Interactions between submarine channel systems and deformation in deepwater fold belts: Examples from the Levant Basin, Eastern Mediterranean sea

Submarine channel levee systems form important hydrocarbon reservoirs in many deep marine settings and are often deposited within a structurally active setting. This study focuses on recent submarine channels that developed within a deepwater fold and thrust belt setting from the Levant Basin, eastern Mediterranean Sea. Compressional deformation within the study area is driven by the up-dip collapse of the Nile cone above the ductile Messinian Evaporites. Structures such as folds and strike slip faults exert a strong control on channel location and development over time. From this study four end-member submarine channel–structure interactions can be defined: Confinement, diversion, deflection and blocking. Each of these channel–structure interactions results in a distinct submarine channel morphology and pattern of development compared to unconfined channel levee systems. Each interaction can also be used to assess timing relationships between submarine channel development and deformation.     

Circulation and dispersion in a cancellate coast: The rivers,bays and estuaries of central Maine

The glacially carved central coast of Maine is incised by river systems with interconnecting channels, offshore-trending submarine ridges, and narrow passages between nearshore islands and headlands. The tidal range exceeds 3 m, leading to complex and vigorous circulation patterns with strong flows in narrow channels, near river mouths, and between islands. The spongiform coastal morphology allows enhanced exchange between offshore waters, estuaries and internecine bays, resulting in rapid dispersal of nutrients, larvae and contaminants throughout the region. A fine-grid numerical circulation model has been used to examine the influences of the tides, river flows and winds on the dispersion of lobster larvae and pollutants in the nearshore and riverine environment. This paper describes the model application, presents a few salient features of the circulation patterns, and examines some implications for the coastal environment. For example, under realistic tides and variable southwest summer winds, about 80% of neutral near-surface particles introduced near the offshore islands (a proxy for stage IV lobster larvae from offshore sources) remain within a few km of the islands over a two-week period. On the other hand, a persistent, periodic sea breeze can remove more than two-thirds of the particles from the domain over the same period. Tidal mixing disperses pollutants entering the upper Kennebec River to the offshore and through internecine passages in about one week.     

MedFlux: Investigations of particle flux in the Twilight Zone

The MedFlux project was devised to determine and model relationships between organic matter and mineral ballasts of sinking particulate matter in the ocean. Specifically we investigated the ballast ratio hypothesis, tested various commonly used sampling and modeling techniques, and developed new technologies that would allow better characterization of particle biogeochemistry. Here we describe the rationale for the project, the biogeochemical provenance of the DYFAMED site, the international support structure, and highlights from the papers published here. Additional MedFlux papers can be accessed at the MedFlux web site (http://msrc.sunysb.edu/MedFlux/).     

Analysis of petroleum hydrocarbons in mangrove sediments of Red Sea of Yemen

A field work has been carried out to identify the occurrence of oil and oil products pollution in mangrove sediment from Red Sea of Yemen. The concentration of total petroleum hydrocarbons is from 700ng/g at Kamaran Island station to 400 ng/g at Al-Hodiedah station, and the total organic carbon （TOC） in samples ranges from 0. 07% at Dhubab station to 0. 03% at Kamaran Island station. This pollution is as a result of localized oil pollution and/or heavy ship traffic in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.     

The WOCE-era 3-D Pacific Ocean circulation and heat budget

To address questions concerning the intensity and spatial structure of the three-dimensional circulation within the Pacific Ocean and the associated advective and diffusive property flux divergences, data from approximately 3000 high-quality hydrographic stations collected on 40 zonal and meridional cruises have been merged into a physically consistent model. The majority of the stations were occupied as part of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE), which took place in the 1990s. These data are supplemented by a few pre-WOCE surveys of similar quality, and time-averaged direct-velocity and historical hydrographic measurements about the equator.An inverse box model formalism is employed to estimate the absolute along-isopycnal velocity field, the magnitude and spatial distribution of the associated diapycnal flow and the corresponding diapycnal advective and diffusive property flux divergences. The resulting large-scale WOCE Pacific circulation can be described as two shallow overturning cells at mid- to low latitudes, one in each hemisphere, and a single deep cell which brings abyssal waters from the Southern Ocean into the Pacific where they upwell across isopycnals and are returned south as deep waters. Upwelling is seen to occur throughout most of the basin with generally larger dianeutral transport and greater mixing occurring at depth. The derived pattern of ocean heat transport divergence is compared to published results based on air–sea flux estimates. The synthesis suggests a strongly east/west oriented pattern of air–sea heat flux with heat loss to the atmosphere throughout most of the western basins, and a gain of heat throughout the tropics extending poleward through the eastern basins. The calculated meridional heat transport agrees well with previous hydrographic estimates. Consistent with many of the climatologies at a variety of latitudes as well, our meridional heat transport estimates tend toward lower values in both hemispheres.     

A wave model for the Great Barrier Reef

A new wind wave generation model, WAMGBR, is presented that has been adapted from WAM especially for use in the complex geometry of the Great Barrier Reef. A technique (reef parameterization) has been presented that incorporates sub-grid scale dissipation caused by coral reefs. Three other improvements to WAM have been proposed. An explicit/implicit finite difference scheme has been implemented that allows for more efficient modelling (longer time steps) while maintaining diffusive characteristics that are at least as good as those of WAM. An offset in discrete angles creates more uniform diffusive characteristics. And, a transformed spherical coordinate system allows for more efficient grid sizes and smaller grid dependent refraction. Comparisons between modelling techniques and between model and measured data show that WAMGBR produces very good results in the difficult challenge of modelling both non-cyclonic and tropical cyclone waves in the geographically complex environment of the Great Barrier Reef.     

Green water overtopping analyzed with a SPH model

Wave overtopping on the decks of offshore platforms and ships can cause severe damage due to the high forces generated by the water. This phenomenon is analyzed within the framework of the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method. The presence of a fixed horizontal deck above the mean water level modifies strongly the wave kinematics. In particular, the flow in the wave crest is split into two, showing a different behavior above and below the deck. Numerical results generated by the SPH method are compared to laboratory experiments. The formation of a jet in the rear of the deck after overtopping is observed under extreme conditions.     

Magnetic Lasso: A New Kinematic Solar Wind Propagation Method

Solar wind propagation from the point of measurement to an arbitrary target in the heliosphere is an important input for heliospheric, planetary and cometary studies. In this paper a new kinematic propagation method, the magnetic lasso method is presented. Compared to the simple ballistic approach our method is based on reconstructing the ideal Parker spiral connecting the target with the Sun by testing a previously defined range of heliographic longitudes. The model takes into account the eventual evolution of stream–stream interactions and handles these with a simple model based on the dynamic pressure difference between the two streams. Special emphasis is given to input data cleaning by handling interplanetary coronal mass ejection events as data gaps due to their different propagation characteristics. The solar wind bulk velocity is considered radial and constant. Density and radial magnetic field are propagated by correcting with the inverse square of the radial distance. The model has the advantage that it can be coded easily and fitted to the problem; it is flexible in selecting and handling input data and requires little running time.