On the circulation in the East Frisian Wadden Sea: numerical modeling and data analysis

 In this paper we use a combination of numerical modeling and data analysis to gain a better understanding of the major characteristics of the circulation in the East Frisian Wadden Sea. In particular, we concentrate on the asymmetry of the tidal wave and its modulation in the coastal area, which results in a complex pattern of responses to the sea-level forcing from the North Sea. The numerical simulations are based on the 3-D primitive equation General Estuarine Transport Model (GETM) with a horizontal resolution of 200 m and terrain-following vertical coordinates. The model is forced at its open boundaries with sea-level data from an operational model for the German Bight (German Hydrographic Office). The validation data for our model simulations include time series of tidal gauge data and surface currents measured at a pile in the back-barrier basin of the Island Langeoog, as well as several ADCP transects in the Accumer Ee tidal inlet. Circulation and turbulence characteristics are investigated for typical situations driven by spring and neap tides, and the analysis is focused on dominating temporal and spatial patterns. By investigating the response of five back-barrier basins with rather different morphologies to external forcing, an attempt is made to elucidate the dominating physical balances controlling the circulation in the individual sub-basins. It is demonstrated that the friction at the seabed tends to slow down the tidal signal in the shallow water. This leads to the establishment of flood dominance in the shallow sea north of the barrier islands. South of the islands, where the water volume of the channels at low tide is smaller than the tidal prism, the asymmetry of the tidal signal is shifted towards ebb dominance, a feature which is particularly pronounced at spring tide. At the northern open boundary, the tidal wave propagating from west to east generates a sea-level difference of ∼1 m along the boundary, and thereby triggers vigorous alongshore currents. The frictional control in the model is located in the inlets, as well as along the northern boundary. The correlation between velocity and turbulent kinetic energy tends to the establishment of a net southward transport, giving theoretical support to the observed accumulation of sediments on the intertidal flats. Weak turbulence along the northern shores of the barrier islands and the small magnitude of the residual currents there promote accumulation of suspended matter in these areas, although wave action will generally counteract this effect. Received: 29 May 2002 / Accepted: 26 September 2002 Responsible Editor: Jean-Marie Beckers Acknowledgements We are indebted to S. Dick for providing the data from the operational model of BSH and to B. Flemming for the useful discussions. The topography data and Fig. 1 have been prepared in cooperation with F. Meyer. Figure 2 has been prepared by G. Brink-Spalink. We also thank for the comments from an anonymous reviewer which helped to improve our paper.     

Two and Half Dimensional Simulation of Ridge Effects on the Ground Motion Characteristics

— Seismic responses of weathered and non-weathered ridge models were simulated to study the ridge effects on the ground motion characteristics. The range of ridge slope from 19.98° to 45° was considered to produce a possible set of generalized results. 2.5-D modeling based on parsimonious staggered grid approximation of elastodynamic wave equations was adopted in simulations. Computed results reveal an increase of amplitude of incoming waves with both elevation and the slope of the ridge. Further, the characteristics of surface waves are highly ridge slope dependent. The analysis of responses of weathered and non-weathered ridge models reveals that ridge has caused a strong generation of surface waves near its top. The surface waves are not dominating on the top of the ridge but at some lower elevation. The increase of weathering of ridge further intensified the ridge effect. Analysis in frequency domain, based on spectral ratio method, does not indicate any pattern in the spectral amplification factor and is very much sensitive to slope, source focal mechanism and location. However, on an average there is a continuous decrease of amplification with slope in the vertical component and increase in the transverse component, and it is increasing in the radial component up to slope =38.0° and thereafter decreasing.     

Lateral tidal mixing in the Antarctic marginal seas

Tidal mixing plays an important role in the modification of dense water masses around the Antarctic continent. In addition to the vertical (diapycnal) mixing in the near-bottom layers, lateral mixing can also be of relevance in some areas. A numerical tide simulation shows that lateral tidal mixing is not uniformly distributed along the shelf break. In particular, strong mixing occurs all along the Ross Sea and Southern Weddell Sea shelf breaks, while other regions (e.g., the western Weddell Sea) are relatively quiet. The latter regions correspond surprisingly well to areas where indications for cross-shelf exchange of dense water masses have been found. The results suggest that lateral tidal mixing may account for the relatively small contribution of Ross Sea dense water masses to Antarctic Bottom Water.     

Absence of Archean basement in the South Kunlun Block: Nd-Sr-O isotopic evidence from granitoids

Abstract   The West Kunlun mountain range along the northwestern margin of the Tibetan Plateau is crucial in understanding the early tectonic history of the region. It can be divided into the North and South Kunlun Blocks, of which the former is considered to be part of the Tarim Craton, whereas consensus was not reached on the nature and origin of the South Kunlun Block. Samples were collected from the 471 Ma Yirba Pluton, the 405 Ma North Kudi Pluton and the 214 Ma Arkarz Shan Intrusive Complex. These granitoids cover approximately 60% of the Kudi area in the South Kunlun Block. Sr, Nd, and O isotope compositions preclude significant involvement of mantle-derived magma in the genesis of these granitoids; therefore, they can be used to decipher the nature of lower–mid crust in the area. All samples give Mesoproterozoic Nd model ages (1.1–1.5 Ga) similar to those of the exposed metamorphic complex of this block but significantly different from those of the basement of the North Kunlun Block (2.8 Ga). This indicates that the South Kunlun Block does not have an Archean basement, and, thus, does not support the microcontinent model that suggests the South Kunlun Block was a microcontinent once separated from and later collided back with the North Kunlun Block.     

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age,geochemistry and Nd isotope of the Guandaoshan pluton in SW Sichuan: Petrogenesis and tectonic significance

SHRIMP U-Pb zircon age, geochemical and Nd isotopic data are reported for the Neo-proterozoic Guandaoshan pluton in the Yanbian region, SW Sichuan. This pluton is of typical I-type granite and emplaced at (857 ± 13) Ma. Geochemical and Nd isotopic characters suggest that the pluton was generated by partial melting of pre-existing, young (late Mesoproterozoic to early Neo-proterozoic) low-K tholeiitic protolith within an intraplate anorogenic setting. The Guandaoshan pluton probably records the earliest magmatism induced by the proposed ca. 860–750 Ma mantle superplume beneath the supercontinent Rodinia.     

羌塘岩带碰撞后超钾质火山岩地球化学特征及成因探讨

羌塘超钾质火山岩为板块碰撞后的产物,地球化学特征表明,其同时具有板内火山岩和俯冲带岛弧火山岩的双重地球化学特性。化学组成上富含轻稀土和大离子亲石元素而亏损Cr、Ni等相容元素。在成因上受分离结晶作用和源区混合作用共同制约。源区为受古俯冲上地壳物质和下地幔上升流体交代混合的EMII型富集地幔端元,可能富含角闪石和金云母等矿物。     

岩石断裂作用的复杂性和混沌动力学

断裂是一个复杂的动力学体系,受到岩石结构、反应、流体迁移、应力、岩石变形和力学等多种地质因素和过程的耦合控制。本文建立了断裂体系的反应-输运-力学耦合动力学模型并编制了模拟程序。以湖南水口山矿区为例,通过动力学模拟表明不同地层岩性的断裂渗透率大小和演化特征存在显著差异,断裂作用促使岩石渗透率的空间非均匀性增强,从而有利于流体的局部汇聚和矿体的形成。断裂中压力随时间呈现出非周期振荡变化,反映了断裂演化的混沌特征。     

Integration and Sharing of Geo-spatial Data Based on Data Engine

Through analyzing the principle of data sharing in the database system, this paper discusses the principle and method for integrating and sharing GIS data by data engine, introduces a way to achieve the high integration and sharing of GIS data on the basis of VCT in VC , and provides the method for uniting VCT into RDBMS in order to implement a spatial database with object-oriented data model.     

无验潮模式下的GPS水下地形测量技术

传统的水下地形测量模式定型于利用GPS测定水底点的平面位置,利用测深仪测定水底点的深度,附之以瞬时潮位资料,获得点位的高程。这种模式在上述条件具备的情况下,可取得完满的结果。但当验潮条件不具备时,该模式将不能获得测点的高程。为了弥补这一缺陷,简化工作流程,提高水下地形测量的精度,本文提出了一种无验潮模式下的水下地形测量思想,该思想不用专门测定潮位,而直接利用GPS的RTK测量技术,辅之以姿态测量和补偿,从而获得高精度的水底点高程。该方法被验证是正确的,希望进一步推广应用。