Thermodynamic characteristics of water in natural water bodies with a high mineralization

To adequately describe the hydrophysical processes in water bodies with a high mineralization, it is necessary to take into account the dependence that the thermodynamic characteristics of water have on the amount of salts contained in it. This work investigates some widely known formulas for calculating a number of thermodynamic parameters of mineralized water. The density, freezing temperature, specific heat of evaporation, and relative pressure of saturated vapor over the surface are considered. The possibilities of using these formulas when modeling hydrophysical processes in water bodies with salinity in the range of 0–250 pro mille are analyzed. It is shown that the formulas under consideration should be used when the salinity does not exceed 100 pro mille. If the mineralization is higher, it is necessary to elaborate more suitable formulas on the basis of an approximation of in situ data or data from handbooks.     

Circulation in the southwestern part of the Kara Sea in September 2007

During cruise 54 of the R/V Akademik Mstislav Keldysh to the southwestern Kara Sea (September 6 to October 7, 2007), a large amount of hydrophysical data with unique spatial resolution was obtained on the basis of measurements using different instruments. The analysis of the data gave us the possibility to study the dynamics and hydrological structure of the southwestern Kara Sea basin. The main elements of the general circulation are the following: the Yamal Current, the Eastern Novaya Zemlya Current, and the St. Anna Trough Current. All these currents are topographically controlled; they flow over the bottom slopes along the isobaths. The Yamal Current begins at the Kara Gates Strait and turns to the east as part of the cyclonic circulation. Then, it turns to the north and propagates along the Yamal coast over the 100-m isobath. The Eastern Novaya Zemlya Current (its core is located over the eastern slope of the Novaya Zemlya Trough) flows to the northeast. Near the northern edge of Novaya Zemlya, it encounters the St. Anna Trough Current, separates from the coast, and flows practically to the east merging with the continuation of the Yamal Current. A strong frontal zone is formed in the region where the two currents merge above the threshold that separates the St. Anna Trough from the Novaya Zemlya Trough and divides the warm and saline Arctic waters from the cooler and fresher waters of the southwestern part of the Kara Sea. This threshold, whose depth does not exceed 100–150 m, is a barrier that prevents the spreading of the Barents Sea and Arctic waters to the southwestern part of the Kara Sea basin through the St. Anna Trough.     

Whitefish wars: Pangasius, politics and consumer confusion in Europe

Rapid growth in production of the farmed Vietnamese whitefish pangasius and its trade with the European Union has provoked criticism of the fish's environmental, social and safety credentials by actors including WWF and Members of the European Parliament and associated negative media coverage. This paper reviews the range of claims communicated about pangasius (identified as a form of mass mediated risk governance), in light of scientific evidence and analysis of data from the EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feeds food safety notification system for imported seafood. This analysis shows pangasius to be generally safe, environmentally benign and beneficial for actors along the international value chains that characterise the trade. The case is made that increasingly politicised debates in Europe around risk and uncertainty are potentially counterproductive for EU seafood security and European aquaculture industry, and that the trade in pangasius can contribute to sustainable seafood consumption in a number of ways. Transparent evidence-based assessment and systems for communicating complex issues of risk for products such as pangasius are required in order to support continuance of fair and mutually beneficial trade.     

Spatial variability of the chlorophyll <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> and the specific structure of the phytoplankton in the northwestern part of the Sea of Japan during the winter period

To evaluate the structure and photosynthetic activity of the phytoplankton of the northwestern part of the Sea of Japan, the results of the surveys conducted from February 26 to March 9, 2003, during the 30th cruise of the R/V Akademik Lavrentyev were used. The species composition was considered taking into account the influences of the hydrological conditions. In particular, the studied water area was divided into four zones with various sizes of the mixed layer depth (MLD). An inverse relationship between the MLD and the content of chlorophyll a (Chl a) in various zones was established. The diatom algae were the basic dominants of the composite structure of the phytoplankton everywhere. It is revealed that, at a MLD increase, smaller forms of microalgae receive development. The intrapopulation relations are caused by the adaptation of various species of phytoplankton to the influence of external factors, among which the size of MLD is fundamental.     

Controlled-source marine electromagnetic 2-D modeling gas hydrate studies

Research on gas hydrate has increased recently as an alternative to fossil fuel. This study of marine controlled source electromagnetics (CSEM) is motivated by this increase, particularly in deep waters, and examines representative models. We present 2D models and test their efficacy in detection and characterization of gas hydrates. Earlier modeling studies used a horizontal transmitter to study the CSEM response??two electrical and one magnetic component??for resistive subsurface layers. Here we use six components??three electrical and three magnetic??and show that the proposed method reduces ambiguity in interpretation. Additionally, we show results utilizing the transmitter dipole in a borehole and receivers at the sea bottom. We found that CSEM response from a vertical transmitter helps us characterize resistive layers more confidently than from a transmitter moving horizontally at sea bottom. We conclude that in a complex environment, combining horizontal and vertical movements of the transmitter with sea-bottom receivers helps us delineate the subsurface structure more clearly and may help reduce drilling costs. Our models closely match the gas hydrate region in the Gulf of Mexico??Walker Ridge Block-313. Although this study examines gas hydrate, the methodology is applicable to other areas??for example, in monitoring gas diffusion at subsurface depths, which may help in CO₂ sequestration.     

Last glacial terrestrial vegetation record of leaf wax n-alkanols in the northern South China Sea: Contrast to scenarios from long-chain n-alkanes

Long-chain n-alkanols and n-alkanes in core sediments from the northern South China Sea (SCS) were measured to make a comparison during terrestrial vegetation reconstruction from ~42 ka to ~7 ka. The results showed that terrestrial vegetation record from long-chain n-alkanes matched well with previous studies in nearby cores, showing that more C₄ plants developed during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and C₃ plants dominated in the interglacial period. However, these scenarios were not revealed by terrestrial vegetation reconstruction using long-chain n-alkanols, which showed C₃ plant expansion during the LGM. The discrepancy during the interglacial period could be attributed to the aerobic degradation of functionalized long-chain n-alkanols in the oxygen-rich bottom water, resulting in poor preservation of terrestrial vegetation signals. On the other hand, the different advantages of functionalized n-alkanols and non-functional n-alkanes to record local and distal vegetation signals, respectively, may offer a potential explanation for the contradiction during the LGM when the SCS was characterized by low-oxygen deep water. Nevertheless, large variations on n-alkyl lipid compositions in C₃/C₄ plants could play a part in modulating sedimentary long-chain n-alkanols and n-alkanes toward different vegetation signals, thereby suggesting that caution must be taken in respect to the terrestrial vegetation reconstruction using long-chain n-alkanes and long-chain n-alkanols.     

A fast inversion method for ocean parameters based on dispersion curves with a single hydrophone

The dispersion characteristics of shallow water can be described by the dispersion curves, which contain substantial ocean parameter information. A fast ocean parameter inversion method based on dispersion curves with a single hydrophone is presented in this paper. The method is achieved through Bayesian theory. Several sets of dispersion curves extracted from measured data are used as the input function. The inversion is performed by matching a replica calculated with a dispersion formula. The bottom characteristics can be described by the bottom reflection phase shift parameter P. The propagation range and the depth can be inverted quickly when the seabed parameters are represented by on parameter P. The inversion results improve the inversion efficiency of the seabed parameters. Consequently, the inversion efficiency and accuracy are improved while the number of inversion parameters is decreased and the computational speed of replica is increased. The inversion results have lower error than the reference values, and the dispersion curves calculated with inversion parameters are also in good agreement with extracted curves from measured data; thus, the effectiveness of the inversion method is demonstrated.     

基于转录组测序技术对调控毕加索小丑鱼（Picasso clownfish）白化体征关键基因的研究

毕加索小丑鱼（Picasso clownfish）因其皮肤中的白色斑块分布杂乱抽象而得名,同时也由于其白色斑块的形成无规律性和稀缺性,属于名贵的小丑鱼,因此,解析毕加索小丑鱼的皮肤白斑形成机制,可以为毕加索小丑鱼的人工育种提供理论依据。在本研究中,我们对3种体色毕加索小丑鱼的背鳍和臀鳍之间的身体相同部位3种色块（黑色、黄色、白色）的皮肤进行进行了转录组测序。研究结果显示,与黄色和黑色皮肤组织相比,在白色皮肤组织中存在大量差异表达基因。其中与黑色素产生相关的信号通路（例如黑色素生成、Hedgehog信号通路和Wnt信号通路）中的基因在白色皮肤组织中呈下调表达趋势。进一步对3种颜色皮肤组织中参与黑色素生成途径的基因进行详细分析,发现上游调控基因（如ednrba和mitfa）表达量从黑色到黄色至白色皮肤组织中逐步下调,但下游参与黑色素合成的核心基因（包括tyr、tyrp1b和dct）则在白色皮肤组织中表达出现显著下调。最后,本研究通过荧光定量PCR验证了转录组数据的可靠性。本研究结果将为今后人为干扰基因表达从而达到调控小丑鱼体色提供理论依据。     

Resistant performance of perforation of multi-layered targets using an estimation procedure with marine application

Recently, multi-layered targets have become commonplace in both military and civilian applications, such as marine hulls, armored vehicle bodies, outside structures of bulletproof cars, and aerospace vessels. This paper studies the resistant performance of perforation in multi-layered targets. An estimation procedure is established based on the concepts of the conservation of momentum, impulse-momentum law, and conservation of energy. Experimental results of the test of Almohandes et al. are adopted to check the residual velocity of multi-layered targets. The results of the verification are good in terms of agreement for impact velocities ranging from 700 to 800 m/s, when the ratio of the projectile length to the projectile diameter (i.e. L/D) is 4.2, and the average residual velocity error of single, double- or triple-layered targets range approximately from 4.42 to 8.40%. The ballistic performance is best for the double target when the ratio of the first layer thickness to the total thickness (i.e. t₁/(t₁+t₂)) is about 0.75, and the worse performance occurs when the ratio t₁/(t₁+t₂) is 0.5. An air gap slightly influences the resistant performance of perforation in multi-layered targets. These results may serve as a useful reference for designers.