Atmospheric forcing of fine-sand transport on a low-energy inner shelf: south-central Louisiana,USA

Hydrodynamic and sediment transport measurements from instrumentation deployed during a 54-day winter period at two sites on the Louisiana inner shelf are presented. Strong extratropical storms, with wind speeds of 7.8 to 15.1 m s^-1, were the dominant forcing mechanism during the study. These typically caused mean oscillatory flows and shear velocities about 33% higher than fair weather (averaging 12.3 and 3.2 cm s^-1 at the landward site, and 11.4 and 2.7 cm s^-1 at the seaward site, respectively). These responses were coupled with mean near-bottom currents more than twice as strong as during fair weather (10.3 and 7.5 cm s^-1 at the landward and seaward sites, respectively). These flowed in approximately the same direction as the veering wind, causing a net offshore transport of fine sand. Weak storms were responsible for little sediment transport whereas during fair weather, onshore sand transport of approximately 25-75% of the storm values appears to have occurred. This contradicts previous predictions of negligible fair-weather sediment movement on this inner shelf.     

Tectonic control over topography and channel sedimentation across the forearc slope of the southern Kurile Trench

A high-resolution seismic survey covering more than 2,000 km² has revealed the processes responsible for the slope morphology and channel sedimentation across the forearc slope-basin of the Kurile Arc–NE Japan Arc collision zone, offshore from Tokachi (Hokkaido, Japan). The dominant slope contours parallel the trench but, in the middle and lower reaches of the southern slope, contours are convex-shaped with an offshore trend. This sector of the slope is traversed diagonally by the Hiroo submarine channel. The offshore-trending convex contours and the channel course have developed through the interplay of tectonic and sedimentary processes, including the development of anticlines, anticline-induced lobe sedimentation and channel avulsion. In its upper reaches, the channel is restricted by a topographic low associated with NNW–SSE-trending anticlines which developed within the upper and middle slope sectors during late Miocene uplift. The uplift timing and trend of these anticlines indicate that they resulted from collision, the channel sedimentology and slope morphology of the middle and lower slopes having been influenced by Pliocene uplift of NE–SW-trending anticlines. The trends of these anticlines parallel those of the Kurile Trench. The Pliocene and early Pleistocene strata of the middle and lower slopes consist of ponded lobe sediments deposited along the palaeo-Hiroo submarine channel on the landward side of the anticlines. As a lobe pile accumulated, the channel thalweg shifted to the north of the stack, allowing the channel to bypass the topographic high formed by the growing stack. Thick levee deposits built up along the channel course during the late Pleistocene and Holocene. These levees, along with the Pliocene and early Pleistocene lobes, are reflected in the present-day sigmoid-shaped, convex offshore-trending contours. Thus, the interplay of subduction- and collision-related anticlines, tectonic-related channel ponding, and avulsion has contributed to the slope morphology of the southern Kurile Trench.     

Remote estimation of surficial seafloor properties through the application Angular Range Analysis to multibeam sonar data

The variation of the backscatter strength with the angle of incidence is an intrinsic property of the seafloor, which can be used in methods for acoustic seafloor characterization. Although multibeam sonars acquire backscatter over a wide range of incidence angles, the angular information is normally neglected during standard backscatter processing and mosaicking. An approach called Angular Range Analysis has been developed to preserve the backscatter angular information, and use it for remote estimation of seafloor properties. Angular Range Analysis starts with the beam-by-beam time-series of acoustic backscatter provided by the multibeam sonar and then corrects the backscatter for seafloor slope, beam pattern, time varying and angle varying gains, and area of insonification. Subsequently a series of parameters are calculated from the stacking of consecutive time series over a spatial scale that approximates half of the swath width. Based on these calculated parameters and the inversion of an acoustic backscatter model, we estimate the acoustic impedance and the roughness of the insonified area on the seafloor. In the process of this inversion, the behavior of the model parameters is constrained by established inter-property relationships. The approach has been tested using a 300 kHz Simrad EM3000 multibeam sonar in Little Bay, NH. Impedance estimates are compared to in situ measurements of sound speed. The comparison shows a very good correlation, indicating the potential of this approach for robust seafloor characterization.     

4D seismic time-lapse monitoring of an active cold vent,northern Cascadia margin

Two single-channel seismic (SCS) data sets collected in 2000 and 2005 were used for a four-dimensional (4D) time-lapse analysis of an active cold vent (Bullseye Vent). The data set acquired in 2000 serves as a reference in the applied processing sequence. The 4D processing sequence utilizes time- and phase-matching, gain adjustments and shaping filters to transform the 2005 data set so that it is most comparable to the conditions under which the 2000 data were acquired. The cold vent is characterized by seismic blanking, which is a result of the presence of gas hydrate in the subsurface either within coarser-grained turbidite sands or in fractures, as well as free gas trapped in these fracture systems. The area of blanking was defined using the seismic attributes instantaneous amplitude and similarity. Several areas were identified where blanking was reduced in 2005 relative to 2000. But most of the centre of Bullseye Vent and the area around it were seen to be characterized by intensified blanking in 2005. Tracing these areas of intensified blanking through the three-dimensional (3D) seismic volume defined several apparent new flow pathways that were not seen in the 2000 data, which are interpreted as newly generated fractures/faults for upward fluid migration. Intensified blanking is interpreted as a result of new formation of gas hydrate in the subsurface along new fracture pathways. Areas with reduced blanking may be zones where formerly plugged fractures that had trapped some free gas may have been opened and free gas was liberated.     

Phytoplankton biomass and size fractions in surface waters of the Australian sector of the southern ocean

We collected surface water along the 142nd E meridian from Tasmania to Antarctica in December 1999. We measured temperature, salinity and total chlorophyll a; additionally, we collected suspended particle size fractions and used fluorometric analysis to determine the quantity of chlorophyll a in each of four cell size classes: picoplankton (<3 μm), two nanoplankton fractions (3–10 μm and 10–20 μm) and microplankton (> 20 μm). Changes in temperature and salinity show that we crossed 6 water masses separated by 5 fronts. We found low abundance (<0.2 mg m⁻³) of chlorophyll in all size classes, with the exception of higher values near the continent (0.2 to 0.4 mg m⁻³). Lowest chlorophyll values (<0.1 mg m⁻³) were found in the Polar Frontal Zone (51° to 54°S). Microplankton made up the largest portion of total chlorophyll throughout most of the region. We conclude that biomass of all phytoplankton fractions, especially pico-and nanoplankton, was constrained by limiting factors, most probably iron, throughout the region and that ecosystem dynamics within a zone are not circumpolar but are regionalized within sectors.     

Effects of an Artificial Breakwater on the Distributions of Planktonic Microbial Communities

The summer distributions of planktonic microbial communities (heterotrophic and phtosynthetic bacteria, phtosynthetic and heterotrophic nanoflagellates, ciliate plankton, and microphytoplankton) were compared between inner and outer areas of Lake Sihwa, divided by an artificial breakwater, located on the western coast of Korea, in September 2003. The semienclosed, inner area was characterized by hyposaline surface water (<17 psu), and by low concentrations of dissolved oxygen (avg. 0.4 mg L¹) and high concentrations of inorganic nutrients (nitrogenous nutrients >36 μM, phosphate <4 μM) in the bottom layer. Higher densities of heterotrophic bacteria and nanoflagellates also occurred in the inner area than did in the outer area, while microphytoplankton (mainly diatoms) occurred abundantly in the outer area. A tiny tintinnid ciliate, Tintinnopsis nana, bloomed into more than 10⁶ cells L¹ at the surface layer of the inner area, while its abundance was much lower (10³-10⁴ cells L¹) in the outer area of the breakwater. Ciliate abundance was highly correlated with heterotrophic bacteria (r = 0.886, p < 0.001) and heterotrophic flagellates (r = 0.962, p < 0.001), indicating that rich food availability may have led to theT. nana bloom. These results suggest that the breakwater causes the eutrophic environment in artificial lakes with limited flushing of enriched water and develops into abundant bacteria, nanoflagellates, and ciliates.     

基于顶点度的多分辨率表示

针对边收缩算法在计算大曲率面距离公差时计算量大 ,且收缩大曲率面所含的线段时易使关键点发生偏移而引起模型变动过大、简化不够准确的问题 ,本文在边收缩算法基础上提出了加入顶点度控制的算法 ,以减少大曲率面距离公差的冗余计算 ,并提高模型简化质量。实验表明该算法能提高模型简化质量 ,并加快图形收缩的生成速度。     

中华鲟配合饲料适宜蛋白质含量及最佳蛋白能量比研究

以酪蛋白和明胶为蛋白源 ,添加豆油、鱼油、糊精、纤维素以及适量的维生素和矿物质混合剂配制试验饲料 ,饲料配成5个蛋白质水平 ,每个蛋白水平分别包括5个能量级 ,以体质量增长倍数、蛋白质效率和饲料系数为评判依据 ,对体质量为8.73g±0.79g的中华鲟(Acipensersinensis)的适宜蛋白质含量及其蛋白能量比进行了研究。经过为期8周的试验 ,结果表明 :中华鲟幼鲟配合饲料中的适宜蛋白质含量范围为35.7%～41.8% ,饲料的最佳蛋白能量比范围为21.85～30.05ng/J。当试验饲料蛋白质含量为40.3% ,蛋白能量比为27.85ng/J时 ,试验鲟鱼获得最大体质量增长倍数为11.60±1.20,最低的饲料系数为1.68±0.23,以及最高的蛋白质效率为1.58%±0.14%。     

海湾扇贝养殖群体遗传多样性的研究

用等位基因酶的聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳技术,研究了大连沿岸不同生态环境条件下的大李家湾低排筏、大李家湾高排筏、凌水桥、棋盘磨4个海湾扇贝养殖群体的遗传多样性.在4个群体的7种等位基因酶和闭壳肌蛋白中均检测到了22个基因位点,各群体的多态位点比例分别为22.73%,22.73%,22.73%,18.18%(P≤0.95)和27.27%,27.27%,31.82%,36.36%(P≤0.99);杂合度观测值分别为0.064,0.071,0.075,0.069;Hardy-Weinberg平衡偏离指数分别为-0.068,-0.020,-0.032,-0.050;近交系数分别为0.568,0.565,0.487,0.550;位点等位基因有效数分别为1.102,1.109,1.143,1.122;遗传变异综合评价指数分别为0.0060,0.0071,0.0088,0.0073.海湾扇贝养殖群体遗传多样性总体水平较低,但在这4个群体中,凌水桥群体的遗传多样性水平最高,大李家湾高排筏和棋盘磨群体的遗传多样性水平较高,大李家湾低排筏群体遗传多样性水平最低.     

迟缓爱德华氏菌及其致病机理

迟缓爱德华氏菌(Edwardsiella tarda)是一种革兰氏阴性肠道病原菌,感染宿主范围广。在水产养殖生物中,该菌是鱼类(鳗、鲇、鲆等)、两栖类(蛙)、爬行类(鳖、鳄鱼)的重要致病菌。爱德华氏菌病(Edwardsiellosis)是水产养殖中最常见的传染病之一,影响了养殖生物的健康并对水产养殖业危害巨大。随着对迟缓爱德华氏菌致病性研究的深入,对该病原致病因子相关研究取得了一些进展。研究发现一些胞外酶和毒素与细菌的致病过程有关,相关的致病因子有溶血素、软骨素醇、皮下坏死毒素、过氧化氢酶等。这些致病因子参与了细菌的黏附、定殖、侵袭和在宿主体内的繁殖和扩散过程。但从总体而言,对迟缓爱德华氏菌致病因子组成及其致病机制尚缺乏系统深入的研究。最近的研究发现了一种新的致病因子——Ⅲ型分泌系统;迟缓爱德华氏菌的Ⅲ型分泌系统仅存在于致病菌株.而在非致病株中没有发现,与细菌的致病性密切相关,它的出现为人们对迟缓爱德华氏菌的致病性的了解提供了新的视角。