Circulation in Carr Inlet,Puget Sound,during Spring 2003

The relatively slow flow and exchange of Carr Inlet water with the main basin of Puget Sound, Washington, favor eutrophication. To study Carr Inlet’s circulation, the Model-measurement Integration Experiment in Estuary Dynamics (MIXED) was conducted in March–May 2003, spanning the spring bloom. From observations and numerical simulations the circulation was decomposed into tidal and subtidal components; the former was dominated by the M2 tide, the latter by atmospheric forcing. Near the surface, the subtidal velocity was correlated with wind. At mid depths, the subtidal velocity was organized into vertical bands arising from internal waves excited by wind forcing of the water surface. The tidal flow was more strongly steered by local bathymetry and weaker in peak magnitudes than the subtidal flow, yet it contributed more mechanical energy to the inlet. Tidal eddies reduce exchange of water through the inlet’s entrances. Numerical simulations with the Princeton Ocean Model recreated many observed features, including the three-layer vertical structure of outflow at the surface and bottom and inflow at mid depth, the mid-depth subtidal response to the wind, and characteristics of the tide. While the model produced greater subtidal flow magnitudes at depth and differences in the phase of the M2 tide compared to observations, overall the case study provided support for more comprehensive simulations of Puget Sound in the future.     

Miocene rhyolitic welded tuff infilling a funnel-shaped eruption conduit Shiotani, southeast of Matsue, SW Japan

 At Shiotani, SW Japan, rhyolitic welded tuff forms a steep-sided funnel-shaped body, confined by Paleogene granitic rocks to an elliptical area 1–1.5 km across. The Shiotani welded tuff is pervasively welded and foliated concordantly with the contact that dips inward at angles of 70–90°. In contrast, nearby contemporary volcaniclastic deposits are non-welded and gently inclined. Near the contact with the granite, the tuff is plastically deformed and shows lineations that plunge inward at angles of 40–65°. Lithic and crystal clasts in the rheomorphic outer part are rotated in a plane normal to the foliations and parallel to the lineations indicating downward flow of the welded tuff. The geometry and internal structures suggest that the Shiotani welded tuff was emplaced and welded in a funnel-shaped eruption conduit. Upon collapse of a plinian or phreatoplinian eruption column, the majority of the conduit-filling pyroclasts probably fell back en masse into the conduit. Heat and steam from underlying magma and diffusion of interstitial volatiles into the glass perhaps reduced the viscosity of juvenile pyroclasts and facilitated welding in the conduit, especially at deep levels. The hot welded pyroclasts then flowed down the conduit wall during welding compaction and retreat of the magma. These processes resulted in increased welding toward the contacts and welding foliations concordant with the steep wall. Emplacement of nearby correlative volcaniclastic mass-flow deposits in a shelf to upper bathyal environment suggests a possibility that, when active, the Shiotani conduit was under the sea. Welding compaction would occur even under the sea provided that the steam generated in the upper part of the conduit fill prevented water access. Received: 28 February 1996 / Accepted: 5 May 1997     

The separation of flow past a circular cylinder on aβ-plane

Effects of the Ekman friction on the prograde (eastward) flows past a cylinder on a-plane are investigated when (=R ²/U, whereR is the cylinder radius andU the freestream speed)O(1) and(=2E _k ^1/2/R ₀·O(1) where is the non-dimensional beta parameter and the ratio of the square root of the Ekman numberE _k multiplied by 2 to the Rossby numberRo multiplied by the aspect ratio(=H/R, whereH is the fluid depth). Previous studies without the Ekman friction have shown that the-effect inhibits flow separation for pragrade flows through the asymptotic boundary condition by shifting the region of the adverse pressure gradient toward the rear stagnation point. It is found that the Ekman friction alleviates this-effect on the exterior flow. In the E_k ^1/4-boundary layer, on the other hand, Ekman friction suppresses the vorticity advection along the wall, which tends to make the boundary layer thickness thin and delay the flow separation. The Ekman friction thus affects flow separation in a complicated manner. Details of the boundary layer structures and the separation angles are described for 0.3< <4.0 and 0.1<<1.5.     

Validation of ADEOS-II GLI ocean color products using in-situ observations

The Global Imager (GLI) aboard the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite-II (ADEOS-II) made global observations from 2 April 2003 to 24 October 2003. In cooperation with several institutes and scientists, we obtained quality controlled match-ups between GLI products and in-situ data, 116 for chlorophyll-a concentration (CHLA), 249 for normalized water-leaving radiance (nLw) at 443 nm, and 201 for aerosol optical thickness at 865 nm (Tau_865) and Angstrom exponent between 520 and 865 nm (Angstrom). We evaluated the GLI ocean color products and investigated the causes of errors using the match-ups. The median absolute percentage differences (MedPD) between GLI and in-situ data were 14.1–35.7% for nLws at 380–565 nm, 52.5–74.8% nLws at 625–680 nm, 47.6% for Tau_865, 46.2% for Angstrom, and 46.6% for CHLA, values that are comparable to the ocean-color products of other sensors. We found that some errors in GLI products are correlated with observational conditions; nLw values were underestimated when nLw at 680 nm was high, CHLA was underestimated in absorptive aerosol conditions, and Tau_865 was overestimated in sunglint regions. The error correlations indicate that we need to improve the retrievals of the optical properties of absorptive aerosols and seawater and sea surface reflection for further applications, including coastal monitoring and the combined use of products from multiple sensors.     

On a decay process of isolated,intense vortices in a two-layer ocean

The dynamics of decaying, isolated, intense vortices are investigated numerically using a highly idealized model. It is found that the cyclonic vortex decays while keeping the ratio TKE/TAPE nearly constant. Meanwhile the anticyclonic vortex decays rapidly within about two years and subsequently decays gradually. This difference is discussed in terms of momentum, vorticity and energy. The limitations of the model are also discussed.     

Dibenzofurans a greater global pollutant than dioxins ? : Evidence from analyses of open ocean killer whale

Three specimens of killer whales (Orcinus orca), an open ocean carnivore, were analysed for extremely toxic polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) to understand their long-range distribution patterns. Several PCDF congeners, including the highly toxic 2,3,7,8-tetra- and 2,3,4,7,8-penta-CDFs were identified in the blubber of those specimens. The PCDF isomeric pattern in killer whale is more complex than the reported patterns in humans and birds, indicating the weaker metabolic potency of killer whales for these toxic compounds. High levels of PCBs (about 400 mg kg⁻¹) have also been detected in those specimens. The 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDF congeners identified in commercial PCBs were also found in killer whale, indicating PCBs as the possible source. Isomer-specific and trace level determinations of PCDD in killer whale, revealed no detectable quantities. The detection of comparatively high levels ( > 300 ng kg⁻¹) of PCDFs and undetection of PCDDs in open ocean killer whales suggest that PCDFs are more ubiquitous than PCDDs.     

Geochemistry of Quaternary lavas from NE Sulawesi: transfer of subduction components into the mantle wedge

Major and trace element, and Sr-Nd isotope compositions were determined for Quaternary volcanic rocks from NE Sulawesi (the Sangihe are), Indonesia, in order to examine the origin of across-arc variation in lava and magma source chemistry. The arc is formed in an intraoceanic tectonic setting and is not associated with a backarc basin, thereby minimizing possible contributions from non-arc geochemical reservoirs. The geochemistry of these arc lavas is likely to provide essential information about the chemical characteristics of subduction components. All incompatible elements, except Pb, increase away from the volcancic front. Major element data for Mg-rich lavas together with available experimental data, suggest that primary magmas are produced at higher pressured by smaller degrees of partial melting beneath the backarc-side volcanoes. Rb/K and Ba/Pb are higher, and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd are lower in backarc-side lavas. These variations may be attributed to generation of hydrous fluids in the downdragged hydrous peridotite layer at the base of the mantle wedge through the following reactions: decompositions of pargasitic amphibole to form phlogopite and breakdown of phlogopite to crystallize K-richterite, beneath the volcanic front and the backarc-side volcanoes, respectively.     

Effects of active crustal movements on thermal structure in subduction zones

In young suduction zones we observe steady uplift of island arcs. The steady uplift of island arcs is always accompanied by surface erosion. The long duration of uplift and erosion effectively transports heat at depth to shallower parts by advection. If the rates of uplift and erosion are sufficiently large, such a process of heat transportation will strongly affect thermal structure in subduction zones. First, we quantitatively examine the effects of uplift and erosion on thermal structure by using a simple 1-D heat conduction model, based on the assumption that the initial thermal state is in equilibrium. The results show that temperature increase, Δ T  , due to uplift and erosion can be approximately evaluated by Δ T  = ν _e tβ at depth, where ν _e is the rate of uplift (erosion), t is the duration of uplift (erosion), and β is the gradient of the geotherm in the initial state. Next, considering the effects of vertical crustal movements such as uplift and erosion in island arcs and subsidence and sedimentation in ocean trenches, in addition to the effects of radioactive heat generation in the crust, frictional heating at plate boundaries and accretion of oceanic sediments to overriding continental plates, we numerically simulate the evolution process of the thermal structure in subduction zones. The result shows that the temperature beneath the island arc gradually increases as a result of uplift and erosion as plate subduction progresses. Near the ocean trench, on the other hand, the low-temperature region gradually expands as a result of sedimentation and accretion in addition to direct cooling by the cold descending slab. The surface heat flow expected from this model is low in fore-arc basins, high in island arcs and moderately high in back-arc regions.