3D gravity modelling for Anyongbok Seamount in the East Sea

A seamount chain with an approximately WNW trend is observed in the northeastern Ulleung Basin. It has been argued that these seamounts, including two islands called Ulleung and Dok islands, were formed by a hotspot process or by ridge related volcanism. Many geological and geophysical studies have been done for all the seamounts and islands in the chain except Anyongbok Seamount, which is close to the proposed spreading ridge. We first report morphological characteristics, sediment distribution patterns, and the crustal thickness of Anyongbok Seamount using multibeam bathymetry data, seismic reflection profiles, and 3D gravity modeling. The morphology of Anyongbok Seamount shows a cone shaped feature and is characterized by the development of many flank cones and flank rift zones. The estimated surface volume is about 60 km³, and implies that the seamount is smaller than the other seamounts in the chain. No sediments have been observed on the seamount except the lower slope, which is covered by more than 1,000 m of strata. The crustal structure obtained from a 3D gravity modeling (GFR = 3.11, SD 3.82 = mGal) suggests that the seamount was formed around the boundary of the Ulleung Plateau and the Ulleung Basin, and the estimated crustal thickness is about 20 km, which is a little thicker than other nearby seamounts distributed along the northeastern boundary of the Ulleung Basin. This significant crustal thickness also implies that Anyongbok Seamount might not be related to ridge volcanism.     

Experimental studies on the slowly varying drift motion of a berthed container ship model

The effects of free-surface waves on the floating structures are of great importance in the offshore industry. Among the six degrees of motions of a surface ship the absence of restoring forces in surge, sway and yaw led to critical situations for moored ships in the recent times. The order of forces in horizontal plane and their exciting frequencies are matters of interest. The resonance with the presence of moored chains led to many accidents in the recent past. The lines in dry conditions may not give good damping and in wet condition they may trigger the system to chaotic motions and jumps. Two different loading conditions of a container ship model are tested with waves in laboratory conditions in two different drafts. The mooring lines are chosen as per scale law and the energy under the response spectrum is determined from the plots. The results give new insights into the movement of a berthed ships subjected to waves. Response of the moored ship to different loading conditions in different water depths are discussed in this paper. The paper gives the order of energy due to first-order and slowly varying movement of a berthed container model in a towing tank.     

Method and results of assimilation of climatic data on temperature,salinity, and sea level into a numerical model of the Black Sea

A method for combined assimilation of climatic hydrologic fields of temperature, salinity, and the climatic dynamic level of the Black Sea into a model of sea dynamics is proposed. The monthly mean fields of the dynamic sea level were obtained from the results of assimilation of satellite altimetry data into the model. The statistical characteristics of errors in the forecasts of the level, salinity, and temperature were assumed to be proportional to the statistical characteristics of the differences between monthly mean climatic fields of temperature, salinity, and sea level calculated by means of assimilating altimetry observations of the sea level and analogous climatic hydrologic fields. The climatic fields of currents are reconstructed and analyzed. The assimilation of the climatic altimetry level allows the reproduction (in current fields) of quasi-stationary synoptic anticyclonic eddies located along the periphery of the Black Sea Rim Current.     

Jellyfish patch formation investigated by aerial photography and drifter experiment

Jellyfish patch formation is investigated by conducting a drifter experiment combined with aerial photography of a sustained patch of the moon jellyfish in Hokezu Bay, Japan. Jellyfish patches are aggregations of individuals that are caused by a combination of swimming (active influence) and advection by currents (passive influence). The drifter experiment involved the injection of 49 drifters around a distinct surface patch of jellyfish within an area of approximately 300 m × 300 m. The drifters’ motion, caused only by the passive influence, was recorded in a series of 38 aerial photographs taken over approximately 1 h. The ambient uniform current field larger than the patch scale was estimated from the movement of the centroid position of drifters, while the distribution of horizontal divergence and relative vorticity around the patch was estimated from the time-derivative in areas of triangles formed by the drifters. The centroid positions of both drifters and patches moved stably toward the bay head at different speeds. The difference vector between the patch and drifter centroids was directed to the sun, and was opposite to the ambient current. The distributions of vorticity and divergence around patches exhibited inhomogeneity within the patch scale, and the drifters in this nonuniform current field aggregated near the convergence area within 1 h. The results suggest that horizontal patch formation is predominantly influenced by passive factors at the surface of Hokezu Bay. Furthermore, the upward swimming against downwelling may make sustained patch in surface layer.     

On geostrophic reference levels in the Bering Sea basin

Various data sets in the deep Bering Sea are examined in an effort to find suitable reference levels for geostrophic transport computations. Because of the lack of other data, classical methods are used: mainly vertical structure of differences in geopotential (method of Defant) and mass conservation. In the western Bering Sea, maximum transports are usually, but not always, obtained by using reference levels near the bottom. In the central region, there is considerable variability, both spatial and temporal, in the depth of the most suitable reference level, which varies from 500 to at least 1500 db. The variations seem to be related to depth of inflow in the passes, to near-surface salinity gradients, and to features such as upward movement of water or well-developed eddies.     

Approximation of the estimate error covariance function: Verification of the accuracy and generalization for the case of cross-covariance functions

Generalization of the approximation for the autocovariance function of estimate error, used frequently in four-dimensional analysis of the ocean's hydrophysical fields, is suggested for cross-covariance functions. It is shown that the principal properties of the covariance function of error estimate are not then violated. Approximation accuracy is studied through numerical experimentation using the two-dimensional equation for passive admixture transport as an example.Translated by V. Puchkin.     

Evidence for the evolution of an oxygen minimum layer at the beginning of S-1 sapropel deposition in the eastern Mediterranean

The sediments of the eastern Mediterranean basin contain a series of organic-rich sapropels intercalated with organic-poor nannofossil oozes. Until recently the timing of the onset of sapropel formation was not known accurately because of the low resolution achievable by conventional radiocarbon dating. Compilation of all available ¹⁴C-AMS dates show that the base of S-1 (the most recent sapropel) was initiated 8800 years B.P. (¹⁴C age corrected by 400 years for reservoir effect) under a 500 m water column and moved progressively into deeper water reaching depths of 3500 m at 8200 years B.P. The linear correlation between the age of S-1 onset and water depth

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suggests that formation of sapropels moved into deeper water at a rate of 1000 m/200 year. A model is suggested in which export production which sank below the well-mixed surface layers (500 m) was respired consuming dissolved oxygen in the Levantine deep water until a threshold value was reached when sapropels began to be preserved in the sediment. This resulted in a progressively deepening oxygen minimum zone with time until eventually the entire deep water in the basin was oxygen depleted. Assuming that the threshold value for sapropel formation was complete anoxia, it was calculated that primary productivity in the basin during the deposition of S-1 was a factor of 5 greater than that found at present.     

Prediction of shoreline behaviour for Madras, India-a numerical approach

A satellite port has been proposed about 14.8 km north of Madras port on the east coast of India. As the interference of a satellite port with the existing pattern of longshore sediment transport will generate coastal imbalance in the region, a numerical model study involving sediment transport and combined wave refraction-diffraction was conducted to predict the shoreline behaviour. A realistic approach to the study was made to meet the objectives by considering wave height-wave period distributions in the region and duration and sequence of their occurrence during major monsoon seasons. This method of analysis enabled us to predict: (i) the extent of general shoreline advancement, particularly in front of a tidal inlet—a source of the cooling water requirement for an existing thermal power plant; (ii) the extent of the coastal region that will be affected owing to recession of shoreline and its impact on: (a) the fishing community living along the coastal stretch; (b) the national highway running along the coast; and (c) the changes in nearshore bathymetry. Based on the studies, management plans were drawn to safeguard the coastal region from imbalances that will arise out of construction of the satellite port. This paper highlights the effects of a satellite port on the coastal region and the need for proper management.