Multi-decadal synthesis of benthic–pelagic coupling in the western arctic: Role of cross-shelf advective processes

Using geographic information systems (GIS) software and geostatistical techniques, we utilized three decades of water-column chlorophyll a data to examine the relative importance of autochthonous versus allochthonous sources of reduced carbon to benthic communities that occur from the northern Bering to the eastern Beaufort Sea shelf. Spatial trend analyses revealed areas of high benthic biomass (>300 g m⁻²) and chlorophyll (>150 mg m⁻²) on both the southern and northern Chukchi shelf; both areas are known as depositional centers for reduced organic matter that originates on the Bering Sea shelf and is advected northward in Anadyr and Bering shelf water masses. We found a significant correlation between biomass and chlorophyll a in the Chukchi Sea, reflective of the strong benthic–pelagic coupling in a system that is utilized heavily by benthic-feeding marine mammals. In contrast, there was no significant correlation between biomass and chlorophyll in the Beaufort Sea, which by comparison, is considerably less productive (biomass and chlorophyll, <75 g m⁻² and <50 mg m⁻², respectively). One notable exception is an area of relatively high biomass (50–100 g m⁻²) and chlorophyll (80 mg m⁻²) near Barter Island in the eastern Beaufort Sea. Compared to other adjacent areas in the Beaufort Sea, the chlorophyll values in the vicinity of Barter Island were considerably higher and likely reflect a long-hypothesized upwelling in that area and close coupling between the benthos and autochthonous production. In the Bering Sea, a drop in benthic biomass in 1994 compared with previous measurements (1974–1993) may support earlier observations that document a decline in biomass that began between the 1980s and 1990s in the Chirikov Basin and south of St. Lawrence Island. The results of this study indicate that the benthos is an excellent long-term indicator of both local and physical advective processes. In addition, this work provides further evidence that secondary production on arctic shelves can be significantly augmented by reduced carbon advected from highly productive adjacent shelves.     

Numerical Solution of Lock-Release Gravity Current with Viscous Self-Similar Regime

Lock-release gravity currents with a viscous self-similar regime are simulated by use of the renormalization group(RNG) k - ε model for Reynolds-stress closure. Besides the turbulent regime with initially a slumping phase of a conslant current front speed and later an inviseid self-similar phase of front speed decreasing as t^-1/3(where t is the time measured from release), the viseous self-similar regime is satisfactorily reproduced with front speed decreasing as t^-4/5,consistent with well known experimental observations.     

Development of two novel CYP-antibodies and their use in a PCB exposure experiment with Mytilus edulis

In an attempt to learn more about the cytochrome P450 (CYP) system of mussels, we used protein databases and alignment software to extract highly conserved CYP sequences. From these alignments synthetic peptides were produced and used for rabbit immunisation, which yielded polyclonal antibodies against the CYP families 2 and 4. The antibodies were evaluated with Western Blot and ELISA assays, using digestive gland microsomal samples from the mussel Mytilus edulis. Western Blots revealed immunoreactions for both antibodies. The anti-CYP2 sequence rendered one major immunopositive protein of ≈49 kDa size, and weak signals for proteins of ≈41 and 56 kDa size. The anti-CYP4 sequence rendered two major bands of ≈56 and 59 kDa size, and also a weak immunoreaction with a protein of ≈43 kDa size. ELISA rendered only weak signals even with a 1:50 dilution of IgG-purified serum. A 10-day exposure to Aroclor 1254 did not appear to affect any of the immunopositive proteins, while total PCBs in soft bodies increased from 14–40 ng/g DW in controls to 373–638 ng/g DW in exposed mussels.     

Observed foundation behaviour of concrete gravity platforms installed in the North Sea 1973–1978

Available measurements of foundation behaviour of the 13 concrete gravity platforms installed in the North Sea in the years 1973–1978 are presented. The measurements cover both the installation phase and the early part of the operation period. For the installation phase, measurements of dowel and skirt penetration resistance, base contact stresses, tilt, piping and erosion, are presented. For the operation period, the presentation includes measurements of settlements, pore water pressures, base contact stresses, permanent lateral displacements, cyclic displacements, dynamic behaviour and erosion. The measurements are used to back calculate soil properties and to evaluate the adequacy of the design procedures which have been used. The observations give valuable experience with respect to the foundation performance of offshore gravity platforms.     

Submerged cylinder wave energy device: theory and experiment

Linearized water wave theory is used to show that a submerged long circular cylinder suitably constrained by springs and dampers to make small harmonic oscillations, can be extremely efficient in absorbing the energy in an incident regular wave whose crests are parallel to the axis of the cylinder. Experimental results are described which confirm the theory for small amplitude waves and which suggest that the device can still be fairly efficient in waves of moderate amplitude.     

Solution of an unstable axisymmetric Cauchy–Poisson problem of dispersive water waves for a spectrum with compact support

 It has been known that the axisymmetric Cauchy–Poisson problem for dispersive water waves is well posed in the sense of stability. Thereby time evolution solutions of wave propagation depend continuously on initial conditions. However, in this paper, it is demonstrated that the axisymmetric Cauchy–Poisson problem is ill posed in the sense of stability for a certain class of initial conditions, so that the propagating solutions do not depend continuously on the initial conditions. In order to overcome the difficulty of the discontinuity, Landweber–Fridman's regularization, famous and well known in applied mathematics, are introduced and investigated to learn whether it is applicable to the present axisymmetric wave propagation problem. From the numerical experiments, it is shown that stable and accurate solutions are realized by the regularization, so that it can be applicable to the determination of the ill-posed Cauchy–Poisson problem.     

Self-noise measurements using a moored sonobuoy with a suspended hydrophone

Moored sonobuoys are used for refraction seismic measurements at sea, although the range of operation is limited by the self noise caused by the hydrophone suspension.In this paper the main causes of self noise are discussed and a useful deployment scheme of a moored sonobuoy with suspended hydrophone is described.Some design criteria, in particular an equation for calculation of the optimal length of the expandable rubber band-which is situated between the surface float and the damping-body-are discussed.Finally, it is shown from noise measurements during the F. S. Valdivia cruise in 1975, that self noise level in the band 2 Hz to 20 Hz is 180 mPa to 280 mPa at a fully developed windsea with a characteristic wave height of more than 4 meters and a waterstream velocity about 0.5 m s¹.During these measurements the hydrophone was attached to the cable without rubber band. It is concluded that at a normal seastate the self noise level can be reduced to the order of ocean floor noise.