Linear stability and stable modes of geostrophic fronts

Abstract

A Rayleigh integral is used to prove that an unbounded geostrophic front of uniform potential vorticity is stable with respect to small perturbations of arbitrary wavelength. The ageostrophic theory developed in this study yields a stable, near-inertial, long trapped mode. Recent oceanic observations of the increase in the energy of the inertial peak in the vicinity of fronts support the existence of this inertial trapped mode. In addition the theory yields a geostrophic mode which is expected to become unstable when the potential vorticity is not uniform.     

Experiments with a numerical model of coastal currents and tidal mixing fronts

A three-dimensional numerical model is used to simulate the development of disturbances on shelf-sea coastal currents and fronts. The model, which has a free surface, uses a finite difference grid ☐ scheme based on sigma coordinates. It has a semi-implicit scheme for the barotropic flow and a hydrid advection scheme to retain sharp fronts. The results demonstrate that (i) eddy formation follows changes at the inflow of a coastal current, (ii) a simple radiation boundary condition at the outflow produces nearly identical results for different outflow boundary positions, (iii) eddy growth, with matching behaviour of surface and bottom fronts, follows a small displacement on a tidal mixing front and (iv) effects of friction and mixing can significantly alter the behaviour of the front and the relative strength of the cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies formed.     

Seasonal variability and dynamics of coastal sea surface temperature fronts in the East China Sea

Ocean Dynamics - Fronts in coastal oceans are important mesoscale processes that relate to regional dynamics and can impact ecosystems. The daily distribution of a sea surface temperature (SST)...     

Spatial and temporal variations of stable isotopes in precipitation in midlatitude coastal regions

Spatial and temporal variations of the isotopic composition of precipitation were investigated to better understand their controlling factors. Precipitation was collected from six locations in Hokkaido, Japan, and event‐based analyses were conducted for a period from March 2010 to February 2013. Relatively low δ values and a high d‐excess for annual averages were observed at three sites located along the Japan Sea compared to the three sites at Pacific Ocean side. Lower δ values in spring and fall and higher d‐excess in winter were observed for the region along the Japan Sea. In total, 264 precipitation events were identified. Precipitation originated predominantly from low‐pressure system (LPS) events, which were classified as northwest (LPS‐NW) and southeast (LPS‐SE) events according to the routes of the low‐pressure center, that passed northwest and southeast of Hokkaido, respectively. LPS‐SE events showed lower δ¹⁸O than LPS‐NW events, which is attributable to the lower δ¹⁸O of water vapor resulting from heavy rainfalls in the upstream region of the LPS air mass trajectories over the Pacific Ocean. This phenomenon observed in Hokkaido can be found in other midlatitude coastal regions and applied for hydrological, atmospheric, and paleoclimate studies. A characteristic spatial pattern was found in LPS‐NW events, in which lower δ¹⁸O was observed on the Japan Sea side than on the Pacific Ocean side in each season. This is likely due to the location of the sampling sites and their distance from the LPS: Precipitation with lower δ¹⁸O in the region along the Japan Sea occurs in a well‐developed cloud system near the low‐pressure center in cold and warm sectors of LPS, whereas precipitation with higher δ¹⁸O on the Pacific side mainly occurs in a warm sector away from the low‐pressure center. Air mass from the north does not always cause low δ in precipitation, and the precipitation process in the upstream region is another important factor controlling the isotopic composition of precipitation, other than the local temperature and precipitation amount.     

Multiple modes of storm runoff generation in a North Carolina coastal plain watershed

The results of field measurements conducted in a small (19·37 ha) agricultural watershed on the North Carolina coastal plain during the summer of 1996 are presented. The objective of the study was to develop a more complete understanding of basin response in the region with respect to stormflow generation and, in particular, to identify the processes that determine storm runoff and the conditions under which such processes occur. Twenty‐four storm events were monitored, including two tropical storm systems and two hurricanes. The data demonstrate considerable spatial and temporal heterogeneity in runoff generation within the watershed. Surface flowpaths, in the form of Hortonian overland flow and saturation overland flow, were found to be the dominant runoff processes during the storm events measured. The hillslope flowpaths had the same response time as the basin streamflow, but significantly shorter time of rise and lag times. The importance of Hortonian flow in a basin with sandy, permeable soils, as well as the rapid stormflow response in a low‐relief area with a humid climate, was contrary to expectations. This, coupled with the contingency of runoff response, suggests that it may be difficult to generalize about runoff generation mechanisms in broad terms, and that a synoptic approach may be more appropriate. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in coastal benthic populations under multiple organic enrichment sources

In a dispersive coastal area under multiple organic enrichment sources, stable isotopes were used to trace organic sources of carbon and nitrogen in sediments and benthic macrofauna. The Bivalve Abra alba and the Polychaetes Nephtys sp. and Pectinaria (Lagis) koreni were reliable indicators of the input of terrestrial-derived organic matter into this coastal area, either originated in outfall sewage discharges or estuarine outflow. An isotopic depletion was observed up to 250 m from the outfall branches, much stronger in the biota than in the sediments. An enrichment of 2‰ in the sediments, and 2-6‰ in the species was noticed in sites located farther than 1500 m from the outfall. Depositivores and carnivores/omnivores gave the best picture of the extension of the sewage dispersion and incorporation into the food web.     

Internal waves and temperature fronts on slopes

Time series measurements from an array of temperature miniloggers in a line at constant depth along the sloping boundary of a lake are used to describe the ‘internal surf zone” where internal waves interact with the sloping boundary. More small positive temperature time derivatives are recorded than negative, but there are more large negative values than positive, giving the overall distribution of temperature time derivatives a small negative skewness. This is consistent with the internal wave dynamics; fronts form during the up-slope phase of the motion, bringing cold water up the slope, and the return flow may become unstable, leading to small advecting billows and weak warm fronts. The data are analysed to detect ‘events’, periods in which the temperature derivatives exceed a set threshold. The speed and distance travelled by ‘events’ are described. The motion along the slope may be a consequence of (a) instabilities advected by the flow (b) internal waves propagating along-slope or (c) internal waves approaching the slope from oblique directions. The propagation of several of the observed ‘events’ can only be explained by (c), evidence that the internal surf zone has some, but possibly not all, the characteristics of the conventional ‘surface wave’ surf zone, with waves steepening as they approach the slope at oblique angles.     

Kinetic features of bursty bulk flows and dipolarization fronts

正Bursty bulk flows(BBFs)and dipolarization fronts(DFs)are two important phenomena responsible for the transport of energy,mass and magnetic flux from the Earth's magnetotail to the inner magnetosphere during magnetosphere substorms.The BBFs are defined as the high-speed flows of several hundred km/s in the central plasma sheet lasting about 10 minutes,while DFs are defined as,with much shorter time scale of several seconds,sharp increases in the northward magnetic field component in the plasma sheet.These two phenomena     

Relative role of subinertial and superinertial modes in the coastal long wave response forced by the landfall of a tropical cyclone

A set of numerical experiments has been performed in order to analyze the long-wave response of the coastal ocean to a translating mesoscale atmospheric cyclone approaching the coastline at a normal angle. An idealized two-slope shelf topography is chosen. The model is forced by a radially symmetric atmospheric pressure perturbation with a corresponding gradient wind field. The cyclone's translation speed, radius, and the continental shelf width are considered as parameters whose impact on the long wave period, modal structure, and amplitude is studied. Subinertial continental shelf waves (CSW) dominate the response under typical forcing conditions and on the narrower shelves. They propagate in the downstream (in the sense of Kelvin wave propagation) direction. Superinertial edge wave modes have higher free surface amplitudes and faster phase speeds than the CSW modes. While potentially more dangerous, edge waves are not as common as subinertial shelf waves because their generation requires a wide, gently sloping shelf and a storm system translating at a relatively high (∼10 m s⁻¹ or faster) speed. A relatively smaller size of an atmospheric cyclone also favors edge wave generation. Edge waves with the highest amplitude (up to 60% of the forced storm surge) propagate upstream. They are produced by a storm system with an Eulerian time scale equal to the period of a zero-mode edge wave with the wavelength of the storm spatial scale. Large amplitude edge waves were generated during Hurricane Wilma's landfall (2005) on the West Florida shelf with particularly severe flooding occurring upstream of the landfall site.     

Geochemistry of organic carbon and nitrogen in surface sediments of coastal Bohai Bay inferred from their ratios and stable isotopic signatures

Total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and their δ(13)C and δ(15)N values were determined for 42 surface sediments from coastal Bohai Bay in order to determine the concentration and identify the source of organic matter. The sampling sites covered both the marine region of coastal Bohai Bay and the major rivers it connects with. More abundant TOC and TN in sediments from rivers than from the marine region reflect the situation that most of the terrestrial organic matter is deposited before it meets the sea. The spatial variation in δ(13)C and δ(15)N signatures implies that the input of organic matter from anthropogenic activities has a more significant influence on its distribution than that from natural processes. Taking the area as a whole, surface sediments in the marine region of coastal Bohai Bay are dominated by marine derived organic carbon, which on average accounts for 62±11% of TOC.     

Magnetotail dipolarization fronts and particle acceleration: A review

In this paper, the particle acceleration processes around magnetotail dipolarization fronts(DFs) were reviewed. We summarize the spacecraft observations(including Cluster, THEMIS, MMS) and numerical simulations(including MHD, testparticle, hybrid, LSK, PIC) of these processes. Specifically, we(1) introduce the properties of DFs at MHD scale, ion scale, and electron scale,(2) review the properties of suprathermal electrons with particular focus on the pitch-angle distributions,(3)define the particle-acceleration process and distinguish it from the particle-heating process,(4) identify the particle-acceleration process from spacecraft measurements of energy fluxes, and(5) quantify the acceleration efficiency and compare it with other processes in the magnetosphere(e.g., magnetic reconnection and radiation-belt acceleration processes). We focus on both the acceleration of electrons and ions(including light ions and heavy ions). Regarding electron acceleration, we introduce Fermi,betatron, and non-adiabatic acceleration mechanisms;regarding ion acceleration, we present Fermi, betatron, reflection, resonance, and non-adiabatic acceleration mechanisms. We also discuss the unsolved problems and open questions relevant to this topic, and suggest directions for future studies.     

Tomographic measurements of pore filling at infiltration fronts

For certain porous media and initial conditions, constant flux infiltrations show a saturation profile which exhibits overshoot. This overshoot is the cause of gravity driven fingering, cannot be described by standard models of unsaturated flow, and is likely controlled by the exact nature of the pore filling at the initial front. Here we report synchrotron X-ray micro-tomography measurements of the porous medium and measure which pores are filled by water and air at the initial wetting front as a function of flux. We find that at high fluxes all the pores are filled with water; for intermediate fluxes, the pores along the edge of the column remain unsaturated; and for low fluxes the pores in the bulk of the experimental column remain unsaturated. This suggests that the unsaturated overshoot conditions observed at higher fluxes are primarily an edge effect of the column. The results can help delineate the correct continuum models that can capture overshoot and gravity driven fingering.     

The motion of magnetic fronts in spiral galaxies

Abstract

We study the nonlinear asymptotic thin disc approximation to the mean field dynamo equations, as applicable to spiral galaxies. The circumstances in which sharp magnetic field structures (fronts) can propagate radially are investigated, and an expression for the speed of propagation derived. We find that the speed of an interior front is proportional to η//R _? (where η is the diffusivity and R_t the galactic radius), whereas an exterior front moves with speed of order , where γ is the local growth rate of the dynamo. Numerical simulations are presented, that agree well with our asymptotic results. Further, we perform numerical experiments using the 'no-z' approximation for thin disc dynamos, and show that the propagation of magnetic fronts in this approximation can also be understood in terms of our asymptotic results.     

Tuna aggregation and feeding near fronts observed in satellite imagery

Stomach contents of albacore (Thunnus alalunga) and skipjack (Katsuwonus pelamis) caught off California in August 1983 showed they were feeding on juvenile northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax), other fishes, and planktonic crustaceans. The distribution and diet of these predators were related to mesoscale frontal features visible in satellite sea surface temperature and phytoplankton pigment imagery. Albacore were caught in the vicinity of a filament of cold, pigment-rich surface water that varied with the intensity of coastal upwelling on time scales of several days. Stomachs of albacore caught closer to the filament contained relatively more juvenile anchovy and fewer pelagic red crabs (Pleuroncodes planipes). Skipjack were caught in warm water in the Southern California Bight, north of their normal range due to El Nin˜o warming. They appeared to be feeding most successfully near the strong frontal boundary of a productive, cold water mass south of Pt. Conception, where dense patches of euphausiids were available. Both species were feeding near variable, mesoscale centers of high productivity where prey abundance may be enhanced.     

High-resolution ensemble forecasting for the Gulf of Mexico eddies and fronts

High-resolution models and realistic boundary conditions are necessary to reproduce the mesoscale dynamics of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM). In order to achieve this, we use a nested configuration of the Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM), where the Atlantic TOPAZ system provides lateral boundary conditions to a high-resolution (5 km) model of the GOM . However, such models cannot provide accurate forecasts of mesoscale variability, such as eddy shedding event, without data assimilation. Eddy shedding events involve the rapid growth of nonlinear instabilities that are difficult to forecast. The known sources of error are the initial state, the atmospheric condition, and the lateral boundary condition. We present here the benefit of using a small ensemble forecast (10 members) for providing confidence indices for the prediction, while using a data assimilation scheme based on optimal interpolation. Our set of initial states is provided by using different values of a data assimilation parameter, while the atmospheric and lateral boundary conditions are perturbed randomly. Changes in the data assimilation parameter appear to control the main position of the large features of the GOM in the initial state, whereas changes in the boundary conditions (lateral and atmospheric) appears to control the propagation of cyclonic eddies at their boundary. The ensemble forecast is tested for the shedding of Eddy Yankee (2006). The Loop Current and eddy fronts observed from ocean color and altimetry are almost always within the estimated positions from the ensemble forecast. The ensemble spread is correlated both in space and time to the forecast error, which implies that confidence indices can be provided in addition to the forecast. Finally, the ensemble forecast permits the optimization of a data assimilation parameter for best performance at a given forecast horizon.     

Motion of wetting fronts moving into partially pre-wet soil

We study the motion of wetting fronts for vertical infiltration problems as modeled by Richards’ equation. Parlange and others have shown that wetting fronts in infiltration flows can be described by traveling wave solutions. If the soil layer is not initially dry, but has an initial distribution of water content then the motion of the wetting front will change due to the interaction of the infiltrating flow with the pre-existing soil conditions. Using traveling wave profiles, we construct simple approximate solutions of initial-boundary value problems for Richards’ equation that accurately describe the position and moisture distribution of the wetting front. We show that the influences of surface boundary conditions and initial conditions produce shifts to the position of the wetting front. The shifts can be calculated by examining the cumulative infiltration, and are validated numerically for several problems for Richards’ equation and the linear advection–diffusion equation.     

Influence of the Danube River inputs on C and N stable isotope ratios of the Romanian coastal waters and sediment (Black Sea)

The main aim of this study was to estimate the influence of the seasonal variations of the Danube River particulate organic matter (POM) inputs on the Black Sea surface seawater POM and upper layer of sediments along the Romanian coast. Ratios of carbon ((13)C/(12)C) and nitrogen ((15)N/(14)N) stable isotopes allowed differentiating river and marine organic matter sources. Danube River POM presented significantly lower average values of delta(13)C (-27.52+/-0.88 per thousand) and delta(15)N (4.88+/-1.45 per thousand) than seawater POM (delta(13)C=-24.70+/-2.37 per thousand and delta(15)N=6.75+/-1.96 per thousand), whereas surface sediment presented average values similar to seawater POM (delta(13)C=-24.02+/-2.39 per thousand and delta(15)N=7.29+/-2.16 per thousand). Stable isotope values showed that the Danube River influence on marine ecosystems decreased from the North to the South of the Romanian coast. Strong seasonal variations of C and N isotopic signatures were observed in all compartments studied with generally higher values in spring when the river was flooding.     

Field observations of fronts and high-frequency temperature fluctuations in a thermal plume

High-frequency temperature variations were measured at seven depths, at a point 130 m from the cooling-water outfall of a power plant. The data are studied using spectra, correlation functions and probability distributions. The sharp thermal fronts observed in the data are related to the surface thermal fronts seen using airborne infra-red scanning, and to laboratory studies of instabilities in mixing layers between uniformly flowing and quiescent fluids.     

Stochastic analysis of biodegradation fronts in one-dimensional heterogeneous porous media

We consider a one-dimensional model biodegradation system consisting of two reaction–advection equations for nutrient and pollutant concentrations and a rate equation for biomass. The hydrodynamic dispersion is ignored. Under an explicit condition on the decay and growth rates of biomass, the system can be approximated by two component models by setting biomass kinetics to equilibrium. We derive closed form solutions for constant speed traveling fronts for the reduced two component models and compare their profiles in homogeneous media. For a spatially random velocity field, we introduce travel time and study statistics of degradation fronts via representations in terms of the travel time probability density function (pdf) and the traveling front profiles. The travel time pdf does not vary with the nutrient and pollutant concentrations and only depends on the random water velocity. The traveling front profiles are expressed analytically or semi-analytically as functions of the travel time. The problem of nonlinear transport by a random velocity reduces to two subproblems: one being nonlinear transport by a known (unit) velocity, and the other being linear (advective) transport by a random velocity. The approach is illustrated through some examples where the randomness in velocity stems from the spatial variability of porosity.