Dynamics of the long-period tides

The long-period tides are a tool for understanding oceanic motions at low frequencies and large scales. Here we review observations and theory of the fortnightly, monthly and pole tide constitutents. Observations have been plagued by low signal-to-noise ratios and theory by the complex lateral geometry and great sensitivity to bottom slopes. A new spectral element model is used to compute the oceanic response to tidal forcing at 2-week and monthly periods. The general response is that of a heavily damped (Q ≈ 5) system with both the energy input from the moon and the dissipation strongly localized in space. The high dissipation result is probably generally applicable to all low frequency barotropic oceanic motions. Over much of the ocean, the response has both the character of a large-scale and a superposed Rossby wave-like character, thus vindicating two apparently conflicting earlier interpretations. To the extent that free waves are excited they are consistent with their being dominated by Rossby and topographic Rossby wave components, although gravity modes are also necessarily excited to some degree. In general, a modal representation is not very helpful. The most active regions are the Southern Ocean and the western and northern North Atlantic. These results are stable to changes in geometry, topography, and tide period. On a global average basis, the dynamical response of Mm is closer to equilibrium than is Mf.     

A Stable Carbon Isotope Study of the Food-web in a Freshwater-deprived South African Estuary, with Particular Emphasis on the Ichthyofauna

The importance of macrophytes as food sources for estuarine nekton is unclear. Previous carbon isotope investigations in the macrophyte-dominated, freshwater-deprived Kariega Estuary showed that the bivalveSolen cylindraceusdid not utilize the dominant estuarine macrophytes found within the estuary as a primary food source. This finding prompted questions as to what the nekton of this estuary utilize as primary energy sources. δ¹³C analyses of the principal autochthonous and allochthonous primary carbon sources, as well as the dominant invertebrate and fish species, indicate that there are two main carbon pathways within the Kariega Estuary. The littoral community, which incorporates the majority of crustaceans, gobies, mullet and a sparid, utilizes δ¹³C enriched primary food sources namelySpartina maritima,Zosteracapensis and epiphytes. The channel fauna, which includes the zooplankton, zooplanktivorous and piscivorous fish, utilizes a primary food source depleted in δ¹³C, which is most likely a mixture of phytoplankton, terrestrial plant debris and C₄macrophyte detritus. The C₃saltmarsh macrophytesSarcocornia perennisandChenolea diffusa, as well as benthic microalgae, appear to be less important as primary food sources to the nekton of the Kariega Estuary.     

Contemporary ocean and coastal management issues in Australia and New Zealand: an overview

The past decade has witnessed an unprecedented increase in the number of international treaties, conventions and agreements dealing with maritime issues and oceans governance. Most nations are attempting to cope with this expanding agenda at a time of fiscal constraint, competing environmental demands and the emergence of a new global strategic, political and economic order. However, similar issues do not always lead to similar outcomes. Australia and New Zealand share some common oceanic and coastal management problems, but variations in response arise from geographical differences, constitutional provisions, political style and administrative arrangements. This paper provides a brief overview of contemporary maritime issues and attempted solutions in both nations.     

Relationship between the seismicity and geologic structure of the Blanco Transform Fault Zone

Morphologic studies of an oceanic transform, the Blanco Transform Fault Zone (BTFZ), have shown it to consist of a series of extensional basins that offset the major strike-slip faults. The largest of the extensional basins, the Cascadia Depression, effectively divides the transform into a northwest segment, composed of several relatively short strike-slip faults, and a southeast segment dominated by fewer, longer faults. The regional seismicity distribution (m _b 4.0) and frequency-magnitude relationships (b-values) of the BTFZ show that the largest magnitude events are located on the southeast segment. Furthermore, estimates of the cumulative seismic moment release and seismic moment release rate along the southeast segment are significantly greater than that of the northwest segment. These observations suggest that slip along the southeast segment is accommodated by a greater number of large magnitude earthquakes. Comparison of the seismic moment rate, derived from empirical estimates, with the seismic moment rate determined from plate motion constraints suggests a difference in the seismic coupling strength between the segments. This difference in coupling may partially explain the disparity in earthquake size distribution. However, the results appear to confirm the relation between earthquake size and fault length, observed along continental strike-slip faults, for this oceanic transform.     

Iodine chemistry in deep anoxic basins and overlying waters of the Mediterranean Sea

Iodate (IO₃⁻) is the predominant dissolved species of iodine in the oxygenated waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Iodide (I⁻) is present in significant quantities (up to 65 nM) in oxygenated waters in the photic zone and near the interface above the anoxic and saline Bannock Basin. Lesser quantities of I⁻ (< 10 nM) are found throughout the rest of the oxic water column. An additional unidentified dissolved iodine species is present immediately above the anoxic interface.Total dissolved iodine (ΣI) increases dramatically across the seawater/brine interface. Part of this increase is undoubtedly the result of the dissolution of iodine-rich evaporites during formation of the brine bodies at the Tyro and Bannock Basins. The vertical distribution of ΣI and other dissolved chemical species (particularly PO₄³⁻) in the Bannock Basin brine, however, suggests an additional, present-day, diagenetic source of dissolved iodine to the brine. Based on the increase in the concentration of the most soluble major ions across the seawater/brine interface, 5–7 μM of the 11.5-μM increase in ΣI concentration must be attributed to diagenesis.     

Annual Cycle of Zooplankton Biomass, Abundance and Species Composition in the Neritic Area of the Balearic Sea, Western Mediterranean

Abstract. Seasonal changes in zooplankton biomass, abundance and species composition were studied at a neritic station in the Balearic Sea between April 1993 and May 1994. Sampling was carried out every 10 days in a zone influenced by the main current circulating through the Mallorca channel. Three main peaks of zooplankton biomass and abundance were observed: (1) at the beginning of summer when the thermocline developed, (2) in autumn when the thermocline broke down, and (3) in early spring. The smaller zooplankton fraction (100–250 μm) comprised on average 32 % of the total biomass and 73 % of total abundance. Copepods were the predominant group (64 % of the total abundance) with Clausocalanus, Oithona and Paracalanus being the most abundant genera. Paracalanus parvus, Clausocalanus furcatus, Acartia clausi, Oithona plumifera, Temora stylifera, Centropages typicus and Oncaea mediterranea were found to be the most important species in the area. Other abundant groups were cladocerans (15 %) and meroplankton larvae (12 %), both of which were particularly numerous during the stratified period. The copepod community was characterized by the above‐cited perennial species, which were abundant during the cycle studied. However, the influence of the hydrological conditions of the Balearic Sea, such as the Atlantic water influx and the physical structure of the water column (stratification and mixing), promoted the observed variability in zooplankton as well as the appearance of characteristic species during the annual cycle.     

Detection of buried targets using a synthetic aperture sonar

This paper presents observations of buried target detections made using a 20-kHz synthetic aperture sonar. At grazing angles below the critical angle, surprisingly high signal-to-noise detections were made of cylindrical targets buried at depths of 15 and 50 cm. During a separate set of measurements, buried spheres were clearly seen at steep grazing angles, but were generally not seen below the critical angle. Since scattering from wave-generated sand ripples may contribute to detections at grazing angles below critical angle, the information available on the ripple fields is discussed and used in acoustic backscatter simulations for the buried spheres. Lack of information on the ripple height precludes a definitive explanation for the absence of buried sphere detections at subcritical grazing angles.