A new bathymetric model for the central Fram Strait

Based on data from R/V Polarstern multibeam sonar surveys between 1984 and 1997 high resolution bathymetry has been generated for the central Fram Strait. The area insonified covers approx. 36,500 km² between 78–80°N and 0–7.5°E allowing the creation of a Digital Terrain Model (DTM) with 100 m grid spacing. The DTM was utilized for contouring and generation of a new series of bathymetric charts (AWI Bathymetric Charts of the Fram Strait, AWI BCFS) at a scale of 1:100,000. The paper starts with a brief introduction to the regional setting of the study area comprising information on the local links between bathymetry, sea ice transport and water mass exchange. The bathymetric feature names used in this article and how they were chosen is outlined. Next, the input data and processing applied are described. Thereafter the newly created grid and contour data are put into context with existing data sets. Finally the main bathymetric features of the area are characterized and the generated data products available for public disposal are specified.     

Global Bathymetry and Elevation Data at 30 Arc Seconds Resolution: SRTM30_PLUS

A new 30-arc second resolution global topography/bathymetry grid (SRTM30_PLUS) has been developed from a wide variety of data sources. Land and ice topography comes from the SRTM30 and ICESat topography, respectively. Ocean bathymetry is based on a new satellite-gravity model where the gravity-to-topography ratio is calibrated using 298 million edited soundings. The main contribution of this study is the compilation and editing of the raw soundings, which come from NOAA, individual scientists, SIO, NGA, JAMSTEC, IFREMER, GEBCO, and NAVOCEANO. The gridded bathymetry is available for ftp download in the same format as the 33 tiles of SRTM30 topography. There are 33 matching tiles of source identification number to convey the provenance of every grid cell. The raw sounding data, converted to a simple common format, are also available for ftp download.     

GEBCO Centennial Special Issue – Charting the Secret World of the Ocean Floor: The GEBCO Project 1903–2003

This special issue of Marine Geophysical Researches presents five papers dealing with GEBCO, the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans, which celebrated its Centennial in April 2003, hosted by the International Hydrographic Bureau and the Principality of Monaco. Over the past 103 years GEBCO has been the sole body dedicated to compiling all available data to produce standardized maps of the oceans and seas covering 71% of planet Earth. Over time GEBCO has undergone a complete transformation as sparse 500 m contours on paper charts were replaced by digital grids with ever-increasing resolution. The 2003 Centennial saw the release on two CDROMS with the first global 1′ grid, produced by methods unheard of in 1984, when GEBCO’s last 6th Edition paper chart set was published. In GEBCO’s second century, the thrust is towards global grids that will capture the resolutions available with evolving deep-water swath mapping technologies, as well as vast improvement in the details of the shallow continental shelves that have traditionally been the preserve of the hydrographic community. As little more than 10% of the oceans have been mapped to the desired level of detail, there is much to be done. However refinements in satellite altimetry appear to offer an interim stop-gap as more multi-beam sonars ply the oceans and as the littoral countries of the world map their adjacent marine areas for submission under Article 76 of UNCLOS (United Nations, 1983, 1999). In addition GEBCO is becoming increasingly proactive, with outreach to the public via the internet and a new GEBCO Map of the World, active data-scrounging, and encouraging development of the first drifting buoys for acquiring data in the inaccessible areas of the Antarctic, SW Pacific, and Arctic Oceans.     

An Evaluation of Publicly Available Global Bathymetry Grids

We evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of six publicly available global bathymetry grids: DBDB2 (Digital Bathymetric Data Base; an ongoing project of the Naval Research Laboratory), ETOPO2 (Earth Topography; National Geophysical Data Center, 2001, ETOPO2 Global 2’ Elevations [CD-ROM]. Boulder, Colorado, USA: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), GEBCO (General Bathymetric Charts of the Oceans; British Oceanographic Data Centre, 2003, Centenary Edition of the GEBCO Digital Atlas [CD-ROM] Published on behalf of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and the International Hydrographic Organization Liverpool, UK), GINA (Geographic Information Network of Alaska; Lindquist et al., 2004), Smith and Sandwell (1997), and S2004 (Smith, unpublished). The Smith and Sandwell grid, derived from satellite altimetry and ship data combined, provides high resolution mapping of the seafloor, even in remote regions. DBDB2, ETOPO2, GINA, and S2004 merge additional datasets with the Smith and Sandwell grid; but moving from a pixel to grid registration attenuates short wavelengths (<20 km) in the ETOPO2 and DBDB2 solutions. Short wavelengths in the GINA grid are also attenuated, but the cause is not known. ETOPO2 anomalies are offset to the northeast, due to a misregistration in both latitude and longitude. The GEBCO grid is interpolated from 500 m contours that were digitized from paper charts at 1:10 million scale, so it is artificially smooth; yet new efforts have captured additional information from shallow water contours on navigational charts. The S2004 grid merges the Smith and Sandwell grid with GEBCO over shallow depths and polar regions, and so is intended to capture the best of both products. Our evaluation makes the choice of which bathymetry grid to use a more informed one. The U.S. government right to retain a non-exclusive royalty-free license in and to any copyright is acknowledged.     

基于C/S模式的海洋测深数据管理系统

随着海洋调查数据不断积累,如何对处于分散状态的数据进行有效的管理和整合,以提高数据利用效率和共享程度,成为“数字海洋”首先需要关心解决的问题.根据中国近海“数字海洋”信息基础框架构建的总体需求,按照“数字海底”“产品—航次—测线—点”的数据组织结构,设计开发海洋测深基础数据库.以此数据库为基础,开发数据标准化模块、数据...     

Naming of undersea features

The Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), and the joint IOC/IHO Guiding Committee for the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) have expressed considerable concern about the indiscriminate and unregulated naming of undersea features which often go into print without any close scrutiny. An author may not realize that the feature has a name already, maybe in another language, or that his terminology conflicts with established definitions.Geo-Marine Letters wants to follow the IOC/IHO/GEBCO recommendations and requests that its authors follow the set forth guidelines. Examples of terms and definitions are given and addresses of national authorities provided.     

The national geophysical data center bathymetric program

The National Geophysical Data Center's (NGDC's) mission is data management in the broadest sense, playing a role in the nation's research into the environment and providing data to a wide group of users. NGDC also operates components of the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) World Data Center A. The Marine Geology and Geophysics Division of NGDC handles bathymetric data acquisition, manipulation, archival, and dissemination and operates the International Hydrographic Organization Data Center for Digital Bathymetry. Four major data bases have been developed to manage the large volume of data received: the Global Marine Geophysical Data Base (geophysical data acquired in a time series); the NOAA National Ocean Service Hydrographic Data Base; the International Hydrographic Data Base (contains bathymetric data, other than NOS surveys, with no time‐tagging); and the Multibeam Bathymetric Data Base. In addition, gridded data sets such as ETOPO5 are available from NGDC. Bathymetric data are acquired by NGDC through data exchange, funded and contract programs, processing of long‐term data holdings, data digitization from hardcopy sources, and national and international linkages. NGDC personnel participate nationally and internationally on numerous committees associated with studies of the seafloor including charting and bathymetric needs.     

Along-track gravity anomalies from Geostat and Seasat altimetry: GEBCO overlays

To provide easy access to the large number of Seastat and Geosat altimeter observations collected over the last decade, we have plotted these satellite altimeter profiles as overlays to the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO). Each of the 32 overlays displays along-track gravity anomalies for either ascending (southeast to northwest) or descending (northeast to southwest) altimeter passes. Where Seasat and Geosat profiles coincide, only the more accurate Geosat profiles were plotted. In poorly charted southern ocean areas, satellite altimeter profiles reveal many previously undetected features of the seafloor.     

末次间冰期以来门捷列夫洋脊南部冰盖对细颗粒沉积的控制作用

门捷列夫洋脊南部的粘土矿物沉积具有明确的物源,为追踪该区沉积环境的演变提供了良好的条件。末次间冰期以来,ARC7-E23孔中的粘土矿物记录表现出了非常显著的变化。结合沉积物粒度的端元组份和冰阀碎屑沉积,粘土矿物的变化模式表明,东西伯利亚冰盖(ESIS)的规模可能是控制细颗粒沉积的主要因素。在氧同位素2期(MIS2)和4期(MIS4),门捷列夫洋脊南部可能被ESIS所覆盖,几乎阻挡了所有来自加拿大和拉夫贴夫海陆架的沉积物,但允许大量来自东西伯利亚海陆架的细粒沉积物输入。只有当ESIS消融后,波弗特环流和越极流的相对强度以及搬运作用才成为了控制远源沉积物输入的主要因素。MIS3期的气候条件似乎最适合远源沉积物的输入,不仅提高了表层环流的流通性,也提供了足够多的搬运介质。     

Occurrence of Nummulitic coralline limestone from offshore Palar Basin,Bay of Bengal,India

Abstract

Palar basin is located between Pennar and Cauvery sedimentary basins of East coast of India in Bay of Bengal, northeast Indian Ocean. Sea floor drill (Wire-line Autonomous Coring System – WACS) with operational capability of up to 3000?m water depth was developed to collect long cores from deep sea floor for geotechnical and ocean resource assessment studies. During the drilling operation it encountered Nummulitic coralline limestone of Lower Eocene age at 18 meters below the seafloor (mbsf) at 850?m water depth indicating carbonated platform presence for the first time at the study region. Bathymetry contour from Naval Hydrography Chart and General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) has revealed the presence of shallow mounds from 50 to 200?m depth closure contour near the sampling site at 850?m water depth which might be a submerged carbonated structure. Since, Nummulites are shallow water dwelling fauna (<20?m depth) but its occurrence at 18 mbsf in 850?m water depth is recorded because of the advancement in technology tool for long core sampling by means of sea floor drill.     

太平洋夏季水对加拿大海盆海冰的影响

近年来,北极海冰发生了大面积减少,减少的原因仍存在着争议。基于2003-2011年的水文和遥感卫星数据,对北冰洋加拿大海盆的太平洋水和海冰进行研究。通过对比2006年和2007年太平洋水位温与海冰密集度的空间分布,发现太平洋水暖异常于2007年1-3月进入加拿大海盆的中部,并可能导致了2007年夏季海冰大面积的融化。2003-2011年,在加拿大海盆的中部,太平洋水位温与海冰密集度存在着时间上的负相关。选取2007年8月,发现两者在空间上也存在着负相关。这很可能说明太平洋水暖异常在流动的过程中,向上输送了热量,在一定程度上,融化了海冰,从而触发海冰-反照率正反馈,导致海冰的减少。因此,通过白令海峡进入北冰洋的太平洋夏季水,对北极海冰面积的减少有着重要影响。     

On the future navigability of Arctic sea routes: High-resolution projections of the Arctic Ocean and sea ice

The rapid Arctic summer sea ice reduction in the last decade has lead to debates in the maritime industries on the possibility of an increase in cargo transportation in the region. Average sailing times on the North Sea Route along the Siberian Coast have fallen from 20 days in the 1990s to 11 days in 2012–2013, attributed to easing sea ice conditions along the Siberian coast. However, the economic risk of exploiting the Arctic shipping routes is substantial. Here a detailed high-resolution projection of ocean and sea ice to the end of the 21st century forced with the RCP8.5 IPCC emission scenario is used to examine navigability of the Arctic sea routes. In summer, opening of large areas of the Arctic Ocean previously covered by pack ice to the wind and surface waves leads to Arctic pack ice cover evolving into the Marginal Ice Zone. The emerging state of the Arctic Ocean features more fragmented thinner sea ice, stronger winds, ocean currents and waves. By the mid 21st century, summer season sailing times along the route via the North Pole are estimated to be 13–17 days, which could make this route as fast as the North Sea Route.     

全球热带海洋海表温度场异常对北极海冰的影响

本文利用1951?2021年哈德莱中心提供的海冰和海温最新资料以及美国国家海洋和大气管理局气候预报中心提供的NCEP/NCAR再分析资料,分析探讨了北极海冰70余年的长期变化特征,进而研究了其快速减少与热带海温场异常变化之间的联系,揭示了在全球热带海洋海温场变化与北极海冰之间存在密切联系的事实。结果表明,北极海冰异常变化最显著区域出现在格陵兰海、卡拉海和巴伦支海。热带不同海区对北极海冰的影响存在明显时滞时间和强度差异,热带大西洋的影响相比偏早,印度洋次之,太平洋偏晚。热带大西洋、印度洋和中东太平洋海温异常影响北极海冰的最佳时间分别是后者滞后26个月、30个月和34个月,全球热带海洋影响北极海冰的时滞时间为33个月。印度洋SST对北极海冰的影响程度最强,其次是太平洋,最弱是大西洋。全球热带海洋对北极海冰的影响过程中,热带东太平洋和印度洋起主导作用。当全球热带海洋SST出现正（负）距平时,北极海冰会出现偏少（多）的趋势,而AO、PNA、NAO对北极海冰变化起重要作用,是热带海洋与北极海冰相系数的重要“纽带”。而AO、PNA和NAO不仅受热带海洋SST的影响,同时也受太平洋年代际振荡PDO和大西洋多年代际AMO的影响,这一研究为未来北极海冰快速减少和全球气候变暖机理的深入研究提供理论支撑。     

Enhanced seamount location database for the western and central Pacific Ocean: Screening and cross-checking of 20 existing datasets

Seamounts are habitats of considerable interest in terms of conservation and biodiversity, and in terms of fisheries for bentho-pelagic and pelagic species. Twenty previously compiled datasets including seamount/underwater feature lists, bathymetric maps and emerged feature maps from different sources (ship-derived and satellite altimetry-derived) at different spatial scales (from individual cruise to worldwide satellite data) were gathered in order to compile an enhanced list of underwater features for parts of the western and central Pacific Ocean (WCPO). The KL04 dataset [Kitchingman, A., and Lai, S., 2004. Inferences on potential seamount locations from mid-resolution bathymetric data. Fisheries Centre Research Reports 12 (5), 7–12], listing seamount positions and depths as calculated from satellite altimetry-derived bathymetry, provided the baseline data for this study as it covered the entire region of interest and included summit depth information. All KL04 potential seamounts were cross-checked with other datasets to remove any atolls and islands that had been incorrectly classified as seamounts, to add seamounts undetected by KL04, to update the overall database (geolocation, depth, elevation, and name) and to compile a 12-class typology of the different types of underwater features. Of the 4626 potential seamounts identified in KL04, 719 were multiple identifications of the same large underwater features and 373 (10%) were actually emerged banks, atolls and islands, leaving 3534 actual underwater features. Conversely, 487 underwater features were documented in other datasets but not registered by KL04. The screening of all the potential WCPO seamounts produced a final list of 4021 underwater features with agreed upon position and information. This enhanced list should have many applications in oceanography, biodiversity conservation and studies of the influence of seamounts on pelagic ecosystems and fisheries.     

The vertical structure of the atmospheric boundary layer over the central Arctic Ocean

The tropopause height and the atmospheric boundarylayer （PBL） height as well as the variation of inversion layer above the floating ice surface are presented using GPS （global position system ） radiosonde sounding data and relevant data obtained by Chinas fourth arctic scientific expedition team over the central Arctic Ocean （86°-88°N, 144°-170°W） during the summer of 2010. The tropopause height is from 9.8 to 10.5 km, with a temperature range between -52.2 and -54.10C in the central Arctic Ocean. Two zones of maximum wind （over 12 m/s） are found in the wind profile, namely, low- and upper-level jets, located in the middle troposphere and the tropopause, respectively. The wind direction has a marked variation point in the two jets from the southeast to the southwest. The average PBL height determined by two methods is 341 and 453 m respectively. These two methods can both be used when the inversion layer is very low, but the results vary significantly when the inversion layer is very high. A significant logarithmic relationship exists between the PBL height and the inversion intensity, with a correlation coefficient of 0.66, indicating that the more intense the temperature inversion is, the lower the boundary layer will be. The observation results obviously differ from those of the third arctic expedition zone （800-85° N）. The PBL height and the inversion layer thickness are much lower than those at 870-88° N, but the inversion temperature is more intense, meaning a strong ice- atmosphere interaction in the sea near the North Pole. The PBL structure is related to the weather system and the sea ice concentration, which affects the observation station.     

一种高效的多波束全覆盖测量工作量估算方法

利用Surfer软件强大的土方量计算功能,及其Scripter模块的编程功能,结合大洋水深图(GEBCO)的水深数据,实现了全自动估算多波束全覆盖测量野外工作量的方法,旨在为相关测量单位进行工作量估算时提供参考与帮助。最后通过对多个工区的历史测量数据进行验证,采用本方法获得的工作量与实际工作量的平均误差为4%左右,取得了满意的效果。     

北冰洋夏季的海雾

以中国首次北极科学考察采用国内外海冰、大气和海洋的先进观测设备,获得海、陆、空的同步或准同步观测资料为基础,重点研究北冰洋的海雾.发现在北冰洋大范围被海冰覆盖或冰水相间的洋面上,能够形成平流雾、辐射雾和蒸汽雾.每种海雾的特点和形成的物理机制不同.在北冰洋的南部,由于暖湿气流充分,易形成持续时间长、浓度大的平流雾;在冰盖和大浮冰块上,由于冰雪面的强辐射冷却,容易形成稳定的辐射雾;在浮冰区能够形成像开锅的蒸汽一样的蒸汽雾.指出在北冰洋形成多种海雾原因是海冰的分布及独特的物理特性造成下垫面性质的复杂化,产生的海气相互作用复杂化的结果,特别是冰雪面的反照率高,不能吸收极昼期充足的太阳辐射.冰又是热的不良导体,成为海气热交换的屏障,在浮冰区由于冰屏障的破碎,海气交换活跃.海洋以潜热的形式向大气输送热量,以蒸汽雾的形式反映出海气热交换的程度和对气候影响的一种表现形式.提出在蒸汽雾发生的过程中,海洋以感热的形式向大气输送热量.     

Glacial bedforms in the Northwind Abyssal Plain,Chukchi Borderland

A series of sub-parallel linear glacial scours are identified on the crest of the Baoshi Seamount in the Northwind Abyssal Plain by compiling new multibeam data acquired during the 9th Chinese Arctic Research Expedition (CHINARE-Arc9) in 2018 and previously published data. The new data reveal scours that developed at water depths of 850–1 030 m with an orientation of about 75°/255°. The maximum water depth occurs in the southernmost scour and is deeper than that from previous investigations, which showed a maximum scouring depth of about 900 m on the seamount. The topographic and geomorphological characteristics suggest that these scours resulted from erosion by the ice shelf extending from the Chukchi margin and/or Laurentide Ice Sheet that grounded on the crest of the seamount and moved in a NE–SW direction. Other possibilities of their genesis include armadas of large icebergs/multi-keel icebergs calved from the Chukchi Shelf or the Laurentide Ice Sheet. The new data provide new constraints for assessing the extent and volume of the ice sheet in the Chukchi area during glacial maxima.     

Computer simulation of multibeam echo sounding over rough seafloor

A computer code that simulates multibeam echo‐sounding over realistic (three‐dimensional) bathymetry was used to compare available sounding systems. Two‐dimensional modeling dealt with the resolution of seafloor bathymetry and with the effect of postprocessing algorithms for some typical multibeam systems. The 2‐D bathymetric inputs were idealized bottom features. Three‐dimensional modeling dealt with the gross character of the seafloor, as detected by echo‐sounding systems. The 3‐D bathymetric inputs were realizations of terrain generated by a stochastic model of seafloor roughness. Three‐dimensional modeling indicated that the sounding system may slightly shift the location of peaks within the beam footprint. In addition, the simulated measurements were more sensitive to low‐wavenumber features (i.e., large‐scale roughness) than to high‐wavenumber features (i.e., small‐scale roughness). Resolution gradually decreased with increasing distance from centerline, due to the increasing footprint size of beams at increasing angular distance from the vertical. Lineated terrain was also smoothed by simulated echo‐sounding; lineations may indeed remain undetected if sounding system parameters are not properly selected. Inversion of the simulated measurements indicated that echo‐sounding measurements are dependent not only on the characteristics of the sounding system itself, but on other factors such as the character of the roughness and the orientation of the survey relative to the strike of lineations. The modeling technique provides a way to quantify the system response of a multibeam echo‐sounding system. This work resulted in recommendations as to the most appropriate system for an application in an area of rough bathymetry, and it led to the establishment of criteria for comparing multibeam systems in future applications.