Effect of free surface and strut on fins attached to a strut

An extensive experimental and computational investigation of the combined and separate effects of free surface and body on the lift characteristics of a pair of fins attached to a strut and fin alone is conducted. The results reveal that the free-surface effect becomes significant when the depth of submergence to chord ratio (H/c) is less than three. The effect of the strut is also realized for shallower depth of submergence of the fins through free-surface deformation leading to a significant change in the incidence angle of the flow to the fins. The numerical results based on the Higher Order Boundary Element Method with the linearized free-surface condition show good agreement with the experimental results for fin (foil) alone even at shallow submergence, but some discrepancies appear for the fin attached to the strut at higher speeds mostly due to the neglect of the nonlinear free-surface effect.     

The influence of salinity on the solubility of Zn and Cd sulphides in the Scheldt estuary

In the estuary of the river Scheldt, where an oxygen gradient exists in addition to the salinity gradient, redox processes will be of major importance for trace metal mobilisation. In this study, the influence of salinity and pH on the redox processes of dissolved Zn and Cd sulphides is investigated together with the effects on the ratio of the dissolved Zn and Cd concentrations. The speciation of these metals is calculated with the chemical equilibrium programme +. Zn sulphides are oxidised at lower oxygen concentrations than Cd sulphides, due to lower stability constants, causing a sudden increase or peak in the dissolved Zn/Cd ratio. The formation of dissolved Cd chloride complexes when oxidation occurs at high salinities (S=15) increases the mobility of Cd, causing a decrease in the Zn/Cd peak of the total dissolved concentrations. The peak is three to four times smaller at S=15 than when oxidation occurs at S=2. The simple model calculations compare very well with field data. The Scheldt estuary is suitable to illustrate these calculations. In the 1970s, the anoxic part of the estuary reached S=15–20, but since the early 1980s it has dropped to S=2–10. Historic data on metals in the estuary from 1978, 1987 and the 1990s were used to compare with the equilibrium calculations. The increase of the dissolved Zn/Cd peak at low salinity as a consequence, of the decreasing anoxic region is confirmed well by the data. The good agreement between model calculations and field data is a proof of the extreme importance of redox processes for the solubility of Zn and Cd sulphides in the estuary.     

Possible origin of laminated sediments of the anoxic Bannock Basin (eastern Mediterranean)

Quantitative analysis of nannofossils and microfossils in laminated sediments recovered from the Libeccio Basin of the Bannock area and a comparison with similar laminated sediments from anoxic basins in the Black Sea and the Gulf of Mexico suggest that the laminated sediments in this eastern Mediterranean anoxic basin are the result of cyclic productivity changes. It is suggested on the basis of periodicity estimates of 80 yr that the laminae are related to changes in solar activity (Wolf-Gleissberg cycles) that influenced the Nile discharge and thus the nutrient supply in the water masses.     

Spectra of the Black-Sea tsunamis

We perform the analysis of the time spectra of four tsunamis generated in the Black Sea by the earthquakes of 26.07.1927, 11.09.1927, 26.12.1939, and 12.07.1966. For the analysis of the spectra, we used digitized marigrams obtained for 12 points of the Black-Sea coast. The obtained spectra are, as a rule, multimode and have 1–4 spectral maxima. One maximum corresponds to the periods typical of tsunami waves and the other maxima correspond to the oscillations of the sea level with lower frequencies. It seems likely that the events of tsunami are accompanied by low-frequency oscillations of the level caused by the atmospheric forcing, seiches, or other factors. In numerous cases, the oscillations from the predominant energy range lie outside the characteristic range of periods of the tsunami waves. __________ Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 5, pp. 21–30, September–October, 2007.     

Preservation of enzymic activity in marine plankton by low-temperature freezing

The measurement of enzymic activity in plankton communities is useful in the study of marine ecosystems. Such measurements can lead to a clearer understanding of the biological transformations in plankton communities at a particular time. However, the assays are somewhat time-consuming. To facilitate analysis of large numbers of samples, we have developed a method of quick-freezing of whole cells and of cell-free extracts of the diatom, Skeletonema costatum, followed by storage at ?60°C for up to one week. No loss in either the electron transport system (ETS) or the glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activity occurs. Similar conditions of storage can be used for the preservation of ETS activity in the marine copepod Calanus pacificus. Also, no measurable loss in either the GDH or the ETS activity is detectable after the quick-frozen whole cells of S. costatum have been kept frozen for over a year.     

Coulometric total carbon dioxide analysis for marine studies: maximizing the performance of an automated gas extraction system and coulometric detector

A global survey of the distribution of dissolved CO₂ taking advantage of sampling opportunities provided by the World Ocean Circulation Experiment: World Hydrographic Program (WOCE-WHP) is being carried out through 1995. Goals include the measurement of oceanic inorganic carbon transport and the development of a data base from which future fossil-fuel CO₂ build-up can be monitored. The analytical method selected for total carbon dioxide (C_T) is gas extraction of acidified seawater with coulometric titration of the acid formed by the resultant carbon dioxide and monoethanolamine. To combine high accuracy and precision (± 1.5 μmol/kg for C_T ≥ 2000 μmol/kg) with a high rate of analysis, we have modified an automated single-parameter system. Following prototype development between 1987 and 1990, an instrument emerged with the acronym Somma standing for single-operator multiparameter metabolic analyzer. Improved functional and operating procedures have integrated electronic calibration, CO₂ gas calibration, and sample analysis with automated pressure, temperature, and conductivity (salinity) sensing into a single convenient transportable package.     

Macrofauna impact on Ulva rigida C. Ag. production and relationship with environmental variables in the lagoon of Venice

The grazing pressure of the macrofaunal invertebrates associated with the biomass of Ulva rigida in the Venice lagoon, their species composition and relationship with environmental variables have been studied. Fifteen sampling campaigns were carried out during different seasons both in the central basin of the lagoon, dominated by macroalgae (especially U. rigida C. Ag.) and in the southern basin, prevalently populated by seagrasses (especially Zostera marina L.). Replicate experiments were conducted in the field by exposing Ulva fronds in net cages of 10 and 1 mm (control) mesh-sizes to allow or prevent grazer entrance. The grazing pressure was determined as Ulva growth rate difference in the cages. In the absence of invertebrate herbivores, Ulva exhibited per cent relative growth rates (%RGRs) ranging from 1.5 to 9.5% day(-1), whereas in their presence the %RGRs were significantly lower (from -2.5 to 3.4% day(-1)) and frequently negative, especially in the station dominated by macroalgae. In this area, peak grazing rates and macrofauna biomasses of up to 8.6% day(-1) and 1,480 g m(-2) fwt (84.4 ash-free dry weight), respectively, were found. On the whole, during in field experiments in the Ulva-dominated station, herbivores removed an amount of biomass whose percentage ranged from 59 to 165% (mean: 103%) of the biomass yield (grazers excluded) found in the cages. These results suggest the possibility that grazers could act as an important factor affecting Ulva production in the Venice lagoon. Macrofauna populations were analysed by means of multivaliate techniques applied to biological variables only and biological and environmental variables together. Data of individual abundance, after a log(x + 1) transformation and the calculation of the Bray-Curtis matrix, were classified using the Cluster Analysis and ordinated by means of the Non-Metric Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) technique, in accordance with the strategies used in the study of multispecies distributions. Finally, biological and environmental variables were analysed together by means of correlation matrices and the Principal Component Analysis.     

The hydrogen sulphide boundary in the Black Sea in the 1920s and 1980s

Maps of the boundary topography for anaerobic waters in the Black Sea are plotted for the summers of the 1920s and 1980s. The mean depths of the H₂S boundary for this period are determined. It is shown that the variation in the distribution and average location of the hydrogen sulphide zone has remained constant for the last 60 years.Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov.     

Errors in recent ocean tide models: possible origin and cause

Recently, the TOPEX/POSEIDON Science Working Team has recommended the FES95.2.1 and CSR3.0 ocean tide models for reprocessing the TOPEX/POSEIDON Geophysical Data Records. Without doubt, the performance of these models, especially in the deep oceans, is excellent. However, from a comparison of these hydrodynamically consistent models with the purely empirical DW3.2 and DEOS96.1 models, it appears that FES95.2.1 and CSR3.0 are affected by basin boundary related errors which are caused by the basin-wise solution procedure of the FES ocean tide model series. In their turn, the empirical DW3.2 and DEOS96.1 models seem to suffer from significant errors in the Antarctic seas due to the seasonal growth and decay of Antarctic sea ice. Also, bathymetry-induced differences were found between the hydrodynamically consistent models and the empirical models. Concerning these differences, TOPEX/POSEIDON and ERS-1 crossover statistics unfortunately do not provide conclusive results on which models are in error.