Drag on Hydroid-Fouled Nets – An Experimental Approach

The present study investigated the drag increase on aquaculture nets due to biofouling of the colonial hydroid Ectopleura larynx. It had two main parts: firstly the growth characteristics of E. larynx were investigated by use of field tests at a Norwegian aquaculture site; secondly the hydrodynamic drag on the fouled twines was studied in a towing tank by using fabricated models of net twines with artificial hydroid fouling. In the field tests, the growth of the hydroids was first measured after three weeks of immersion and then again after six weeks. During this interval, the density of hydroids and the thickness of the hydroid stem were almost constant(1.4 hydroids/mm and 0.29 mm, respectively), while the average length of the hydroids increased from 6.4 to 11.2 mm. The hydroid length followed a Rayleigh distribution, while the thickness was normal(Gaussian) distributed. Replicas of twines with three different levels of hydroid growth were made(1.5 hydroids/mm twine, hydroid length 9 mm, 16 mm and 20 mm), and the drag on these twines was measured at different towing velocities(0.1 to 1.4 m/s) and with different twine configurations. For the twine with the shortest hydroids(9 mm), the drag was from 1.5 times(Re=4000) to 2.2 times(Re=1000) the drag on a clean twine. For the longest hydroids(21 mm), the drag was 2 times and 3.8 times, respectively.     

近年来长江口南港河道泥沙特性变化研究

基于长江口南港多年实测水文泥沙资料,结合泥沙颗粒电镜观测数据,分析近年来尤其是三峡大坝蓄水拦沙后南港河道泥沙特性的变化。结果表明,三峡大坝蓄水拦沙后南港含沙量呈现一定的时间和空间变化规律。总体上,南港上游河道含沙量在三峡大坝蓄水拦沙后的前几年变化不大,从2009年开始显著减少。而南港下游河道含沙量的响应变化并不明显。泥沙再悬浮作用对南港含沙量的贡献较大且相对大坝蓄水拦沙前有所增强。近年来南港上游河道底沙运动活跃,悬沙和底沙的交换作用强烈。同时,近年来南港上游河道水体背景含沙量变小,泥沙颗粒沉速变大,即泥沙粒径变粗,细颗粒泥沙组分变少;而南港下游河道水体背景含沙量、泥沙颗粒组分的变化均不明显。总之,南港河道泥沙特性变化正处于对流域来沙锐减和陆海动力相互作用的调整过程中。     

Kirchhoff向下延拓法在海洋合成多道地震走时反演中的应用*

海洋多道地震数据建模和成像是获取洋壳速度和构造信息的重要手段。海水层的存在使得多道地震拖缆接收到的折射波走时信息仅仅存在于较远的炮检距, 近炮检距被强振幅海底反射波覆盖, 制约了走时数据拾取和反演效果。本文基于波动方程的Kirchhoff积分法, 成功实现了多道地震数据向下延拓, 获取到了更大炮检距区间的初至折射波走时拾取, 并将其应用于洋中脊新生洋壳2A/2B层的合成多道地震数据走时反演。比较向下延拓前后的走时拾取范围及走时反演结果表明, 向下延拓法能够保持地震波场的运动学和动力学特征不变, 在共炮集数据的更大炮检距范围内进行初至折射走时拾取, 从而增加反演的数据选择和浅层射线覆盖, 反演结果能更加准确地分辨出洋壳2A/2B层界面, 并得到更高的分辨率和更准确的速度结构剖面。     

Response of Coastal Groundwater Table to Offshore Storms

Large groundwater table fluctuations were observed in a coastal aquifer during an offshore storm. The storm induced significant changes of the mean shoreline elevation, characterized by a pulse-like oscillation. This pulse propagated in the aquifer, resulting in the water table fluctuations. A general analytical solution is derived to quantify this new mechanism of water table fluctuation. The solution is applied to field observations and is found to be able to predict reasonably well the observed storm-induced water table fluctuations. Based on the analytical solution, the damping characteristics and phase shift of the oscillation as it propagates inland are examined.     

Effects of salinity and clay type on oil-mineral aggregation

Effects of salinity and clay type on the aggregation process of crude oil and clay particles (oil-mineral aggregates--OMA) were studied in the laboratory. OMA were generated by shaking various oil/clay mixtures in water at 20 degrees C and at a pre-determined energy level. Shape, median and maximum sizes, size distribution and concentration of oil droplets forming OMA were measured using epi-fluorescence microscopy. Results showed that the median and maximum sizes and the concentration of mineral-stabilized droplets increase rapidly when salinity increases from zero to a critical aggregation salinity in the range of 1.2-3.5 ppt. The magnitude of the increase of droplet size is controlled by clay type, while the increase of droplet concentration is influenced by oil type. Size distributions of oil droplets are self-similar, but their magnitudes depend on salinity and oil type. The effect of salinity on droplet size distribution is strongly influenced by clay type. Empirical relationships are derived to calculate concentration and size distribution of mineral-stabilized droplets.     

Conservation of Mediterranean seascapes: analyses of existing protection schemes

Marine protected areas (MPAs) are aimed at managing and protecting marine environments. Their design, however, often disregards both a thorough knowledge of the distribution of habitats and assemblages and the use of proper experimental evaluations of the efficacy of MPAs by comparing protected vs. unprotected zones. About 200 MPAs have been recently instituted in the Mediterranean area, but the evidence of their efficacy is scant. The MPA of Torre Guaceto (Southern Adriatic Sea, Italy) is one of the rare cases of effective protection enforcement. The reserve was instituted more than 10 years ago, a period currently considered as sufficient to show responses by organisms to protection. The MPA is divided into a C zone, the general reserve, where many activities are permitted, a B zone, the partial reserve where restrictions increase and two A zones, the integral reserve where access is prohibited. The goals of the paper were to map the distribution of benthic assemblages to assess if they were properly represented in the differently protected zones, and to test the efficacy of protection by quantifying possible differences between the assemblages in two control areas and in the two A zones, where human impact is completely excluded. The analysis of habitat and assemblage distribution within the MPA showed that the zones with total protection do not include most valuable environmental types. Most of the considered variables (i.e. cover of substratum, number of taxa, and average abundance of the most common taxa) were not significantly different in and out of the A zones, at each time of sampling. Results, however, suggested a possible effect of protection in modifying patterns of abundance of sponges under Cystoseira canopy (more abundant in the fully protected zone). In the subtidal habitat, differences were found in the structure of the whole assemblage and in the abundance of encrusting coralline red algae (more abundant outside the fully protected area). Notwithstanding the correct general methodology employed in the study, a lack of statistical power could have a role in preventing the detection of ecologically relevant effects of protection. In some instances, data pooling allowed a discrimination between cases where there was clearly no effect of protection and cases where there might be. On this basis, the optimization of this experimental design should be considered in further studies. In any case, if the goals of MPAs have not been clearly stated, efficacy of protection might prove very difficult to test even with the use of sound experimental designs.     

Long-term response of an arctic fiord system to lead-zinc mining and submarine disposal of mine waste (Maarmorilik, West Greenland)

Contamination by lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) was studied in seawater, sediments, seaweeds and blue mussels near the former Black Angel Pb-Zn Mine in Maarmorilik, West Greenland. The mine operated during the period 1973-90 when mine waste (tailings and later waste rock) was discharged directly into the sea. Metal concentrations peaked during the mining period and Pb and Zn in seawater within the discharge area were measured up to 440 and 790 μg L?1, respectively. Pb in fiord sediments, seaweeds and blue mussels just outside the discharge area were measured in concentrations up to 190, 84 and 2650 and Zn up to 300, 360 and 1190 μg g?1 dry wt., respectively. Within the discharge area, seawater metal concentrations (especially Pb) decreased abruptly after mine closure. Metals concentrations in sediments and biota, however, decreased more slowly and two decades after mine closure seaweeds and blue mussels were still contaminated 12 km from the mine.     

Assessing temporal variation of coloured dissolved organic matter in the coastal waters of South Eastern Arabian Sea

Coloured dissolved organic matter （CDOM） plays a major role in marine photochemical and biological processes and its optical properties are known to affect the underwater light penetration. This paper highlights in situ optical estimation and satellite retrieval of CDOM in deciphering its temporal variations in coastal waters of the South Eastern Arabian Sea. The study accentuated the source of CDOM as terrigenous origin during monsoon, of in situ productions during pre-monsoon and during post-monsoon of autochthonous-allocthonous origin. The matchup analysis for in situ and MODIS Aqua retrieved A_dg443 exhibited bias which decreased by incorporating the seasonal component. The study also identified degrading bloom of Noctiluca scintillans as the source for exceptionally high CDOM in the area during January and February. The study demands to incorporate seasonal components and phytoplankton abundance while assessing the performance of CDOM algorithms in optically complex coastal waters.     

Biological and ecological factors related to trace element levels in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from European waters

Selected trace elements (Cd, Cu, Hg, Se, Zn) were measured in the kidneys and the liver of 104 harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded along the coasts of France, Galicia (Spain), Ireland, Scotland (UK), and the Netherlands. Generally, relatively low concentrations of toxic elements were encountered in the tissues of European porpoises, except for two individuals, which displayed high hepatic Hg concentrations. Also, elevated Cd levels obtained in Scottish porpoises could be related to their feeding preferences and this result suggests an increase of the proportion of cephalopods in their diet with latitude. Moreover, significant geographical differences were seen in hepatic Zn concentrations; the elevated Zn concentrations displayed by porpoises from the Netherlands may relate their poor health status. Variation in metal concentrations within porpoises from the North Sea is likely to reflect a long-term segregation between animals from northern (Scotland) and southern areas (the Netherlands), making trace elements powerful ecological tracers.     

激光测卫与测月的现状及发展趋势

现在,激光测卫与测月已达到进行地球动力学研究所需的精度。本文从激光测距系统的主要硬部件、环境影响对测距精度的限制以及数据处理等方面,论述激光测距的现状及发展趋势。