On diapycnal mixing induced by internal tidal waves in the Arctic Ocean

In order to reproduce the diapycnal mixing induced by internal tidal waves (ITWs) in the Arctic Ocean, we use a modified version of the three-dimensional finite-element hydrothermodynamic model QUODDY-4. We found that the average (over the tidal cycle) and integral (by depth) baroclinic tidal energy dissipation rate in individual areas of the Siberian continental shelf and in the straits between the Canadian Arctic archipelago are much higher than in the open ocean and its values on ridges and troughs are qualitatively similar to one another. Moreover, in the area of open-ocean ridges, the baroclinic tidal energy dissipation rate increases as it approaches the bottom, but only in the bottom boundary layer; on the Mid-Atlantic and Hawaii ridges, such an increase is observed within a few hundreds of meters away from the bottom. The average (in area and depth of the open ocean) coefficient of diapycnal mixing defined by the baroclinic tidal energy dissipation rate is higher than the coefficient of molecular kinematic viscosity and only a few times lower than the canonical value of the coefficient of vertical turbulent viscosity, which is used in models of global oceanic circulation. Coupled with the reasoning on the localization of baroclinic tidal energy dissipation, this fact leads to the conclusion that disregarding the contribution that ITW-induced diapycnal mixing makes to the ocean-climate formation is hardly justified.     

Cosmic weather,physical-chemical systems,and the technosphere

This paper is a short review of publications on the influence that solar activity and geomagnetic disturbances (cosmic weather) have on physical-chemical systems. The effects of cosmic weather may some-times be detected by the presence of an uncontrolled factor in these experiments. Direct reactions to cosmic weather are reliably identified in quantitative observations over various test systems, mainly water solutions. The effects of cosmic weather are also found from the data obtained by monitoring some simple physical systems, including semiconductors. All these effects are either cosmic physical rhythms or they are easily registered sporadic heliogeophysical events (e.g., magnetic storms). There are convincing data that demonstrate the influence that cosmic weather has on the accident rate in various engineering and physical systems. Researchers are at odds on the physical nature of the main physical agent, but the contribution of electromagnetic fields to these processes is considered important.     

Hydraulic roughness over simple subaqueous dunes

Detailed studies of flow over subaqueous dunes in laboratory flumes were used to suggest a virtual near-bed layer of twice the dune height in which the mean velocity is accelerated towards the crest by contraction. The mean flow velocity in this layer above the crest, transformed into friction velocity by means of the surface skin roughness, is shown to give values consistent with measured values. The resulting dimensionless shear stress due to skin friction is depth-independent, in contrast to that derived by means of often cited traditional methods. As a result of the relationship between dune height and the thickness of the near-bed layer, an expression for the expansion loss behind dunes was formulated and used to relate form resistance directly to dune height.     

Optical characteristics of coastal waters and atmosphere near the south coast of the crimea at the end of summer 2008

We present the results of measurements of optical characteristics of waters (the beam attenuation coefficient, volume scattering function, sea water reflectance, and Secchi depth) and optical characteristics of the atmosphere (aerosol optical thickness, content of vapors, and the ?ngstr?m exponent) carried out in September 2008 on the oceanographic platform near Katsiveli. We carried out the comparative analysis of hydrooptical characteristics measured in various years. The optical type of sea waters in the period of observations is determined.     

Geochemical and microbiological characteristics of sediments near the Malenky mud volcano (Lake Baikal, Russia), with evidence of Archaea intermediate between the marine anaerobic methanotrophs ANME-2 and ANME-3

Detailed lithological, biogeochemical and molecular biological analyses of core sediments collected in 2002–2006 from the vicinity of the Malenky mud volcano, Lake Baikal, reveal considerable spatial variations in pore water chemical composition, with total concentrations of dissolved salts varying from 0.1 to 1.8‰. Values of methane δ¹³С in the sediments suggest a biogenic origin (δ¹³С_min. ?61.3‰, δ¹³С_max. ?72.9‰). Rates of sulphate reduction varied from 0.001 to 0.7 nmol cm^?3 day^?1, of autotrophic methanogenesis from 0.01 to 2.98 nmol CH₄ cm^?3 day^?1, and of anaerobic oxidation of methane from 0 to 12.3 nmol cm^?3 day^?1. These results indicate that methanogenic processes dominate in gas hydrate-bearing sediments of Lake Baikal. Based on clone libraries of 16S rRNA genes amplified with Bacteria- and Archaea-specific primers, investigation of microbial diversity in gas hydrate-bearing sediments revealed bacterial 16S rRNA clones classified as Deltaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Chloroflexi and OP11. Archaeal clone sequences are related to the Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota. Baikal sequences of Archaea form a distinct cluster occupying an intermediate position between the marine groups ANME-2 and ANME-3 of anaerobic methanotrophs.     

Eddies in the southwestern East/Japan Sea

Closed loop mesoscale eddies were identified and tracked in the Ulleung Basin of the southwestern Japan/East Sea (JES) using the winding-angle (WA) methodology, for mapping the absolute geostrophic currents into surface streamlines of flow. The geostrophic velocity used here was the sum of the Archiving, Validation and Interpretation of Satellite Oceanographic data (AVISO), time variable velocity and the 1992–2007 mean geostrophic velocity. Local sampling bias was removed using the drifter observations. This WA methodology of deriving the Lagrangian path lines that drifters followed over a 7-day period was validated by individual drifter tracks and it demonstrated closed looping eddy motions. The WA method demonstrated that less than 6% of the closed streamlines appeared when drifters did not show a closed loop in their vicinity, compared to 30% of the excess detection rate by the Okubo–Weiss method of locating closed loop structures. Three groups of eddies were identified: (1) Coastal Cold and Warm Eddies, which appeared in the area between the coast of southern Korea and the East Korean Warm Current (EKWC), when a southward coastal current was present, (2) Frontal Cold and Warm Eddies, which were formed in the region of the seaward extension of the meandering EKWC, north of Ulleung Island and (3) Ulleung Warm Eddies (UWE) and Dok Cold Eddies (DCE), which appeared during meanders of the EKWC, in the Ulleung Basin. No seasonal concentration for eddy generation and eddy population was found. The average radius of eddies was about 38–60 km. These were born, moved in an erratic pattern and then died in the vicinity where the EKWC separated from the coast and formed a large meander. The time-mean large meander formed meridionally concentrated bands of positive and negative relative vorticity. The cyclonic (cold) eddies tend to reside within the band of positive time-mean relative vorticity, and the anticyclonic (warm) eddies reside within the bands of negative relative vorticity. Six UWE and four warm eddies, in the Yamato Basin (about 10% of warm eddies), were sustained longer than a year. Because the large meander of the EKWC appeared to be controlled by topography, and the JES is a nearly enclosed basin with rapid flow-out to the east through the narrow Tsugaru Strait, there was little eddy energy propagation to the west. The warm eddies in the southwestern part of the JES appeared to be interacting very locally with the mean flow.     

Development of a passive transform margin: Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana transform margin – ODP Leg 159 preliminary results

The Côte d’Ivoire–Ghana transform margin is bounded to the south by a prominent marginal ridge. ODP Leg 159 shipboard analyses on sediments from four sites document three distinct transform margin sedimentary and tectonic stages of evolution: (1)?an intracontinental stage of transform faulting recorded in deformed lacustrine to marine siliciclastic sequences; (2)?a marginal ridge uplift stage, recorded by shallow water limestones, appears coeval with the passing of a hot, oceanic spreading center just south of the sediment wedge; and (3)?cool ing subsidence of the transform margin recorded in bathyal to abyssal sediments emphasizes a passive margin stage. These results are consistent with previously published models of evolution.     

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.     

The aqueous photochemical transformation of acrylic acid

Acrylic acid in sea water is thought to occur mostly as the product of microbial cleavage of dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP), but could also be a pollutant introduced by waste waters of the organic chemical industry. Solutions of acrylic acid in natural and artificial sea water, and distilled and riverine water were photolyzed using a photochemical reactor and exposure to sunlight. The transformation of acrylic acid comprises the decarboxylation of the carboxylic group and subsequent polymerization to a polyethylene type molecule. Kinetic studies showed the lowest reaction rate in distilled water and somewhat higher and very similar rates in other aqueous media. The approximately similar reaction rates in all natural waters studied suggest that inorganic ions, especially Na⁺, Mg²⁺ and halides, and dissolved organic matter (probably humics) enhance the reaction rates. On studying the influence of different concentration ranges on the reaction kinetics, an exponential increase of rates with decreasing concentration was found. The reaction rate in the sea water solution in field conditions is rather slow. In thirty days exposure about 15% of the reactant was transformed. This reaction seems to be important in the marine environment in specific conditions, especially in phycospheres and macroaggregates where higher concentrations of acrylic acid inhibit the bacterial metabolism.