Unevenly compressed flexural-gravitity waves

Free flexural-gravity waves unevenly compressed in an ice-covered basin have been studied using a linear formulation. The conditions were specified allowing determination of the bounds of the angular area of wave disturbances and of the oscillation frequency intervals due to compression. The paper considers the distribution of the wave characteristics over frequency depending on compressive stresses and the direction of wave propagation.Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

Numerical experiments on the four-dimensional assimilation of the observation data derived in the Black Sea in June 1984 on the basis of a numerical energy-balanced model

A procedure for the four-dimensional (4D) analysis of the hydrophysical fields in the Black Sea with an assimilation of the temperature and salinity (T, S) data was realized on the basis of a numerical model which involves the primitive equations of motion, and the heat and salt advection equations. Two experiments were carried out which differed by the observation data assimilation procedure. Analysis has shown that the observation data assimilation procedure realized using the energy-balanced model allows the reproduction of some synoptic features of the circulation in the Black Sea. A comparison of two computations demonstrates the efficiency of assimilating the measurement data on the basis of the 4D analysis as compared with the sequential objective analysis.Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov.     

Contaminant concentrations and toxicity of sea-surface microlayer near Los Angeles, California

Sea-surface microlayer samples were collected from six nearshore areas receiving different amounts of anthropogenic inputs. The samples were analyzed for selected trace metals, chlorinated hydrocarbons, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The relative toxicities of the samples were determined with fish embryo bioassays.Contaminant concentrations generally increased from offshore to the inshore stations. Contaminant concentrations were several orders of magnitude higher in microlayer samples from the highly industrialized Los Angeles and Long Beach harbors compared to samples from a site 15km offshore. Microlayer samples from the inshore stations were significantly more toxic, and induced significantly more developmental abnormalities and chromosome aberrations, than samples from the offshore stations.     

The effect of copper pollution on mitochondrial degeneration

The authors describe the effect of copper pollution on the mitochondria from various areas of the Torpedo marmorata central nervous system. A high percentage of swollen mitochondria has been observed in neurons from animals experimentally exposed to high level of copper (4 ppm). The correlation with age pigment granules is discussed.     

Serum biochemical and cellular responses to experimental cupric ion challenge in mussels

Our intent has been to develop rapid and sensitive bioassay procedures for laboratory and field applications based on hemolymph factors in animals such as the bay mussel, Mytilus edulis. We found that mussel hemolymph could be easily and repeatedly sampled from individual animals in sufficient amounts to allow analyses for lysozyme, proteolytic activity, total protein and hemocyte counts. In static tests there seemed to be graded responses indicating release of increasing amounts of the above factors into the hemolymph in roughly direct proportion to Cu²⁺ concentration at lethal and sublethal levels. We interpreted this to be evidence for increased lysosomal and cellular disruption as cupric ion exposure was increased or prolonged. At the same time, Cu²⁺ concentrations in the mussel hemolymph increased up to an order of magnitude above ambient in the range of 26 to 267 ppb. We felt that this was evidence for the release of Cu-binding proteins into the mussel hemolymph. Simultaneously with the above events the serum granulocytes increased in numbers above control values by factors of 3 or 4 in response to copper challenge while macrophage (terminology of Moore & Lowe, 1977) counts, including controls, declined precipitously.     

Influences of wave stretching on the response of wave-excited offshore platforms

Critical examinations are reported for the effects of wave stretching on realistic representations of the wave forces that act on offshore structures. Examinations are also made for the importance of such effects on the corresponding structural responses, and it is demonstrated that the effects of stretching on the governing wave forces and the resulting structural responses are small, indicating that they can be ignored in design practice. Valuable insight is further provided into the definition of the wave excitation, and physical interpretations are made which show that the actions of stretching cannot materially influence the governing excitation and the corresponding structural response.