Peculiarities of Water Circulation in the Southern Tatar Strait

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - Satellite altimetry data have been used to study water circulation in the Tatar Strait region (the northern part of the Sea of Japan) for the time...     

Biogeochemical Modelling of a Seasonally Anoxic Lake: Calibration of Successive and Competitive Pathways and Processes in Lake Aydat,France

A reactive transport model was developed to describe seasonal variations of biogeochemical and physical processes in Lake Aydat. The model includes physical processes such as vertical mixing, sedimentation and advection related to inflows into the lake and biogeochemical conversion processes in the water column and in the sediment surface layer. The reactions described in the model include primary redox reactions such as primary production, aerobic and anaerobic respiration, methanogenesis and secondary reactions established between oxidants and reducers produced by the primary reactions. After adjusting various kinetic constants, the model reasonably reproduced the main features of seasonal variations of dissolved oxygen and nitrate depth profiles and pH. The reactive transport model was also used to quantify the relative importance of different biogeochemical pathways. For instance, ferrous denitrification seems to play an important role when stratification is increasing.     

Species, tissue and gender-related organochlorine bioaccumulation in white-sided dolphins, pilot whales and their common prey in the northwest Atlantic

Organochlorine concentrations were measured in white-sided dolphins, pilot whales, and their prey from the Gulf of Maine and used to identify species, tissue, and gender differences, and trophic transfer trends, in bioaccumulation. Polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations ([PCB]) in dolphin blubber (13 +/- 7.1 micrograms/g fresh wt.) were twice those in pilot whales, but pesticide concentrations (20 +/- 13 micrograms/g fresh) were similar between species. 4,4'-DDE, trans-non-achlor, Cl6(153) and Cl6(138) concentrations were highest. Skin tissues had more recalcitrant organochlorines than the internal organs. Male dolphins bioaccumulated higher concentrations of nonmetabolizable PCBs and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers, whereas pilot whales had no gender-related differences in bioaccumulation. Pilot whales, mackerel, and herring had proportionately higher concentrations of DDTs, whereas [PCB] were higher in dolphins and squid. Although these odontocetes feed at the same trophic level and store a similar suite of contaminants, dolphins bioaccumulated higher and potentially hazardous 4,4'-DDE and PCB concentrations from food in their more geographically restricted range.     

High-resolution sediment echosounding off Peru: Late Quaternary depositional sequences and sedimentary structures of a current-dominated shelf

About 6000 km of both bathymetric and high-resolution acoustic profiles were acquired on the shelf and upper slope offshore Peru between 9° S and 14° S. Two new sediment echosounder systems – SEL-96 and SES-2000DS – provided details of the sedimentary structures of the Quaternary sequences within the Sechura-Salaverry, Huacho and Pisco Basins. To a great extent, the poleward undercurrent determines the distribution of sediments. The undercurrent has generated numerous erosional unconformities, it has winnowed hardgrounds and has created mudwaves common between 250 m and 400 m water depth. Distinct subbottom reflectors within sedimentary units represent hiatuses due to periods of intensified winnowing or non-deposition. Erosional unconformities usually marked by pronounced reflectors suggest shifts of the undercurrent system related to climatic changes and eustatic variations of sea level. On a larger scale, the stacked prograding depositional sequences reflect the sea-level cycles of the Middle Pleistocene to the Holocene. Based on the stratigraphy of our piston cores and that of Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 680, the depositional sequences limited by extended unconformities were assigned to oxygen isotope stages 1 to 7. Other sedimentary structures are small straight channels that were conduits for downslope sediment transport. Deformed sediments associated with synsedimentary normal faults result from creep movements indicating beginning slope failure.     

Distribution of nonlinear wave crests

The distribution of nonlinear wave crests is examined on the basis of a theoretical probability density previously given elsewhere (J. Eng. Mech. 120 (1994) 1009). Certain errors contained in the original theoretical density are corrected, and the corresponding exceedance distribution is derived. The resulting theoretical forms of the probability density and exceedance distribution are then slightly simplified and compared with nonlinear wave data gathered under hurricane conditions. The results indicate that the proposed theoretical forms describe the observed distributions of large wave crests better than the Rayleigh law. However, the quantitative accuracy of the predictions is somewhat poor, as is typical of approximate theories based on Gram–Charlier-type expansions.     

Time domain modelling of the transient asymmetric flooding of Ro-Ro ships

This work aims at contributing to improve knowledge on transient asymmetric flooding through theoretical and experimental research. First, a time domain theoretical model of ship motions and flooding is described. Results from experimental work are presented evidencing that transient asymmetric flooding may cause the capsizing of a Ro-Ro shaped barge. The theoretical model is used to predict the capsize of the Ro-Ro shaped barge. Reasonable agreement between experimental and theoretical results was found. Finally, a review of the European Gateway accident is given and the theoretical model is applied to the study of this type of accident. The conclusion is that this theoretical model, together with an accurate modelling of the flooding of machinery compartments, reproduces successfully the capsizing of the European Gateway due to transient asymmetric flooding. Therefore, the internal arrangement of Ro-Ro ships should be carefully studied at the design stage in order to avoid this phenomenon.     

Nutrient variability during El Niño 1997–98 in the California current system off central California

Nutrient conditions off central California during the 1997–98 El Niño are described. Data were collected on 11 cruises from March 1997 to January 1999 along a hydrographic section off central California, as well as every two weeks at a coastal station in Monterey Bay. Perturbations associated with El Niño are shown as anomalies of thermohaline and nutrient distributions along this section. The anomalies were obtained by subtracting seasonal averages for the period from April 1988 to April 1991 from the 1997–98 observations. The first indications of El Niño conditions (high sea levels) were observed at Monterey between late May and early June 1997, but the coastal nutricline did not begin to deepen until August 1997. It reached maximum depth of 130 dbar in January 1998 at the time that maximum sea level anomalies were observed. During this period: (1) the highest subsurface temperature anomalies coincided with subsurface nutrient anomaly minima at the depth of the pycnocline; (2) southern saline and nutrient-poor waters occupied the upper 80 dbar of the water column along the entire section; and (3) nitrate levels were close to zero in the euphotic zone, collapsing the potential new primary production in the coastal domain. At the end of February 1998, the nutricline shoaled to 40 dbar at the coast although it remained anomalously deep offshore. Higher temperatures and lower nutrient levels were observed for the entire section through August 1998 although in contrast with the previous winter, there was a strong freshening mainly due to an onshore movement of subarctic waters.