深度最大中心位于(5°S,180°)附近。由WPWP区域不同深度的异常海温变化与Niño3指数的相关分析可知,WPWP次表层异常海温变化与Niño3指数呈显著的负相关关系,而与表层的异常海温的关系并不密切,这一结果进一步证明了西太平洋暖池对ENSO的贡献是来自次表层异常海温的东传。     

南海北部和中部硅藻通量季节性变化及其对季风气候的响应

通过对南海北部和中部两套时间序列沉积物捕获器中的颗粒物样品进行硅藻分析,揭示了南海北部和中部硅藻通量的季节变化规律及其区域差异和各自对东亚季风气候的响应.研究表明在南海北部和中部海域,硅藻通量可以在一定程度上指示海洋初级生产力水平,其中南海北部硅藻通量明显低于中部,这可能与北部颗粒物样品采集期间发生的E1 Ni(n)o...     

北太平洋涛动和东亚冬季风对ENSO影响差异分析

北太平洋涛动(NPO)和东亚冬季风(EAWM)二者是热带外重要的气候系统,不仅对我国甚至对整个东亚气候都有重要影响,对厄尔尼诺-南方涛动(ENSO)的影响也越发受到关注.本研究利用HadISST海温资料以及美国国家环境预报中心(NCEP)月平均气象场再分析资料,采用相关回归等统计方法分析研究了冬季NPO和EAWM对次年...     

El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Related Variations in Particulate Export Fluxes in the Western and Central Equatorial Pacific

Time-series data from sediment trap moorings intermittently deployed during 1991–1999 show that the fluxes of biogenic material (carbonate, opal and organic matter, including amino acids) and other related parameters are temporally and spatially distinct across the Western Pacific Warm Pool (WPWP). These variations resulted from the El Niño and La Niña conditions, which alternately prevailed over the equatorial Pacific Ocean during the mooring deployments. The westernmost WPWP (a hemipelagic region) recorded relatively high average total mass and amino acid fluxes during the El Niño event. This was in sharp contrast to the eastern part of the WPWP (oligotrophic and weak upwelling regions) which recorded higher flux values during the La Niña event. Settling particulate organic matter was rich in labile components (amino acids) during La Niña throughout the study area. Relative molar ratios of aspartic acid to β-alanine together with relative molar content of non-protein amino acids β-alanine and γ-aminobutyric acid) suggested that organic matter degradation was more intense during La Niña relative to that during El Niño in the WPWP. This study clearly shows that during an El Niño event the well documented decrease in export flux in the easternmost equatorial Pacific is accompanied by a significant increase in export flux in the westernmost equatorial Pacific Ocean.     

ENSO循环相联系的北太平洋低纬度异常西边界流

用SODA海洋同化和NCEP大气再分析资料,分析了热带太平洋次表层海温异常主要模态与北太平洋低纬度西边界流海域上层海洋环流和亚洲-北太平洋地区大气垂直和水平流场变化之间的关系,得到以下结果:（1） 在热带太平洋海洋次表层ENSO事件具有两种模态,二者组合构成ENSO循环。第一模态为ENSO成熟期,主要出现在冬季,第二模态为ENSO过渡期,主要出现夏季。（2） ENSO循环对北太平洋低纬度西边界流区上层海洋环流有重要影响。在El Niño发展期或La Niña 衰退期,该区出现气旋性异常环流,北赤道流（NEC）加强,NEC分叉位置北移,棉兰老海流（MC）加大,菲律宾以东黑潮（KC）减小,北赤道逆流（NECC）最强。在El Niño（La Niña）成熟期,该区气旋性（反气旋性）异常环流达最强,NEC最强（最弱）,NEC分叉位置最北（最南）,MC最大（最小）,KC最小（最大）,NECC减弱（加强）。在El Niño衰退期或La Niña发展期与El Niño发展期相反,该区出现反气旋性异常环流,由此导致相应流系异常发生反位相变化。（3） ENSO循环对北太平洋低纬度西边界流海域上层海洋环流的影响是通过ENSO事件期间热带太平洋热力状况异常改变上空大气环流来实现的。ENSO事件首先造成热带太平洋海洋热力状况异常,导致其上空对流活动异常,后者直接或间接通过“大气桥”能量传输引起相关地区大气环流场的变化,致使海面风应力场异常,进而强迫上层海洋环流场的相应变化。文章最后还分析了ENSO事件期间菲律宾附近异常反气旋或异常气旋性风场的产生和持续原因,讨论了北太平洋低纬度西边界流海域海气相互作用在ENSO循环中的贡献。     

Impact of quasi-decadal variability in the tropical Pacific on ENSO modulations

The impact of quasi-decadal (QD: 8 to 18 years) variability in the tropical Pacific on ENSO events is investigated. It is found that there is a significant difference in the behavior of ENSO events between the phases of positive and negative anomalies of the QD Niño-3.4 index. During the period of negative QD-scale Niño-3.4 index, ENSO events, especially La Niña events, occur more frequently, and larger amplitudes of thermal anomalies related to El Niño events appear over the central to eastern equatorial Pacific. Furthermore, propagations of upper ocean heat content anomaly and a phase relationship between upper ocean heat content and Niño-3 index in the equatorial Pacific, which have been pointed out by previous studies, are clearly detected during the period of negative QD Niño-3.4 index.     

ENSO事件对西北太平洋热带气旋影响的分级研究

采用1951-2006年联合台风警报中心(JTWC)最佳路径数据集和气候预测中心(CPC) ENSO资料,分析了西北太平洋不同等级热带气旋累积能量(accumulated cyclone energy,ACE)与ENSO指数之间的关系.结果表明;ACE与ENSO指数间存在正相关关系;分级热带气旋中,ENSO事件主要通过超强台风(Super TY)的活动与ACE指数联系起来的,超强台风频数在El Ni(n)o期间多于La Ni(n)a 期间,同时持续时间也更长;ENSO指数和热带气旋活跃季超强台风ACE指数的滞后相关(ENSO指数滞后5个月内)与它们的同时相关大小相当.此外,还研究了分级热带气旋持续时间、强度和频数分别对ACE指数的贡献,结果显示超强台风频数的贡献最大.接下来,利用1951-2006年不同ENSO位相情况下NCEP再分析资料,分析了ENSO影响超强台风发生发展的物理机制.主要结论为:西北太平洋存在一些SuperTY频数与源地分布在ENSO年与平常年相比有明显差异的关键区;ENSO事件改变关键区低层相对涡度以及海表温度是其影响SuperTY源地及频数变化的重要途径.     

Possibility of recent changes in vertical distribution and size composition of chlorophyll-a in the western North Pacific region

Our analysis of the last three decades of retrospective data of vertical distributions and size composition of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) over the western North Pacific has revealed significant changes of three indices related to Chl-a during summer season, as follows: (1) decreasing linear trend of the proportion of Chl-a in surface layer to that of the whole water column by 0.4 and 2.3% year⁻¹ in the subtropical area along 137°E (STA₁₃₇) during 1972 to 1997 and in the Kuroshio Extension area along 175°E (KEA₁₇₅) during 1990 to 2001; (2) increasing linear trend of the depth of subsurface Chl-a maximum (DCM) by 0.4 and 2.6 m year⁻¹ in STA₁₃₇ and KEA₁₇₅; and (3) decreasing linear trend of larger-size Chl-a (>3 μm) by 0.1 and 2.5% year⁻¹ in STA₁₃₇ and KEA₁₇₅, respectively. Water density (σ _θ ) at 75 m depth had also decreased by 0.006 and 0.05 year⁻¹ in STA₁₃₇ and KEA₁₇₅, respectively. The ratio of biogenic opal to biogenic CaCO₃ in the sinking flux decreased by 0.015 year⁻¹ in the subtropical region from 1997 to 2005. These findings may indicate that the subsurface chlorophyll maximum is deepening and larger phytoplankton such as diatoms has been decreasing during the past decade, associated with the decreasing density of surface water caused by warming in the western North Pacific, especially in the summer.     

副热带东北太平洋海表温度异常的传递及与ENSO的联系

厄尔尼诺-南方涛动(El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation, ENSO)现象是地球气候系统中最主要的年际变化信号之一,对其形成机制和预报的研究具有重要的理论和现实意义。本文基于ERSST v4海表面温度资料与NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis大气再分析资料,通过回归分析与合成分析等方法,研究了副热带东北太平洋海区海表面温度(sea surface temperature, SST)异常信号的传递机制及其与ENSO现象的联系。诊断结果表明,副热带东北太平洋SST异常与ENSO指数有很好的正相关关系。副热带东北太平洋SST异常的暖信号超前于ENSO指数约半年时间,通过风-蒸发-海温的反馈机制,沿东北-西南方向向赤道中太平洋缓慢传递。更进一步的数值实验显示,副热带东北太平洋的正SST异常信号的确可以影响大气环流场,使其西南方向的海面风速减弱,蒸发潜热通量减少,从而使信号向西南方向传递。     

Particulate barium fluxes on the continental margin: a study from the Alboran Sea (Western Mediterranean)

Particulate biogenic barium (bio-Ba) fluxes obtained from three instrumented arrays moored in the Alboran Sea, the westernmost basin in the Mediterranean Sea, are presented in this study. The mooring lines were deployed over almost 1 year, from July 1997 to May 1998, and were equipped with sediment traps at 500–700 m depth, 1000–1200 m depth and 30 m above the seafloor (1000–2200 m). The results obtained support the growing body of evidence that the relationship between particulate bio-Ba and Corg throughout the water column in margin systems is clearly different from this relation in the open ocean. In the Alboran Sea, the annual averaged bio-Ba fluxes range from 0.39 to 1.07 μmol m⁻² day⁻¹, with mean concentrations of 1.31–1.69 μmol g⁻¹ and bio-Ba/Corg ratios lower than in the open ocean. The low bio-Ba values obtained also indicate that calculating bio-Ba is extremely sensitive to the detrital Ba/Al ratio of each sample. The lithogenic Ba fraction in the Alboran Sea continental margin area contributes between 24% and 85% of the total Ba. Increased bio-Ba export efficiency was observed after periods of high primary productivity and suggests that the processes limiting the bio-Ba formation in the study area relate to settling dynamics of organic matter aggregates. Furthermore, the ballasting effect of the abundant lithogenic and carbonate particles may limit decomposition of organic matter aggregates and enhance the transfer of particles rich in Corg and relatively poor in bio-Ba to the deep seafloor. Lateral input of freshly sedimented biogenic material, including particulate bio-Ba, has been observed on the lower continental slope in the western Alboran Sea. These observations emphasize that the use of the bio-Ba as a proxy of export productivity from the surface ocean must be used cautiously in highly dynamic environments such as those in the Alboran Sea.     

Grain size,La/Yb and Th/Sc of settling particles in the western North Pacific: Evidence for lateral transport of small Asian loess

To understand the transport process of lithogenic particles in the ocean, we measured the grain size distributions of lithogenic particles and measured the opal, La, Yb, Th, and Sc concentrations of the settling particles collected from time-series sediment traps at Sta. KNOT (44°N, 155°E, water depth 5320 m) from June 2002 to May 2004. The annual mean lithogenic particle flux observed at the lower sediment trap (5100 m) was twice as high as that at the upper sediment trap (770 m). The contribution of Asian loess estimated by the La/Yb and the Th/Sc ratios in the lower layer was greater than that in the upper layer. The fluxes of small lithogenic particles with sizes of 3–4 μm at the lower layer (5 to 65 mg/m²/day) were approximately four times larger than that at the upper layer (0.6 to 27 mg/m²/day). These results indicate that the horizontal addition of small particle sizes of Asian loess is a main factor in the increase of lithogenic particles at the lower layer. The temporal variations in the small lithogenic particle flux at the lower layer had a positive correlation with those at the upper layer (r = 0.71). The small lithogenic particle fluxes showed a strong positive correlation with the opal fluxes (r = 0.9). We therefore conclude that the small lithogenic particles were laterally transported and scavenged by the formation of aggregates with opal.     

台湾海峡西部沉积物中碳的来源及埋藏

根据2005年夏季航次观测的沉积物中总有机碳(TOC)、无机碳(CaCO3)、总氮(TN)、悬浮体颗粒有机碳(POC)、沉积物粒度数据得出,台湾海峡西部表层沉积物TOC质量分数的范围为0.01～1.79,平均值为0.37±0.24,略高于20多年前台湾海峡南部海区,而低于台湾海峡中、北部海区;TOC的质量分数湾内比湾外...     

Upper ocean heat content and atmospheric anomaly fields in the off-equatorial North Pacific related to ENSO

We have investigated interannual-scale variations of oceanic and atmospheric anomaly fields, such as upper ocean heat content (OHC), sea surface temperature (SST), latent heat flux (LHF) through the sea surface, sea level pressure (SLP) and wind stress curl (WSC) in the tropical Pacific and their relationships to El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events. The results reported here show that the OHC and SST anomalies are almost in phase and lead LHF anomalies in the western tropical Pacific (WTP) region, which are preferable to the generation of subsequent atmospheric anomalies in the WTP. We also describe linear relationships between the amplitudes of these variables in the WTP. In addition, the results show that the both WSC and LHF anomalies are in phase with the temporal trend of OHC anomalies in the WTP, and suggest a combined effect of the local WSC and LHF anomaly in the WTP and ENSO-related, off-equatorial, westward propagating OHC anomaly to generate a large OHC anomaly in the WTP. In contrast to the WTP, OHC and SST anomalies are not in phase to the east of the WTP. The results also indicate that OHC anomalies in the WTP have a potential effect on the generation of an equatorial OHC anomaly via both a reflection of waves at the western boundary and atmospheric variations, which force the enhancement of western equatorial OHC anomaly. Therefore, the WTP is a key region where ENSO events are significantly modulated, and OHC anomalies in the WTP play an important role in the subsequent ENSO event.     

烟台四十里湾表层沉积物中生物硅的研究

以烟台四十里湾作为研究区域,分析了16个站位表层沉积物中生物硅的含量,探讨沉积物中生物硅对内湾环境的指示作用.结果表明,污水排放区、垃圾倾倒区沉积物中生物硅含量较高(平均值分别为0.71％和0.78％),对应上层水体的富营养化;航道区生物硅含量很低(平均值0.37％),与航船扰动造成的低生产力状况符合.沉积物中生物硅含量较好地反映了上层水体的浮游植物状况,并与上层营养盐浓度具有很好的对应关系.研究表明,沉积环境能够明显影响沉积物中生物硅的沉积和保存.     

热带太平洋要素场与ENSO的非线性相关特征分析

为进一步揭示热带太平洋海气系统要素场之间的非线性相关特征,基于Hadley提供的海温场资料和美国国家环境预报中心(NCEP)和美国国家大气研究中心(NCAR)提供的海面风场和海面气压场资料,采用经验正交(EOF)分解和非线性典型相关分析法(NLCCA),分析了海温、海面风场和海面气压场三要素场之间的非线性相关性。结果表明,西太平洋暖池的异常暖状态和热带太平洋的西风异常与ENSO的非线性之间存在着密切关联。进一步引入奇异值分解方法(SVD),将其与NLCCA方法相结合,分析了热带太平洋海温场与海面风场、海面气压场耦合变化的关键影响区及其异性相关的分布特征。分析表明,热带太平洋西风异常和西太副高与ENSO循环之间存在较好的相关性。具体表现在:海温在中东太平洋地区出现异常增暖时,有助于加强东南亚地区的对流发展,促使东南亚地区季风的提前爆发;而东北太平洋副热带高压强度变化对北太平洋中部Nam ias海区海温距平的东西向振荡具有重要作用。研究为ENSO循环的非线性特性提供了有力的证明,也为ENSO的预测研究奠定了相关基础。