Experimental Study on Sloshing Characteristics in the Elastic Tank Based on Morlet Wavelet Transform

Hydroelastic effect of sloshing is studied through an experimental investigation. Different excitation frequencies are considered with low-fill-depth and large amplitude. Morlet wavelet transform is introduced to analyze the free surface elevations and sloshing pressures. It focuses on variations and distributions of the wavelet energy in elastic tanks. The evolutions of theoretical and experimental wavelet spectra are discussed and the corresponding Fourier spectrums are compared. Afterwards, average values of the wavelet spectra are extracted to do a quantitative study at various points. From the wavelet analysis, sloshing energies are mainly distributed around the external excitation frequency and expanded to high frequencies under violent condition. In resonance, experimental wavelet energy of the elevation in elastic tanks is obviously less than that in the rigid one; for sloshing pressures, the elastic wavelet energy close to the rigid one and conspicuous impulse is observed. It recommends engineers to concern the primary natural frequency and impulsive peak pressures.     

Strength Analysis on Brace Structure for Semi-Submersible in Consideration of Wave Slamming

Slamming on bracings of column stabilized units shall be considered as a possible limiting criterion under transit condition based on the requirements in DNV-OS-C103. However, the wave slamming loads under survival condition were ignored for the strength analysis of the brace structures in many semi-submersible projects. In this paper, a method of strength analysis of brace structure is proposed based on the reconstruction and extrapolation of numerical model. The full-scale mooring system, the wind, wave and current loads can be considered simultaneously. Firstly, the model tests of the semi-submersible platform in wind tunnel and wave tanker have been carried out. Secondly, the numerical models of the platform are reconstructed and extrapolated based on the results of model tests. Then, a nonlinear numerical analysis has been conducted to study the wave slamming load on brace in semi-submersible platform through the reconstructed and extrapolated numerical model. For the randomness of wave load, ten subcases under each condition have been carried out. The value of the 90% Gumble distribution values of the ten subcases are used. Finally, the strength on brace structure has been analyzed considering the wave slamming. The wave slamming loads have been compared between the survival condition and transit condition with the method. The results indicate that wave slamming under survival condition is more critical than that under transit condition. Meanwhile, the wave slamming is significant to the structural strength of the brace. It should be overall considered in the strength analysis of the brace structure.     

钙质土中重力串锚水平承载力特性有限元研究

目前没有规范给出串锚的水平承载力计算公式,为了利用有限元法研究串锚水平承载力特性,采用相关理论计算以及室内试验的方法来验证有限元法模拟计算的可靠性。实践证明,有限元法具有较高的计算精度。利用有限元分析软件ABAQUS建立了串锚-土体模型,模拟串锚在水平荷载作用下破坏过程,研究了串锚在水平荷载作用下破坏机理,从而得到了串锚水平承载力特性。在相同的工况条件下,串锚的水平承载力与其锚链长度有关,在一定范围内,增加锚链的长度可以提高串锚的水平承载力;串锚的水平承载力不是相应的单个锚的水平承载力相加,其水平承载力小于相应的单个锚水平承载力之和,在进行串锚水平承载力设计计算时应给与相应的考虑。     

Silver in Tokyo Bay estuarine waters and Japanese rivers

Dissolved and particulate concentrations of silver in Tokyo Bay estuarine waters and Japanese rivers were determined in this study. The dissolved silver concentrations in the surface water of Tokyo Bay range from 5.9 to 15.1 pmol kg⁻¹, which is comparable to those in the surface water of the Japan Sea, but two or three times higher than those in the surface water of the open ocean. However, elevated concentrations of dissolved silver are not found in Tokyo Bay compared with those in other highly urbanized estuaries, such as San Francisco Bay (20∼243 pmol kg⁻¹). In the Tokyo Bay estuary, silver typically exhibits non-conservative mixing behavior, which is a common feature in the other estuaries reported previously. Dissolved silver concentrations decrease with salinity from the rivers to the mouth of Tokyo Bay. Silver is efficiently scavenged by suspended particulates, as evidenced by the high conditional distribution coefficients for silver throughout the estuary (log K_d > 5.0 ± 0.6). The silver fluxes into Tokyo Bay via inflowing rivers and atmospheric deposition were estimated as 83 kg y⁻¹ and 15 kg y⁻¹, respectively. A simple budget calculation shows that the silver supplied from rivers and atmosphere must be rapidly scavenged within the Tokyo Bay estuary.     

Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and its carbon isotopic composition in sediment pore waters from the Shenhu area,northern South China Sea

The Shenhu area is one of the most favorable places for the occurrence of gas hydrates in the northern continental slope of the South China Sea. Pore water samples were collected in two piston cores (SH-A and SH-B) from this area, and the concentrations of sulfate and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and its carbon isotopic composition were measured. The data revealed large DIC variations and very negative δ ¹³C-DIC values. Two reaction zones, 0–3 mbsf and below 3 mbsf, are identified in the sediment system. At site SH-A, the upper zone (0–3 mbsf) shows relatively constant sulfate and DIC concentrations and δ ¹³C-DIC values, possibly due to bioturbation and fluid advection. The lower zone (below 3 mbsf) displays good linear gradients for sulfate and DIC concentrations, and δ ¹³C-DIC values. At site SH-B, both zones show linear gradients, but the decreasing gradients for δ ¹³C-DIC and SO₄ ²⁻ in the lower zone below 3 mbsf are greater than those from the upper zone, 0–3 mbsf. The calculated sulfate-methane interface (SMI) depths of the two cores are 10.0 m and 11.1 m, respectively. The depth profiles of both DIC and δ ¹³C-DIC showed similar characteristics as those in other gas hydrate locations in the world oceans, such as the Blake Ridge. Overall, our results indicate an anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) process in the sediments with large methane flux from depth in the studied area, which might be linked to the formation of gas hydrates in this area.     

<Superscript>234</Superscript>Th/<Superscript>238</Superscript>U disequilibrium and particulate organic carbon export in the northern South China Sea

We utilized ²³⁴Th, a naturally occurring radionuclide, to quantify the particulate organic carbon (POC) export rates in the northern South China Sea (SCS) based on data collected in July 2000 (summer), May 2001 (spring) and November 2002 (autumn). Th-234 deficit was enhanced with depth in the euphotic zone, reaching a subsurface maximum at the Chl-a maximum in most cases, as commonly observed in many oceanic regimes. Th-234 was in general in equilibrium with ²³⁸U at a depth of ∼100 m, the bottom of the euphotic zone. In this study the ²³⁴Th deficit appeared to be less significant in November than in July and May. A surface excess of ²³⁴Th relative to ²³⁸U was found in the summer over the shelf of the northern SCS, most likely due to the accumulation of suspended particles entrapped by a salinity front. Comparison of the ²³⁴Th fluxes from the upper 10 m water column between 2-D and traditional 1-D models revealed agreement within the errors of estimation, suggesting the applicability of the 1-D model to this particular shelf region. 1-D model-based ²³⁴Th fluxes were converted to POC export rates using the ratios of bottle POC to ²³⁴Th. The values ranged from 5.3 to 26.6 mmol C m⁻²d⁻¹ and were slightly higher than those in the southern SCS and other oligotrophic areas. POC export overall showed larger values in spring and summer than in autumn, the seasonality of which was, however, not significant. The highest POC export rate (26.6 mmol C m⁻²d⁻¹) appeared at the shelf break in spring (May), when Chl-a increased and the community structure changed from pico-phytoplankton (<2 μm) dominated to nano-phytoplankton (2–20 μm) and micro-phytoplankton (20–200 μm) dominated.     

Nonlinear influences on ocean waves observed by X-band radar

The purpose of this study is to discuss the influence of signal nonlinearity upon X-band radar observations. A method for estimating the degree of nonlinearity by bispectral analysis was applied and discussed. We found that bispectral analyses from spatial radar backscatter series are similar to results obtained from water level time series. In addition, the average nonlinear degree from radar backscatter is related to wind speed. The accuracy of wave observations derived by consideration of the nonlinear effect from radar backscatter was also investigated. The estimated error in wave height from the radar data is also related to the degree of nonlinearity. In order to improve accuracy, the modulation transfer function method was applied in order to eliminate the influence of nonlinearity.     

Numerical simulation of Pacific water intrusions into Otsuchi Bay,northeast of Japan,with a nested-grid OGCM

A numerical simulation of Otsuchi Bay located on the northeast coast of the Honshu, the largest island of Japan, is conducted, using an ocean general circulation model (OGCM) with a nested-grid system in order to illustrate seasonal variability of the circulation in the bay. Through a year, an anticlockwise circulation is dominant in the bay, as observational studies have implied, although it is modified in the bay-mouth-half of the bay in winter. In addition, there is an intense outflow at the surface layer during spring to autumn, influenced by river water discharge. Intrusion of the Pacific water into the bay is influened by mean circulations, but it is also influenced by baroclinic tides from spring to autumn. Pacific water intrusions affected by baroclinic tides may have an impact on the environment in Otsuchi Bay.     

Underwater observations of the giant spoon worm <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ikeda taenioides</Emphasis> (Annelida: Echiura: Ikedidae) in a subtidal soft-bottom environment in northeastern Japan,which survived tsunamis of the 2011 off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake

Tsunamis associated with the 2011 off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake seriously disrupted the shallow marine ecosystem along a 2000 km stretch of the Pacific coast of Japan. The effects of the 2011 tsunamis on the soft-bottom benthic community have been relatively well studied in the intertidal zone, whereas tsunami effects on the subtidal benthos remain poorly understood. Here, we investigated populations of the world’s largest spoon worm Ikeda taenioides (Annelida: Echiura: Ikedidae) in subtidal zone of Funakoshi Bay, Tohoku District, northeastern Japan. Subtidal scuba-diving surveys at two sites in the bay showed extremely long proboscises frequently extending from small holes in the sandy seafloor shortly before and soon after the tsunami disturbances. Based on morphological and molecular identification, the proboscises were revealed to be parts of I. taenioides. On 30 November 2011, 265 days after the tsunami event, many large-sized individuals with >1 m long proboscises were observed; these individuals were probably not derived from post-tsunami larval recruitment but more likely survived the tsunami disturbances. This is surprising because other sympatric megabenthos (e.g. spatangoid echinoids and venerid bivalves) and seagrass beds were almost completely destroyed (although they later recovered) by the tsunamis in this bay. The burrows of I. taenioides are known to be very deep (70–90 cm), which may have sheltered them from the impacts of the tsunamis. Our observations suggest that the effects of the 2011 tsunamis on benthos in soft sediments may differ depending on their burrowing depth.     

Optimization of dissolved urea measurements in coastal waters with the combination of a single reagent and high temperature

Urea is an unstable and intermediate organic nitrogenous compound present in coastal environments and is derived from the excretion of some aquatic organisms and wastewater discharges. Urea plays an important role in the nitrogen cycle, where it is utilized by algae, including diatoms. However, there are very limited relevant data on the production, consumption, and degradation of urea because of the lack of appropriate measurement techniques. The conventional method is based on the formation of a colored product when urea reacts with diacetyl monoxime in a sulfuric acid solution. We examined the optimal conditions for the formation of the colored product; specifically, we evaluated different temperatures (22–80 °C), reaction times, mixing ratios of color reagents, and sample storage times. Application of the single mixed color-developing reagent (COLDER) at 70 °C resulted in the optimal formation of the colored product within a short reaction time of 60 min. This method was then used to measure dissolved urea in different coastal environments. The concentrations detected were as follows: 0.65–0.72, 0.49–0.58, and 1.09–2.28 µM urea-N at coral reef, seagrass, and mangrove sites, respectively. Our results showed high precision (SD = 0.02, CV = 1.2%), a low detection limit (0.03 µM urea-N), and a high recovery rate (94–99%). In summary, this high-temperature procedure for urea measurements should be valuable for obtaining high-precision data that can further the understanding of urea dynamics and its role in coastal ecosystems.