The 2013 Ibiza Calibration Campaign of Jason-2 and SARAL Altimeters

This study presents the results of the 2013 Ibiza (Western Mediterranean) calibration campaign of Jason-2 and SARAL altimeters. It took place from 14 to 16 September 2013 and comprised two phases: the calibration of the GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) buoys to estimate the antenna height of each of them and the absolute calibration to estimate the altimeter bias (i.e., the difference of sea level measured by radar altimetry and GNSS). The first one was achieved in the Ibiza harbor at a close vicinity of the Ibiza tide gauge and the second one was performed at ～ 40 km at the northwest of Ibiza Island at a crossover point of Jason-2 and SARAL nominal groundtracks. Five buoys were used to delineate the crossover region and their measurements interpolated at the exact location of each overflight. The overflights occurred two consecutive days: 15 and 16 September 2013 for Jason-2 and SARAL, respectively. The GNSS data were processed using precise point positioning technique. The biases found are of (?0.1 ± 0.9) and (?3.1 ± 1.5) cm for Jason-2 and SARAL, respectively.     

Geophysical Model Function for Wind Speed Retrieval from SARAL/AltiKa

With the launch of SARAL/AltiKa altimeter, efforts have been made to develop wind speed retrieval algorithms. Here we present two algorithms for estimating and validating wind speed from AltiKa. The first method is based on a theoretical Geophysical Model Function (GMF) using forward model simulations for Ka band specifications. The second is the model function developed using the matched database of input and output vectors of Normalized Radar Cross Section (NRCS) from AltiKa and wind speed measurements from concurrent Jason-2 altimeters. Since the NRCS depends on both the surface roughness due to surface wind speed and on mean square slope of the surfaces, the significant wave height is used along with wind speed for model development as an proxy variable. Both the theoretical and empirical GMFs are evaluated for retrieval of wind speed from AltiKa and validated with NDBC buoys data. The empirical model provide wind speed retrieval accuracy of 1.4 m/s. The accuracy of wind retrievals from theoretical model is also in the similar range (1.6 m/s), indicating the sound physical basis applicable for the future altimeters with various incidence angles. The retrieved wind speed is applied for various case studies, bringing out all the regional and global features quite well.     

Numerical modeling of ocean hydrodynamics with variational assimilation of observational data

Models and methods of the numerical modeling of ocean hydrodynamics dating back to the pioneering works of A.S. Sarkisyan are considered, with emphasis on the formulation of problems and algorithms of mathematical modeling and the four-dimensional variational assimilation of observational data. An algorithm is proposed for studying the sensitivity of the optimal solution to observational data errors in a seasurface temperature assimilation problem in order to retrieve heat fluxes on the surface. An example of a solution of the optimal problem of the World Ocean hydrodynamics with the assimilation of climatic temperature and salinity observations is offered.     

Spectral characteristics of Rossby waves in the Northwestern Pacific based on satellite altimetry

Using satellite altimetry measurement data for 1993–2013, we study the spectral characteristics of Rossby waves in the Northwestern Pacific (25°–50° N, 140°–180° E). For each latitude degree, we draw integral plots of spectral power density calculated with a two-dimensional Fourier transform (2D-FFT). We compare the dispersion equations of Rossby waves calculated from the WKB-approximation and an approximation of a two-layer ocean model with the empirical velocities determined by the slope of isopleths by the Radon method; also, we compare the dispersion equations with the spectral distributions of level variations. It is shown that the main energy of Rossby waves in the Northwestern Pacific corresponds to the first baroclinic mode. At almost all latitudes, there is good agreement between the empirical phase velocities calculated by isopleths by the Radon method and the theoretical values; also, the spectral peaks correspond to graphs of the dispersion equations for the first baroclinic mode Rossby waves, except for the Kuroshio region, where some peaks correspond to the second mode.     

Viruses,bacteria, and heterotrophic nanoflagellates in Laptev Sea plankton

The paper considers the concentrations and functional characteristics of viruses, bacteria, and heterotrophic nanoflagellates determined for the first time in the Laptev Sea in August-September, 2014. The abundance of bacteria, viruses, and heterotrophic nanoflagellates varied from 110.1 × 10³ to 828.4 × 10³ cells/mL, from 384.2 × 10³ to 2932.8 × 10³ particles/mL, and from 108 to 651 cells/mL, respectively. The daily bacterioplankton production varied from 4.2 × 10³ to 381.7 × 10³ cells/mL, with an average of 117.6 × 10³ cells/mL. Electron transmission microscopy has for the first time shown that the frequency of visibly infected bacterial cells varied from 0.2 to 2.0% (0.8% on average) of N_B. The average virus-induced mortality of bacteria was 6.3% of bacterioplankton production, with variations ranging from 1.4 to 16.9%. Grazing on bacteria by heterotrophic nanoflagellates contributed more to bacteria mortality than virus-induced bacterial lysis. By grazing on bacteria, heterotrophic nanoflagellates consumed large quantities of viruses located on the surface and inside bacterial cells.     

Anthropogenic factors and habitat complexity influence biodiversity but wave exposure drives species turnover of a subtropical rocky inter‐tidal metacommunity

Coastal ecosystems are complex and species rich, but are vulnerable to degradation from a variety of anthropogenic activities. Nevertheless, information on inter‐tidal community composition in the Caribbean Basin and at other oceanic sites is lacking. Such information is essential to developing a more comprehensive understanding of rocky inter‐tidal systems and their responses to global change. The goals of this study were to determine the relative importance of environmental (wave power density, wave height), habitat (e.g. algal cover, slope, complexity of rock surfaces) and anthropogenic (distance to roads, population density) factors associated with the structure of local assemblages at multiple shore heights and the regional metacommunity of mobile invertebrates on oceanic rocky inter‐tidal habitats. Environmental characteristics associated with habitat complexity (algal cover, rock surface complexity) and human population density were most strongly associated with abundance and biodiversity of invertebrates. Species richness was positively correlated with surface complexity, but abundance was negatively correlated with both surface complexity and per cent algal cover. By contrast, abundance of invertebrates was positively correlated with human population density, and diversity was negatively correlated with human population density. Abundance of invertebrates was greatest in the mid inter‐tidal zone, whereas diversity was greatest in the lower inter‐tidal zone. Metacommunity structure was Gleasonian, but the gradient along which species turnover occurred was correlated with measures of wave exposure, rather than anthropogenic activity. Unlike in previous studies, mostly at mainland sites, human activity primarily altered dominance patterns of communities, while having relatively little effect on species richness or composition.     

Components of Oil Pollution in Water and Bottom Sediments of the Northeastern Part of the Russian Black Sea Region

Oceanology - The results of studies of oil pollution (by the sum of hydrocarbons and resinous substances) of water and bottom sediments in the northeast Black Sea in spring and autumn are...     

Spatiotemporal Variations in the Content of Pollutants in the Moscow Air Basin and Their Emissions

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - The location of Moscow on a plain within higher latitudes when compared to other megacities creates conditions for the chemical transformation of...     

Adaptation in integrated assessment modeling: where do we stand?

Adaptation is an important element on the climate change policy agenda. Integrated assessment models, which are key tools to assess climate change policies, have begun to address adaptation, either by including it implicitly in damage cost estimates, or by making it an explicit control variable. We analyze how modelers have chosen to describe adaptation within an integrated framework, and suggest many ways they could improve the treatment of adaptation by considering more of its bottom-up characteristics. Until this happens, we suggest, models may be too optimistic about the net benefits adaptation can provide, and therefore may underestimate the amount of mitigation they judge to be socially optimal. Under some conditions, better modeling of adaptation costs and benefits could have important implications for defining mitigation targets.