Wind-induced shear dispersion and genesis of the shelf-break front

Through a simple analytical model, we examine the shear dispersion associated with oscillatory winds in an unstratified coastal ocean. As noted previously in the tidal regime, the vertical-integrated (total) horizontal diffusivity has a maximum where the water depth equals the diffusive depth – defined as the reach of the vertical diffusion during one forcing cycle. Due principally to the long synoptic timescale that characterizes the wind forcing, this depth lies over the outer shelf. When combined with effective mixing of the slope water by meso-scale eddies, the total diffusivity exhibits a minimum around the shelf break, thus facilitating frontogenesis. Due again to the long forcing period, the bottom Ekman flow is well developed at the diffusive depth, which would accentuate the gradient enhancement of the front over the inshore water, which however is bounded above by doubling.Calculations from a primitive-equation numerical model are carried out for both unstratified and stratified oceans. From an initially uniform property gradient, a front is seen to emerge around the shelf break after an oscillating wind is switched on, in a visual demonstration of the proposed frontogenesis. The unstratified solution closely agrees with the analytical solution, and although the front is not particularly sharp, it is comparable to that observed. The stratified solution renders a more realistic simulation of the observed front, but it retains the basic features, suggesting the dominance of the proposed mechanism even in the presence of the cross-frontal circulation.     

On the stability of fronts near shelfbreak

Using a two-dimensional semi-geostrophic model. the stability of fronts near shelf break (shelfbreak font, western boundary current front) and its mechanism are studied. We find that the stability of the front is related to the frontal structure. In general, the increase of the lower layer depth lowers the unstable growth rate (a1). (1) The shelfbreak front is baroclinically unstable and ai increases with the increase of the bottom slope, different from the conclusion of Flagg and Beardsley (1978). (2) A western boundary current front with uniform vorticity in the upper layer is barotropically unstable, due to the strong horizontal shear of the mean current. The unstable growth rate of this front for a realistic topography is only one seventh of that of the flat bottom case. (3) For a western boundary current front with hyperbolic tangent structure, we find its wave propagation speed to be about 0. 5 m/s, in agreement with the observed values. The front is baroclinically unstable. (4)The unstable growth     

The propagation of high frequency internal waves in the Celtic Sea

The continental slope to the south of the Celtic Sea is an area of extremely rough topography and tidal currents of the order of 50cm/s (with components both along and across the slope). This is a region of intense and complicated internal wave and internal tide activity. Historical current meter data from moorings close to the shelf-break show bursts of high frequency, large amplitude internal waves occurring, on average, at either once or twice per M2 tidal cycle. Wave packets at 9 moorings along the shelf-break and further on-shelf are identified using conditional sampling. The paths travelled by these wave packets are calculated using their fluctuation orientation, linear wave theory and the low frequency current. The records are up to 60 days long, allowing the ensemble statistics of propagation direction and wave characteristics to be calculated for a large number of wave packets. This analysis shows that only a fraction of the observed wave packets have orientations consistent with generation by the across-slope barotropic tide. This mechanism accounts for 20% of the wave packets in the north-west Celtic Sea and 29% in the southeast Celtic sea. A similar fraction of the wave packets (23% in the north west and 27% in the south east) have orientations clearly consistent with generation by an along-slope flow over the rough topography on the slope. The remaining wave packets are attributed to generation by tidal flow over topography close to the moorings and possibly internal wave resonance within canyons.     

内孤立波过陆架陆坡地形的数值模拟研究

内波是海洋中普遍存在的波动形式。内孤立波是典型的非线性内波,多发于陆架边缘海,如南海等海域,对陆架海域有重要影响。本文针对内孤立波在陆架地形上的传播问题,先基于弱非线性与全非线性数值模型,模拟了不同振幅、地形高度条件下内孤立波的演化的过程,探讨了动力系数对内孤立波演化过程的影响,对比了两模型的模拟结果在内孤立波演化过程、能量分配以及能量耗散的差异,后分析了南海的动力系数分布特征。结果表明,在内孤立波不发生破碎的情况下,弱非线性模型与全非线性模拟结果相近。当发生破碎过程时,弱非线性模型可准确模拟头波,但无法通过强非线性的破碎过程耗散能量,只能以裂变的方式辐射能量。在弱非线性模型中,随地形高度增加,频散系数减小到零,平方非线性系数由负转正,立方非线性系数绝对值增大一个量级,并主导陆架地形上内孤立波的演化过程。通过对比南海夏季与冬季非线性内波动力系数空间分布,发现内孤立波在传播过程由于夏季平方非线性效应、立方非线性效应与频散效应较强的影响,其在夏季更易发生陡化与裂变,波列发生频率高。     

Wave Dispersion Study in the Indian Ocean-Tsunami of December 26, 2004

A numerical study which takes into account wave dispersion effects has been carried out in the Indian Ocean to reproduce the initial stage of wave propagation of the tsunami event that occurred on December 26, 2004. Three different numerical models have been used: the nonlinear shallow water (nondispersive), the nonlinear Boussinesq, and the full Navier-Stokes aided by the volume of fluid method to track the free surface. Numerical model results are compared against each other. General features of the wave propagation agreed very well in all numerical studies. However some important differences are observed in the wave patterns, i.e., the development in time of the wave front is shown to be strongly connected to the dispersion effects. Discussions and conclusions are made about the spatial and temporal distribution of the free surface reaffirming that the dispersion mechanism is important for tsunami hazard mitigation.     

Wave Dispersion Study in the Indian Ocean-Tsunami of December 26, 2004

A numerical study which takes into account wave dispersion effects has been carried out in the Indian Ocean to reproduce the initial stage of wave propagation of the tsunami event that occurred on December 26, 2004. Three different numerical models have been used: the nonlinear shallow water (nondispersive), the nonlinear Boussinesq, and the full Navier-Stokes aided by the volume of fluid method to track the free surface. Numerical model results are compared against each other. General features of the wave propagation agreed very well in all numerical studies. However some important differences are observed in the wave patterns, i.e., the development in time of the wave front is shown to be strongly connected to the dispersion effects. Discussions and conclusions are made about the spatial and temporal distribution of the free surface reaffirming that the dispersion mechanism is important for tsunami hazard mitigation.     

Analysis of current–topography interaction in remote sensing imaging procedures for shallow water topography

Underwater topography can be imaged using remote sensing methods. Numerous studies have been conducted to understand the imaging mechanism of shallow water topography. However, current–topography interaction constitutes the weakest link in the remote sensing imaging mechanism of underwater topography. In addition, few studies focused on different topography patterns. Current velocity is highly correlated with bathymetry, and velocity gradient is used as an indicator of sea surface roughness. In this research, we analyzed the distribution characteristics of current velocity and velocity gradient in different cases using a 3-dimensional (3-D) hydrodynamic model to discuss the current–topography interaction part of the remote sensing imaging mechanism, especially the modulation by current parallel or normal to the underwater topography, both positive and negative. Results showed remarkable agreement between 3-D current analysis and surface velocity analysis. Parallel and normal currents had different responses to different topography types. The distribution of surface current gradient showed opposite features over negative and positive topography in parallel and normal current fields. This can be used to distinguish negative topography from positive topography with different current directions to a certain extent.     

Suspended particulate matter and nepheloid layers over the southern margin of the Cretan Sea (N.E. Mediterranean): seasonal distribution and dynamics

Seawater along the southern margin of the Cretan Sea (May 1994–September 1995) has been found to have light transmission values ranging from 79% to 94%, corresponding to SPM values ranging from 1.5 mg l⁻¹ to 0.2 mg l⁻¹. The highest SPM concentrations (mostly of terrigenous origin) were found close to the sea-bed over the shelf-break and upper slope. The origins of SPM in the surface waters (<150 m) is principally biogenic. The occurrence of nepheloid layers at intermediate depths within the upper water column is mostly a result of density stratification. The dynamics of SPM distributions are governed by the 2-gyre system which induces a general onslope flow; and so inhibits the seaward dispersion of the relatively more turbid coastal/shelf waters. This is in agreement with the virtual absence of suspensates of terrigenous origin offshore of the shelf-break. Near bottom nepheloid layers (BNL) and detached intermediate nepheloid layers occur in the vicinity of the shelf-break and over upper slope region; these may be explained by resuspension induced by near-bed current activity and breaking of internal waves. High concentrations of SPM near the seabed may be caused by anthropogenic (trawling) activity. Occasionally, the formation of BNL may result from local seismic activity resulting in gravity-driven mass movements.     

间断地形下的亚惯性频率地形波

在纯间断化地形的条件下,从理论分析和数值计算二方面探讨了亚惯性频率地形波的频散关系。指出正压亚惯性频率地形波的波模直接取决于间断点的个数和间断度。连续地形可以看成是纯间断地形的极限情况,因此,连续地形的起伏程度有类似间断度的作用。在对连续地形的频散关系进行数值计算时,水平步长的选取对计算结果有很大的影响。     

Internal waves revealed by Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) imagery in the vicinity of the eastern Cretan Arc Straits (Eastern Mediterranean)

Internal waves have been detected on ERS-1 SAR images obtained during late summer over the eastern Cretan Straits, an area characterised by complex regional physiography, bottom topography, flow regime and stratification patterns of the upper part of the water column. Analysis of the imaged characteristics of the internal waves has revealed a strong diversity in form, propagation direction and type of sea surface modulation, which indicates various mechanisms of generation. Analysis of the currents recorded over the area shows that, although semi-diurnal tidal currents are present, these are of low magnitude in comparison with the overall flow and, therefore, tidal forcing is unlikely to be a major process in the generation of the imaged internal waves. In addition, a well-defined front has been identified within the Rhodes Strait. This front is considered to be the surficial manifestation of the Asia Minor Current, which is a strong and persistent large-scale circulation feature of the Eastern Mediterranean.     

On the generation and propagation of internal solitary waves in the southern Bay of Biscay

Internal solitary waves (ISWs), travelling towards the South–South-West (SSW), are now well documented in the northern and central Bay of Biscay. These are formed from large-amplitude internal tides which result from the interaction of the barotropic tide with the steep shelf-break topography. In the present paper, we investigate available satellite imagery (Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) and ASAR data) to reveal that the southern Bay of Biscay is also a “hotspot” region which has a high level of ISW activity. Here, the ISWs travel towards the East–North-East from the Cape Finisterre region off North-West Spain. In fact, we reveal the presence of two wave-trains travelling in slightly different directions (055°T and 040°T). By calculating the strength of the barotropic tidal forcing in the region, and identifying the likely propagation pathways (rays) of internal tidal (IT) energy, we identify the generation sites for these wave-trains as lying on either side of the Ortegal Promontory (OP). This is an undersea “headland” projecting towards the North-West from the north-western coast of Spain (near 44°N, 8.5°W), and over which the barotropic tides are forced to flow. For each generation site, IT rays emanating from “critical” topography (where the ray slope is equal to the topographic slope) in regions of strong barotropic forcing, rise to the surface (for one site after a reflection from the sea-floor) and pass through the thermocline close to the earliest occurrences of the ISWs in the respective wave trains. These rays would then produce, through nonlinear processes, the ISWs through the same “local generation” mechanism that has been used to explain the occurrence of the ISWs in the northern and central Bay. The “local generation” mechanism may therefore be more widely applicable than previously thought. In addition, the methods we have used to deduce the generation sites for these waves are expected to prove equally useful for studies in other areas of the world's oceans.     

海底沉积物实验室剪切波速度及其与沉积物的物理性质之间的关系

采用压电陶瓷弯曲元法和共振柱试验的方法对采自我国海域的一些典型海底浅表层沉积物样品进行了剪切波速测试,获得首批可信数据.两种方法所测得的剪切波速数据具有很好的一致性,且在数赫兹至数十千赫兹频段范围内剪切波速不具明显弥散性.剪切波速与沉积物类型关系密切,不同海区和不同类型海底沉积物的剪切波速有明显差异.近海较细颗粒沉积物粉砂的剪切波速在100m/s左右,细颗粒沉积物的剪切波速在100m/s以下;陆架较粗颗粒沉积物的剪切波速最大,超过100m/s;深海、半深海细颗粒沉积物的剪切波速最低,小于50m/s.剪切波速与含水量、密度、孔隙度、塑限和液限等沉积物物理参数之间具很好的相关性,反映了剪切波速和物理性质之间的密切关系.剪切波速与压缩波速呈正相关性,但在不同的波速范围剪切波速随压缩波速的变化有很大不同.     

Instability of the Kuroshio in Luzon Strait: Effects of ridge topography and stratification

The spectral analyses of moored current velocities in the central Luzon Strait reveal northward (i.e., downstream of the Kuroshio) propagation of a frontal wave with a five-day period, with wave amplitude increasing northward. Estimated from both curve fitting and frequency domain Empirical Orthogonal Function methods, the characteristics of five-day variations have wave speeds ranging from 32 to 40 cm s⁻¹, wavelengths ranging from 130 to 150 km, and e-folding time scales for growth ranging from 0.8 to 3 days. An analytical two-layer model used to explore linear stability characteristics indicates that bottom topography (two meridional ridges) is important for the Kuroshio stability characteristics in the Luzon Strait. In the two-layer model with the two ridges, the flow is stabilized for the long-wave mode but destabilized for the short-wave mode (due to increasing vertical shear in the horizontal velocity). The analytical model produces wavelengths and phase speeds for the most unstable mode which is similar to the observation, but the growth rate is underestimated. However, a spectral numerical model applied with a more realistic stratification and velocity structure does obtain faster growth rates comparable to the observations. Parameter sensitivity tests were conducted using the analytical model. The characteristics of the most unstable mode are most sensitive to the surface front location relative to the bottom topography but not sensitive to varying the density difference and thickness of the upper layer.     

Nearshore sticky waters

Wind- and current-driven flotsam, oil spills, pollutants, and nutrients, approaching the nearshore will frequently appear to slow down/park just beyond the break zone, where waves break. Moreover, the portion of these tracers that beach will do so only after a long time. Explaining why these tracers park and at what rate they reach the shore has important implications on a variety of different nearshore environmental issues, including the determination of what subscale processes are essential in computer models for the simulation of pollutant transport in the nearshore. Using a simple model we provide an explanation for the underlying mechanism responsible for the parking of tracers, not subject to inertial effects, the role played by the bottom topography, and the non-uniform dispersion which leads, in some circumstances, to the eventual landing of all or a portion of the tracers. We refer to the parking phenomenon in this environment as nearshore sticky waters.     

Effect of the wind on the shelf dynamics: Formation of a secondary upwelling along the continental margin

In this paper, the authors study the influence of the wind on the dynamics of the continental shelf and margin, in particular the formation of a secondary upwelling (or downwelling) front along the shelf break.Observations during the MOUTON2007 campaign at sea along the Portuguese coast in summer 2007 reveal the presence of several upwelling fronts, one being located near the shelf break. All upwellings are characterized by deep cold waters close to or reaching the surface and with high chlorophyll concentrations. Simplified numerical models are built in order to study a possible physical mechanism behind this observation. First, a simple shallow water model with three distinct layers is used to study the formation of secondary upwelling fronts. We show that the physical mechanism behind this process is associated with onshore transport of high potential vorticity anomalies of the shelf for upwelling favorable conditions. Sensitivity studies to bottom friction, shelf width, continental slope steepness, shelf “length” are analysed in terms of potential vorticity dynamics. In particular bottom friction is analyzed in detail and we find that, even though bottom friction limits the barotropic velocity field, it enhances the cross-shore circulation, so that no steady state is possible when stratification is taken into account. Bottom friction accelerates the onshore advection of high potential vorticity, but also drastically reduces its amplitude because of diabatic effects. The net effect of bottom friction is to reduce the secondary upwelling development. Based on similar mechanisms, previous results are then extended to downwelling favorable conditions. Finally a more realistic configuration, with bottom topography, wind forcing and stratification set up from observations, is then developed and the results confronted to the observations. Simulations overestimate the velocity amplitude but exhibit good agreement in terms of density ranges brought over the shelf and general isopycnal patterns.The application and extension of the results to more general oceanic regions is discussed and we conclude on the influence of such process on the dynamics of wind driven circulation over a shelf.     

考虑底摩擦的波浪折射计算

本文用考虑底摩擦的折射模式计算了浅水中波高和波向分布。作为一个例子,根据不同的摩擦系数和不同的边界条件计算了一种简单海底地形的折射系数、衰减系数和折射角,所得结果与不考虑底摩擦的折射模式结果进行比较,发展它们之间存在一些差异,表明在浅水中底摩擦对波高有一定影响。     

Nonlinear Dispersion Effect on Wave Transformation

—A new nonlinear dispersion relation is given in this paper.which can overcome the limitationof the intermediate minimum value in the dispersion relation proposed by Kirby and Dalrymple(1986).and which has a better approximation to Hedges'empirical relation than the modified relations by Hedges(1987).Kirby and Dalrymple(1987)for shallow waters.The new dispersion relation is simple in form.thusit can be used easily in practice.Meanwhile,a general explicit approximation to the new dispersion rela-tion and other nonlinear dispersion relations is given.By use of the explicit approximation to the newdispersion relation along with the mild slope equation taking into account weakly nonlinear effect.amathematical model is obtained,and it is applied to laboratory data.The results show that the model de-veloped with the new dispersion relation predicts wave transformation over complicated topography quitewell.     

A 2D-numerical modeling of the generation and propagation of internal solitary waves in the Luzon Strait

The wide presence of internal solitary waves (ISWs) in the northern South China Sea (SCS) has been confirmed by both Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images and in situ observations. These ISWs are believed being generated over the varying topography in the Luzon Strait. They typically propagate westwards into the SCS with a diurnal or semidiurnal period. Their generation sites are, however, not yet solidly identified. To obtain a clear picture of the ISWs, we designed numerical experiments to analyze the generation and propagation of the ISWs in the Luzon Strait using a 2-dimensional non-hydrostatic model. The model current is forced by barotropic or baroclinic currents imposed at open boundaries. The experiments show that the tidal current serves as a kind of triggering force for the ISWs over the submarine ridges in the strait. Under the forcing of tidal currents, depressions are formed near the ridges. The ISWs then split from the depressions through a process different from lee-wave generation mechanism. The appearance of the ISWs is influenced by the strength and period of the forcing current:the ISWs are more likely to be generated by a stronger tidal current. That is why the ISWs in the Luzon Strait are frequently observed during spring tide. Compared with diurnal tidal current, the ISWs generated by semidiurnal tidal current with the same amplitude is much more energetic. It is partly because that the wave beams in diurnal frequency have a larger angle with the vertical direction, thus are more likely to be reflected by the topography slope. The impact of the Kuroshio to the ISWs is also analyzed by adding a vertical uniform or shear current at boundaries. A vertically uniform current may generate ISWs directly. On the other hand, a vertically shear current, which is more realistic to represent the Kuroshio branch, seems to have little influence on the generation process and radiating direction of the ISWs in the Luzon Strait.     

基于海色融合数据的东海黑潮锋面检测研究

海洋锋是典型的海洋中尺度现象之一。目前卫星遥感主要利用海表温度数据分析海洋锋,但由于西北太平洋海域夏季海表温度的趋同特性,不能进行有效的锋面监测;而不同水团所具有的生物光学特性往往是不同的,且不具有太阳辐射引起的显著性季节变化,因此海色资料也成为检测海洋锋的有效数据源。文中以东海黑潮为例,详细说明了基于叶绿素a浓度融合数据,采用梯度法进行海洋锋面检测的过程,通过比较不同季节不同梯度阈值得到的东海黑潮锋结果,从保持锋面的完整性及对零碎锋区的剔除效应方面,选取了不同季节较优的梯度阈值。总体来说,文中检测出的东海黑潮区域海色锋与海流黑潮强流区较吻合,12月至4月东海黑潮海色锋检测结果不如海温锋,而5-11月东海黑潮海色锋检测结果优于海温锋,特别是台湾以东黑潮区域,不论什么季节海温锋都没有体现,而海色锋始终很明显。利用文中提出的海洋锋检测算法、分析方法及选择的梯度阈值可以有效地检测东海黑潮区域的海洋锋面,结合海色锋和海温锋,可以监测分析东海黑潮强流区的时空变化。     

地形对陆架拦截波性质及机制的影响

陆架波的性质如频散关系、形成机制等受地形影响。研究地形对陆架波的性质影响具有重要意义。基于陆架拦截波理论,数值计算了分段线性地形下不同宽度陆架上陆架拦截波的频散关系、长波假设下波动的相速度、阻尼情况下的波动耗散率以及强迫波的外力影响因子。分析了陆架宽度及坡度对自由及强迫陆架拦截波性质的影响。陆架宽度影响陆架拦截波的频散关系。陆架变宽,使得长波频散曲线的斜率增大。陆架宽度的增加使第一模态陆架拦截波有明显的性质变化:相速度增大,波动受辐散影响的程度变大,摩擦衰减距离增大,且风应力旋度在波动的生成机制中起到的作用渐强。在宽的陆架上,研究陆架拦截波的生成及强迫波的振幅时,应充分考虑风应力旋度的作用。第二、三模态波动的相速度受陆架坡度的影响较大,但摩擦衰减距离基本都在200km左右,几乎不随陆架宽度改变,属于局地波。