Modeling of mesoscale coupled ocean–atmosphere interaction and its feedback to ocean in the western Arabian Sea

Observations of the western Arabian Sea over the last decade have revealed a rich filamentary eddy structure, with large horizontal SST gradients in the ocean, developing in response to the southwest monsoon winds. This summertime oceanic condition triggers an intense mesoscale coupled interaction, whose overall influence on the longer-term properties of this ocean remains uncertain. In this study, a high-resolution regional coupled model is employed to explore this feedback effect on the long-term dynamical and thermodynamical structure of the ocean.The observed relationship between the near-surface winds and mesoscale SSTs generate Ekman pumping velocities at the scale of the cold filaments, whose magnitude is the order of 1 m/day in both the model and observations. This additional Ekman-driven velocity, induced by the wind-eddy interaction, accounts for approximately 10–20% of oceanic vertical velocity of the cold filaments. This implies that Ekman pumping arising from the mesoscale coupled feedback makes a non-trivial contribution to the vertical structure of the upper ocean and the evolution of mesoscale eddies, with obvious implications for marine ecosystem and biogeochemical variability.Furthermore, SST features associated with cold filaments substantially reduce the latent heat loss. The long-term latent heat flux change due to eddies in the model is approximately 10–15 W/m² over the cold filaments, which is consistent with previous estimates based on short-term in situ measurements. Given the shallow mixed layer, this additional surface heat flux warms the cold filament at the rate of 0.3–0.4 °C/month over a season with strong eddy activity, and 0.1–0.2 °C/month over the 12-year mean, rendering overall low-frequency modulation of SST feasible. This long-term mixed layer heating by the surface flux is approximately ±10% of the lateral heat flux by the eddies, yet it can be comparable to the vertical heat flux. Potential dynamic and thermodynamic impacts of this observed air–sea interaction on the monsoons and regional climate are yet to be quantified given the strong correlation between the Somalia upwelling SST and the Indian summer monsoons.     

Identification of Albula sp. (Albulidae: Albuliformes) Leptocephalus Collected from the Southern Coastal Waters of Korea using Cytochrome b DNA Sequences

A single specimen ofAlbula leptocephalus (55.7 mm SL) was collected from the southern coastal waters of Korea using an aquatic lamp. It is characterized by having a ribbonlike body with a small head and a well-forked caudal fin. Although the general appearance was similar to the leptocephalus ofA. vulpes including myomere counts and fin ray counts, the melanophore deposition was different from that ofA. vulpes. This leptocephalus specimen was confirmed withA. forsteri using the cytochrome b mtDNA (Cytb) analysis. The genetic distance ofCytb between the present leptocephalus andA. forsteri is 0.006-0.038, which falls into the cutoff point separatingAlbula species into eight deep lineages including the four valid species. Its genetic characteristic have more similarities to those of Fiji than those of Hawaii and the Northern territory of Australia.     

A preliminary study of natural environmental change and its impact on early Late Paleolithic people in the northeast central Korean Peninsula during Marine Istope Stage 3 (40–30k cal a bp)

We comprehensively analyzed sediments obtained from an archeological excavation. A trench sediment profile of Maedun Cave (MC), South Korea, was analyzed geoarchaeologically. Multi-proxy analyses (palynomorphs, grain size, magnetic susceptibility, animal bones and artifacts) reflected the vegetation, hydroclimate and lives of prehistoric people at Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 (ca. 40–30k cal a bp ) in the early Late Paleolithic. The palynoflora consisted of pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs. Under the air-circulation system in the cave, anemophilous pollen flowed in during the day, whereas waterborne pollen and spores, and freshwater algae, were transported by flooding during the summer monsoon rainy season. Mixed conifer and deciduous broad-leaved forest with an understory of pteridophytes flourished around the north-east central Korean Peninsula during MIS 3. Freshwater algae and grass pollen records may reflect precipitation intensity. It is assumed that they had flowed in during flooding caused by high precipitation during the enhanced East Asian summer monsoon, corresponding to Dansgaard–Oeschger (D/O) events 5 and 8 of δ¹⁸O GISP2 and Hulu Cave. The prehistoric people hunted herbivorous animals in the area around MC and sheltered inside it seasonally. They also used the grains of oats growing near the dwelling as a source of food.