Long-term inter-annual variability of a cyclonic gyre in the western Irish Sea

The western Irish Sea gyre (WISG) is a cyclonic baroclinic flow around a dome of stagnant water which develops each year during the heating season in the western Irish Sea. Research was carried out to determine long-term changes in the strength of stratification within WISG and associated changes in the gyre structure, circulation patterns and retentive properties. Model simulations were carried out for the 58-year period 1951-2008. The characteristics of the gyre were quantified by means of potential energy anomaly (PEA), measuring the strength of stratification, and total kinetic energy (KE), reflecting the strength of cyclonic circulation. Additionally, long-term changes in flushing rates within the gyre were assessed.Results show that stratification in the western Irish Sea consistently begins to develop in March, increases linearly from April till June, peaks at the beginning of July and remains at close to maximum level throughout the month of July, before a start of a sharp decline at the beginning of August. The strength of stratification is significantly correlated with averaged summer air temperatures and summer wind speeds. Trend analysis of PEA shows an increase in the stratification strength over the period considered; the increase of PEA peak value is accompanied by a shortening of the gyre duration and a delay in the timing of the peak value. There is also an increasing trend in the KE value, showing that the thermal stratification plays a crucial role in the hydrography of the region. Flushing analysis shows that the stronger the stratification the lower the residence time and thus the faster the removal of the material from the western Irish Sea. Residence time within WISG shortens on average by 8 days over the 58-year period.     

Patterns of sea surface temperature variability on seasonal to sub-annual scales at and offshore the Río de la Plata estuary

SST variability on seasonal to sub-annual scales in the coastal region of South America between 30° and 39°S, largely influenced by the Rio de la Plata estuary’s plume, and its relation to wind variability are explored. Data are six years of daily ensembles of gridded satellite SST and sea surface winds with spatial resolutions of about 11 and 25 km, respectively. Observations from oceanographic cruises are used to validate the results. It is found that the seasonal cycle can be explained in terms of two modes. The first one, characterizing fall-early winter/spring-early summer, is related to the radiative cycle. The second one, corresponding to late summer and winter, displays warm/cold anomalies along the Uruguayan coast forced by the prevailing winds during those seasons. In the upper estuary and the northern part of the area of influence of the freshwater plume, variability in sub-annual scales is significant. A large portion of this variance is related to zonal wind anomalies that force warm/cold SSTs along that coast. Cold anomalies of up to −5 °C occur under anomalously intense easterly winds, indicating upwelling. These events are very frequent and show large persistence, occurring up to one and a half months. They also display a marked seasonal cycle – being more frequent in late spring and summer – large inter-annual variability and seem to be modulated by the continental runoff. When discharge is low, the freshwater plume retracts to the west, reducing the inner-shelf stratification and increasing the likelihood of a full upwelling to the surface. In winter, short time-scale SST variability is mostly due to variability in the atmospheric cold fronts crossing the region. Weaker or less frequent (stronger or more frequent) fronts produce a generalized warming (cooling) over the region. As the estuary heats (colds) faster than the shelf, a warm (cold) anomaly develops in the upper Río de la Plata. On inter-annual time scales, probably because ENSO activity was weak during the studied period, SST variability was not important.     

Evidence for transform faulting in the Ionian sea: The Cephalonia island earthquake sequence of 1983

Accurate locations of aftershocks of the January 17, 1983 (M _s=7.0) main shock in the Ionian islands have been determined, as well as fault plane solutions for this main shock and its largest aftershock, which are interpreted as a right-lateral, strike-slip motion with a thrust component, on a fault striking in about a NE-SW direction.This is considered as a transform fault in the northwesternmost part of the Hellenic arc.     

Decadal scale variability of sea surface temperature in the Mediterranean Sea in relation to atmospheric variability

Twenty-four years of AVHRR-derived sea surface temperature (SST) data (1985–2008) and 35 years of NOCS (V.2) in situ-based SST data (1973–2008) were used to investigate the decadal scale variability of this parameter in the Mediterranean Sea in relation to local air–sea interaction and large-scale atmospheric variability. Satellite and in situ-derived data indicate a strong eastward increasing sea surface warming trend from the early 1990s onwards. The satellite-derived mean annual warming rate is about 0.037°C year^–1 for the whole basin, about 0.026°C year^–1 for the western sub-basin and about 0.042°C year^–1 for the eastern sub-basin over 1985–2008. NOCS-derived data indicate similar variability but with lower warming trends for both sub-basins over the same period. The long-term Mediterranean SST spatiotemporal variability is mainly associated with horizontal heat advection variations and an increasing warming of the Atlantic inflow. Analysis of SST and net heat flux inter-annual variations indicates a negative correlation, with the long-term SST increase, driving a net air–sea heat flux decrease in the Mediterranean Sea through a large increase in the latent heat loss. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis of the monthly average anomaly satellite-derived time series showed that the first EOF mode is associated with a long-term warming trend throughout the whole Mediterranean surface and it is highly correlated with both the Eastern Atlantic (EA) pattern and the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) index. On the other hand, SST basin-average yearly anomaly and NAO variations show low and not statistically significant correlations of opposite sign for the eastern (negative correlation) and western (positive correlation) sub-basins. However, there seems to be a link between NAO and SST decadal-scale variations that is particularly evidenced in the second EOF mode of SST anomalies. NOCS SST time series show a significant SST rise in the western basin from 1973 to the late 1980s following a large warming of the inflowing surface Atlantic waters and a long-term increase of the NAO index, whereas SST slowly increased in the eastern basin. In the early 1990s, there is an abrupt change from a very high positive to a low NAO phase which coincides with a large change in the SST spatiotemporal variability pattern. This pronounced variability shift is followed by an acceleration of the warming rate in the Mediterranean Sea and a change in the direction (from westward to eastward) of its spatial increasing tendency.     

Assessing vegetation dynamics and their relationships with climatic variability in northern China

In this study, the vegetation dynamics and their correlations with climate variability in northern China were evaluated based on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and meteorological datasets from 1982 to 2006. The NDVI showed that vegetation cover had a tiny increasing trend for whole study area in the past 25 years. However, the interannual changes of NDVI were different in each season. The part of spring and autumn NDVI values increased significantly, while the summer NDVI increased no significantly. And the interannual variations of the NDVI showed obvious spatial differentiations. The annual max NDVI increased were mainly distributed in most areas of grassland and farmland, whereas the annual max NDVI decreased were mainly distributed in forest areas. The annual NDVI and temperature had more important relationships. Thus, as compared to precipitation, the correlation between NDVI with temperature was stronger than the precipitation in northern China. NDVI and climatic variables were different in each season. The NDVI trends exhibited a close correspondence to climatological variations in region and season. In Addition, human activities also had profound effect to the NDVI trends in some regions. All these findings will make humans know more about the knowledge of the natural forces that influence vegetation change and supply a scientific basic resource to for the environmental management in northern China.     

南海北部雾状层分布和特征的地震海洋学研究

利用地震海洋学方法在南海北部陆架和上陆坡区域发现了15个雾状层.这些雾状层的延伸长度从几千米到几十千米,厚度十几米到一百米,其顶界所处水深在135 m至715.5 m范围之间.雾状层在地震海洋学剖面上表现为强反射特征.不同于其他传统声学或光学方法,地震海洋学方法分辨率高,且能在短时间内对整个水体进行成像,可以记录到雾状层的时空变化特征,实现对雾状层的"四维"观测.南海北部上陆坡区域是内孤立波浅化、能量耗散集中的区域,在此过程中内孤立波会导致较大的波致流速,侵蚀海底使得表面沉积物再悬浮,进入水体,形成和维持雾状层的存在.     

Lateral variability of flow over a sill in a channel of southern Chile

Measurements of velocity and density profiles were used to describe the tidal and mean flow structure across and along a sill in Refugio Channel, a fjord-like inlet in Southern Chile (43.9°S). These are the first oceanographic measurements of any kind effected in Refugio Channel. Current profiles were obtained with a 307.2-kHz acoustic Doppler current profiler during two semidiurnal cycles along a repeated triangular circuit. Two along-channel transects formed the sides of the triangle that crossed the sill and were identified as the western and eastern transects. One cross-channel transect, the base of the triangle, was located on the seaward side of the sill. Density profiles were obtained at the corners of the triangle. The longitudinal mean flow in the western transect showed a two-layer exchange structure over the landward side of the sill. The structure of net seaward flow at the surface and landward flow at depth was disrupted by the sill in such a way that over the seaward side of the sill, only seaward flow was observed throughout the water column. This likely resulted from the blocking of landward net flow by the sill. In the eastern transect, two-layer exchange dominated over most of the transect and was consistent with the observed density profiles. Over the seaward side of the sill, a surface layer, ∼10m deep, flowed landward as a third layer. This feature should have been caused by river input further seaward (to the north) and produced a surface convergence region over the sill. In terms of tidal flows, the greatest tidal current amplitudes were 40cm s⁻¹ over the sill as the flow accelerated through the reduced cross-sectional area of the channel. Near-surface flow convergences were identified over both along-channel transects.     

大气变率对北极地区近期海冰变化趋势影响数值模拟研究

为研究近期21年(1989—2009年)北极地区海冰变化原因,本文利用欧洲中期天气预报中心ERA-Interim数据集资料和美国麻省理工学院MITgcm全球海冰-海洋耦合模式开展了不同大气强迫条件下海冰变化的数值模拟研究.研究工作中共设计了6个数值试验,除1个试验全部采用1989—2009年每日4个时次的大气强迫场外,其余5个试验各有一种大气强迫(地表气温、地表大气比湿、向下短波辐射通量、向下长波辐射通量和地表风)采用1989年月平均结果.分析了各模拟试验结果中3月和9月北极地区海冰面积的年际变化特征及最小二乘拟合意义下的线性变化趋势,并以ERA-Interim结果为参照标准对各模拟试验结果进行了对比和检验,以说明不同大气强迫量变率对海冰变化的作用.结果表明:地表气温变率和向下长波辐射通量变率是造成海冰面积减少的主要原因;向下短波辐射通量变率对海冰面积变化影响几乎可以忽略;地表大气比湿变率对海冰面积线性变化趋势影响较小,但对海冰面积年际变化特征有调制作用;地表风变率对海冰季节变化、海冰面积线性变化趋势及年际变化特征均有明显影响,说明提高大气风应力精度是改善海冰数值模拟结果的重要手段.     

大气变率对北极地区近期海冰变化趋势影响数值模拟研究

为研究近期21年(1989—2009年)北极地区海冰变化原因,本文利用欧洲中期天气预报中心ERA-Interim数据集资料和美国麻省理工学院MITgcm全球海冰-海洋耦合模式开展了不同大气强迫条件下海冰变化的数值模拟研究.研究工作中共设计了6个数值试验,除1个试验全部采用1989—2009年每日4个时次的大气强迫场外,其余5个试验各有一种大气强迫(地表气温、地表大气比湿、向下短波辐射通量、向下长波辐射通量和地表风)采用1989年月平均结果.分析了各模拟试验结果中3月和9月北极地区海冰面积的年际变化特征及最小二乘拟合意义下的线性变化趋势,并以ERA-Interim结果为参照标准对各模拟试验结果进行了对比和检验,以说明不同大气强迫量变率对海冰变化的作用.结果表明:地表气温变率和向下长波辐射通量变率是造成海冰面积减少的主要原因;向下短波辐射通量变率对海冰面积变化影响几乎可以忽略;地表大气比湿变率对海冰面积线性变化趋势影响较小,但对海冰面积年际变化特征有调制作用;地表风变率对海冰季节变化、海冰面积线性变化趋势及年际变化特征均有明显影响,说明提高大气风应力精度是改善海冰数值模拟结果的重要手段.     

On the contributions of atmospheric pressure and wind to daily sea level in the northern Adriatic Sea

Daily sea level variability in the Adriatic Sea is studied from different data sets using Empirical Orthogonal Functions, in connection with atmospheric pressure and wind stress. The first mode explains 56–69% of total variance and consists of uniform sea level variability all over the basin, correlated with atmospheric pressure through the inverse barometer effect. The second mode explains 13–16% of variance and accounts for an along-basin sea level gradient, which is correlated with the meridional wind stress component. The first two Principal Components are used as proxies to pressure- and wind-induced components of storm surges in the northern Adriatic. The analysis of the frequency of the most intense events in the 1957–2005 period shows that the wind contribution to storm surges has decreased, while no significant trends are found in the contribution of atmospheric pressure.     

Anelastic structure of the upper mantle beneath the northern Philippine Sea

We investigated the upper mantle anelastic structure beneath the northern Philippine Sea region, including the Izu-Bonin subduction zone and the Shikoku Basin. We used regional waveform data from 69 events in the Pacific and the Philippine Sea slabs, recorded on F-net and J-array network broadband stations in western Japan. Using the S–P phase pair method, we obtained differential attenuation factors, δt^*, which represent the relative whole path Q. We conducted a tomographic inversion using 978 δt^* values to invert for a fine-scale (50–100 km) three-dimensional anelastic structure.

The results shows two high-Q regions (Q_P>1000) which are consistent with the locations of the Pacific and the Philippine Sea slabs. Also there is a low-Q (Q_P110) area extending to the deeper parts (350–400 km) of the model just beneath the old spreading center and the Kinan Seamount Chain in the Shikoku Basin. A small depth dependence of the laterally averaged Q_P was found, with values of 266 (0–250 km), 301 (250–400 km), and 413 (400–500 km).     

Global vorticity budget over the tropics and subtropics at 200-mb during northern hemisphere summer

The large-scale terms in the vorticity equation are evaluated usingKrishnamurti's (1971a, b) summer mean winds at 200 mb for a global belt from 25°S to 45°N. The production of vorticity by the divergent wind field is found to be imbalanced over all of the tropical and subtropical belt. As a result there is a requirement for a sub-grid scale (space or time) mechanism which removes negative vorticity from the regions of strong divergence (Tibetan and Mexican highlands) and removes positive vorticity from the regions of strong convergence (mid-oceanic troughs) at 200 mb during northern summer at a rate of approximately 4×10^–10 sec^–2. As suggested byHolton andColton (1972), in regions of strong and persistent convection, such as the Tibetan Plateau, deep cumulus clouds can account for this transport. However, the mechanism for removing positive vorticity in the vicinity of the upper tropospheric mid-oceanic troughs is still an intriguing and open question.On leave-of-absence at the National Science Foundation, Climate Dynamics Research Section.     

Modelled variability of the sea surface circulation in the North-western Mediterranean Sea and in the Gulf of Lions

A chain of three nested models, based on the MARS 3D code, is used to simulate the North-western Mediterranean Sea circulation with a finest grid of 1.2 km resolution and 30 vertical sigma levels. This modelling system allows to resolve the coastal dynamics taking into account the influence of the general basin circulation. The aim of this study is to assess the ability of the nested MARS-3D models to reproduce most of the circulation features observed in the North-western Mediterranean Basin and in the Gulf of Lions. Comparisons of modelled sea surface temperature and salinity with MEDAR/MEDATLAS climatology and NOAA/AVHRR satellite measurements show that the model accurately reproduces the large and coastal scale variability. Over the Northern Basin, the seasonal changes of the cyclonic gyre extension are correctly simulated, even though in summer, the modelled temperature of the surface layer remains in basin-average 1°C cooler than the satellite measured temperature. As soon as the stratification erodes, modelled and observed temperatures become closer. Over the Gulf of Lions, realistic coastal responses are obtained under different wind conditions. Upwellings are correctly located and their intensity and spatial extension were here improved by the use of Aladin wind fields (10 km spatial resolution) and the introduction of a drag coefficient fitted according to the stability of the planetary boundary layer. The dispersion of fresh Rhone water discharge and the mesoscale circulation simulated by MARS-3D also agree with satellite measurements.     

南海北部盆地基底岩性地震-重磁响应特征与识别

针对性选取东南沿海露头剖面18条,采集245件南海盆地基底可能出现的岩性样品,测定其密度和磁化率,建立各种岩性的密度-磁化率交会图版,以此约束过井地震剖面和重磁异常的地质解释,总结出南海北部盆地基底火山岩、侵入岩、变质岩和沉积岩4大类11亚类岩性的地震-重磁响应特征.应用重磁震-岩性解释模型逐一对南海盆地北部主干剖面进行地质-地球物理综合解释,从而实现了盆地基底岩性的平面填图.这种从盆缘剖面到盆地内部、从岩石物性测量到地质-地球物理综合解释的方法,在资料获取难度大、地质条件复杂的南海盆地基底地质研究中,业已证明是行之有效的,相信在其他盆地研究中也会有借鉴意义.     

Mesoscale slope current variability in the Gulf of Lions. Interpretation of in-situ measurements using a three-dimensional model

The ECOLOPHY experiments aimed at investigating physical exchanges between coastal and open sea. They were carried out in June and December 2005 over the shelf-break in the North-eastern part of the Gulf of Lions (Northwestern Mediterranean Sea). This area is considered to be the generation zone for the eddy and meandering structures of the Northern Current (NC). The objective of the present work is to examine mesoscale variability of this coastal slope current in the light of available data. Numerical modeling is used to support the field data analysis. ADCP current measurements over a one-year period show that mesoscale activity is maximal in late winter, correlating with the seasonal variability of the NC and, also, partly with local winds. Measured currents exhibit mesoscale fluctuations with periods ranging from 3 to 30 days, in agreement with previous analyses. Fluctuations of periods longer than 10 days are found to be mainly oriented in the direction of the mean current, whereas more frequently observed high frequency fluctuations tend to be oriented cross-slope, suggesting a relationship with the NC mesoscale meandering. Moreover, trajectories of surdrift buoys launched in the NC vein exhibit mesoscale phenomena, such as current meanders or eddies and on-shelf intrusions. Numerical modeling provides a synoptic point of view and is used hereafter to support physical interpretation of punctual eulerian or lagrangian measurements. Therefore, modeled hydrodynamic fields are used to analyze surdrift buoy trajectories and computed vertically averaged current and Ertel potential vorticity provide a better understanding of these behaviors.     

A survey of recent changes in the main components of the ocean tide

Changes in the ocean tide during the 20th century have been reported for several parts of the world by different authors. However, it has not always been clear whether the observed changes have been local or regional in scale. This paper reports on a survey of tidal changes in recent decades using a quasi-global data set of tide gauge information. Little evidence has been found in Europe or the Far East (including Australasia and Asia) for the extensive regional changes to the main tidal constituents reported recently for N America. However, evidence for change in smaller regions can be identified wherever the density of tide gauge information allows. Therefore, it seems that tidal changes may be commonplace around the world, although not necessarily with large spatial scales. All of the reported changes have been difficult to explain. However, it is hoped that quasi-global surveys such as the present one may eventually provide further insights.     

地中海涡旋的垂向结构与物理性质

本文利用地震海洋学新的反演结果,对地中海涡旋的温度、密度、声速以及波阻抗等物理性质进行了详细的分析与讨论,特别对地中海涡旋的一些细结构、混合过程进行了相关描述.研究分析取得以下认识:(1)涡旋具有涡旋核心水与涡旋混合水双层结构,这种结构特征可以在温度图、声速图和波阻抗图中识别出来;(2)涡旋核心水并不是均匀的稳定结构,内部有微弱的混合作用;(3)在涡旋上部以及周围边缘区域,海水的混合比较复杂;在涡旋下部边缘区域,除了有小尺度的盐指混合,内波也是非常重要的动力混合作用;(4)海水密度在涡旋核心水的分布比较稳定,成层性较强,在混合水区域由于不同的混合作用及其强烈程度不同,会发生波动甚至反转;(5)涡旋本身并不是一个严格对称的结构,涡旋与背景海水的上部以及周围边界比较模糊和复杂,而涡旋下部边界则比较明显.地震海洋学反演提供的涡旋物理性质数据能够为涡旋进一步的研究提供更为准确、更高精度以及更高分辨率的参考数据,同时对涡旋的运动学以及动力学研究提供了更进一步的研究方法和研究方向.     

Thermal and haline variability over the central Bering Sea shelf: Seasonal and interannual perspectives

We examine multi-year conductivity-temperature-depth (CTD) data to better understand temperature and salinity variability over the central Bering Sea shelf. Particular consideration is given to observations made annually from 2002 to 2007 between August and October, although other seasons and years are also considered. Vertical and horizontal correlation maps show that near-surface and near-bottom salinity anomalies tend to fluctuate in phase across the central shelf, but that temperature anomalies are vertically coherent only in the weakly or unstratified inner-shelf waters. We formulate heat content (HC) and freshwater content (FWC) budgets based on the CTD observations, direct estimates of external fluxes (surface heat fluxes, ice melt, precipitation (P), evaporation (E) and river discharge), and indirect estimates of advective contributions. Ice melt, P−E, river discharge, and along-isobath advection are sufficient to account for the mean spring-to-fall increase in FWC, while summer surface heat fluxes are primarily responsible for the mean seasonal increase in HC, although interannual variability in the HC at the end of summer appears related to variability in the along-isobath advection during the summer months. On the other hand, FWC anomalies at the end of summer are significantly correlated with the mean wind direction and cross-isobath Ekman transport averaged over the previous winter. Consistent with the latter finding, salinities exhibit a weak but significant inverse correlation between the coastal and mid-shelf waters. The cross-shelf transport likely has significant effect on nutrient fluxes and other processes important to the functioning of the shelf ecosystem. Both the summer and winter advection fields appear to result from the seasonal mean position and strength of the Aleutian Low. We find that interannual thermal and haline variability over the central Bering Sea shelf are largely uncoupled.     

Mercury concentrations in the fur of steller sea lions and northern fur seals from Alaska

We compared total mercury (THg) concentrations in the fur of northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) from the depleted Pribilof Islands population with those of both declining and thriving populations of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus) from Prince William Sound (PWS) and Southeast Alaska (SEA), respectively. Relatively low wet weight concentrations (ranges) of THg were detected in the fur of Steller sea lion (SSL) pups (0.90-3.14 microg/g) and juveniles (0.56-6.75 microg/g) from both areas in 1998 and 2000 compared to northern fur seal (NFS) pups (3.15-8.14 microg/g) in 2000. The mean concentration +/- SD for SSLs sampled were 1.46 +/- 0.64 microg/g for pups (n = 22) and 2.74 +/- 2.89 microg/g for juveniles (n = 6). Analyses indicated higher THg concentrations from SSL pups from PWS compared to the SEA. Mean +/- SD. THg in the NFS pups was 4.90 +/- 1.42 microg/g (n = 34) and for post-partum dams was 7.84 +/- 1.78 microg/g (n = 12).