Developing an intermediate-complexity projection model for China's fisheries: A case study of small yellow croaker(Larimichthys polyactis) in the Haizhou Bay,China

Projection models are commonly used to evaluate the impacts of fishing. However, previously developed projection tools were not suitable for China's fisheries as they are either overly complex and data-demanding or too simple to reflect the realistic management measures. Herein, an intermediate-complexity projection model was developed that could adequately describe fish population dynamics and account for management measures including mesh size limits, summer closure, and spatial closure. A two-patch operating model was outlined for the projection model and applied to the heavily depleted but commercially important small yellow croaker(Larimichthys polyactis) fishery in the Haizhou Bay, China, as a case study. The model was calibrated to realistically capture the fisheries dynamics with hindcasting. Three simulation scenarios featuring different fishing intensities based on status quo and maximum sustainable yield(MSY) were proposed and evaluated with projections. Stochastic projections were additionally performed to investigate the influence of uncertainty associated with recruitment strengths and the implementation of control targets. It was found that fishing at FMSY level could effectively rebuild the depleted stock biomass, while the stock collapsed rapidly in the status quo scenario. Uncertainty in recruitment and implementation could result in variabilities in management effects; but they did not much alter the management effects of the FMSY scenario. These results indicate that the lack of science-based control targets in fishing mortality or catch limits has hindered the achievement of sustainable fisheries in China. Overall, the presented work highlights that the developed projection model can promote the understanding of the possible consequences of fishing under uncertainty and is applicable to other fisheries in China.     

Optical properties and surface energy flux of spring fast ice in the Arctic

Over the past decades, sea ice in the polar regions has been significantly affecting local and even hemispheric climate through a positive ice albedo feedback mechanism. The role of fast ice, as opposed to drift ice, has not been well-studied due to its relatively small coverage over the earth. In this paper, the optical properties and surface energy balance of land fast ice in spring are studied using in situ observations in Barrow, Alaska. The results show that the albedo of the fast ice varied between 0.57 and 0.85 while the transmittance increased from 1.3×10?3 to 4.1×10?3 during the observation period. Snowfall and air temperature affected the albedo and absorbance of sea ice, but the transmittance had no obvious relationship with precipitation or snow cover. Net solar shortwave radiation contributes to the surface energy balance with a positive 99.2% of the incident flux, with sensible heat flux for the remaining 0.8%. Meanwhile, the ice surface loses energy through the net longwave radiation by 18.7% of the total emission, while the latent heat flux accounts for only 0.1%. Heat conduction is also an important factor in the overall energy budget of sea ice, contributing 81.2% of the energy loss. Results of the radiative transfer model reveal that the spectral transmittance of the fast ice is determined by the thickness of snow and sea ice as well as the amount of inclusions. As major inclusions, the ice biota and particulates have a significant influence on the magnitude and distribution of the spectral transmittance. Based on the radiative transfer model, concentrations of chlorophyll and particulate in the fast ice are estimated at 5.51 mg/m2 and 95.79 g/m2, which are typical values in the spring in Barrow.     

An experimental study on microscopic characteristics of gas-bearing sediments under different gas reservoir pressures

Gas-bearing sediments are widely distributed in five continents all over the world. Most of the gases exist in the soil skeleton in the form of discrete large bubbles. The existence of gas-phase may increase or decrease the strength of the soil skeleton. So far, bubbles’ structural morphology and evolution characteristics in soil skeleton lack research, and the influence of different gas reservoir pressures on bubbles are still unclear. The micro characteristics of bubbles in the same sediment sample were studied using an industrial CT scanning test system to solve these problems. Using the image processing software, the micro variation characteristics of gas-bearing sediments in gas reservoir pressure change are obtained. The results show that the number and volume of bubbles in different equivalent radius ranges will change regularly under different gas reservoir pressure. With the increase of gas reservoir pressure, the number and volume of tiny bubbles decrease. In contrast, the number and volume of large bubbles increase, and the gas content in different positions increases and occupies a dominant position, driving the reduction of pore water and soil skeleton movement.     

Cross-calibration of brightness temperature obtained by FY-3B/MWRI using Aqua/AMSR-E data for snow depth retrieval in the Arctic

This study cross-calibrated the brightness temperatures observed in the Arctic by using the FY-3B/MWRI L1 and the Aqua/AMSR-E L2A. The monthly parameters of the cross-calibration were determined and evaluated using robust linear regression. The snow depth in case of seasonal ice was calculated by using parameters of the crosscalibration of data from the MWRI T_b. The correlation coefficients of the H/V polarization among all channels T_b of the two sensors were higher than 0.97. The parameters of the monthly cross-calibration were useful for the snow depth retrieval using the MWRI. Data from the MWRI T_b were cross-calibrated to the AMSR-E baseline.Biases in the data of the two sensors were optimized to approximately 0 K through the cross-calibration, the standard deviations decreased significantly in the range of 1.32 K to 2.57 K, and the correlation coefficients were as high as 99%. An analysis of the statistical distributions of the histograms before and after cross-calibration indicated that the FY-3B/MWRI T_b data had been well calibrated. Furthermore, the results of the cross-calibration were evaluated by data on the daily average T_b at 18.7 GHz, 23.8 GHz, and 36.5 GHz(V polarization), and at 89 GHz(H/V polarization), and were applied to the snow depths retrieval in the Arctic. The parameters of monthly cross-calibration were found to be effective in terms of correcting the daily average T_b. The results of the snow depths were compared with those of the calibrated MWRI and AMSR-E products. Biases of 0.18 cm to 0.38 cm were observed in the monthly snow depths, with the standard deviations ranging from 4.19 cm to 4.80 cm.     

Characteristics and origins of middle Miocene mounds and channels in the northern South China Sea

Numerous elongated mounds and channels were found at the top of the middle Miocene strata using 2D/3D seismic data in the Liwan Sag of Zhujiang River Mouth Basin(ZRMB) and the Beijiao Sag of Qiongdongnan Basin(QDNB). They occur at intervals and are rarely revealed by drilling wells in the deepwater areas. Origins of the mounds and channels are controversial and poorly understood. Based on an integrated analysis of the seismic attribute, palaeotectonics and palaeogeography, and drilling well enco...     

The long-term trend of Bohai Sea ice in different emission scenarios

Based on a coupled ocean-sea ice model, this study investigates how changes in the mean state of the atmosphere in different CO_2 emission scenarios(RCP 8.5, 6.0, 4.5 and 2.6) may affect the sea ice in the Bohai Sea, China,especially in the Liaodong Bay, the largest bay in the Bohai Sea. In the RCP 8.5 scenario, an abrupt change of the atmospheric state happens around 2070. Due to the abrupt change, wintertime sea ice of the Liaodong Bay can be divided into 3 periods: a mild decreasing period(2021–2060), in which the sea ice severity weakens at a nearconstant rate; a rapid decreasing period(2061–2080), in which the sea ice severity drops dramatically; and a stabilized period(2081–2100). During 2021–2060, the dates of first ice are approximately unchanged, suggesting that the onset of sea ice is probably determined by a cold-air event and is not sensitive to the mean state of the atmosphere. The mean and maximum sea ice thickness in the Liaodong Bay is relatively stable before 2060, and then drops rapidly in the following decade. Different from the RCP 8.5 scenario, atmospheric state changes smoothly in the RCP 6.0, 4.5 and 2.6 scenarios. In the RCP 6.0 scenario, the sea ice severity in the Bohai Sea weakens with time to the end of the twenty-first century. In the RCP 4.5 scenario, the sea ice severity weakens with time until reaching a stable state around the 2070 s. In the RCP 2.6 scenario, the sea ice severity weakens until the2040 s, stabilizes from then, and starts intensifying after the 2080 s. The sea ice condition in the other bays of the Bohai Sea is also discussed under the four CO_2 emissions scenarios. Among atmospheric factors, air temperature is the leading one for the decline of the sea ice extent. Specific humidity also plays an important role in the four scenarios. The surface downward shortwave/longwave radiation and meridional wind only matter in certain scenarios, while effects from the zonal wind and precipitation are negligible.     

Storm surge induced flux through multiple tidal passes of Lake Pontchartrain estuary during Hurricanes Gustav and Ike

In September 2008, Hurricanes Gustav and Ike generated major storm surges which impacted the Lake Pontchartrain estuary in Louisiana. This paper presents analyses of in situ measurements acquired during these storm events. The main data used in the analyses were from three bottom mounted moorings equipped with conductivity, temperature, and depth sensors, acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs), and a semi-permanent laterally mounted horizontal acoustic Doppler profiler (ADP). These moorings were deployed in the three major tidal channels that connect Lake Pontchartrain with the coastal ocean. A process similar to tidal straining was observed: the vertical shear of the horizontal velocity was negligible during the inundation stage, but a shear of 0.8 m/s over a less than 5 m water column was recorded during the receding stage, 2–3 times the normal tidal oscillations. The surge reached its peak in the Industrial Canal 1.4–2.1 h before those in the other two channels. The inward flux of water lasted for a shorter time period than that of the outward flux. The inward flux was also observed to have much smaller magnitude than the outward flux (∼960–1200 vs. 2100–3100 million m³). The imbalance was believed to have been caused by the additional water into Lake Pontchartrain through some small rivers and inundation over the land plus rainfall from the hurricanes. The flux through the Industrial Canal was 8–12%, while the flux through the other two tidal passes ranged between 17% and 70% of the total, but mostly split roughly half-half of the remaining (∼88–92% of the total).     

Ga和Sb纳米线声子结构和电子-声子相互作用的第一性原理研究

基于密度泛函理论的第一性原理方法,系统研究了Ga和Sb纳米线的电子能带结构和声子结构以及电子-声子耦合(EPC)作用.通过对声子的完整Brillouin区分析来研究纳米线的结构稳定性.结果表明,所考察的纳米线显示出不稳定性,不稳定声子波矢远离Brillouin区中心.与通常的Peierls变形机理相比,不稳定的横向声子模会导致一种无开口带隙的相变.Sb比Ga纳米线的EPC要强很多,并且横向变形导致的锯齿形结构使纳米线中的电子-声子相互作用增加了几个数量级.     

Compact and tunable mid-infrared source based on a 2 μm dual-wavelength KTiOPO4 intracavity optical parametric oscillator

Using a double resonant KTiOPO₄ (KTP) intracavity optical parametric oscillator operating at degenerated point of 2 μm, we demonstrate a unique mid-infrared source based on difference frequency generation in GaSe crystal. The output tuning range is 8.42-19.52 μm, and a peak power of 834 W for type-I phase matching scheme and 730 W for type-II phase matching scheme are achieved. Experimental results show that this oscillator is a good alternative to the generator of a compact and tabletop mid-infrared radiation with a widely tunable range.     

Comparisons of ZnO codoped by group IIIA elements (Al, Ga, In) and N: a first-principle study

The electronic structures and effective masses of the N mono-doped and Al-N, Ga-N, In-N codoped ZnO system have been calculated by a first-principle method, and comparisons among different doping cases are made. According to the results, the impurity states in the codoping cases are more delocalised compared to the N mono-doping case, which means a better conductive behaviour can be obtained by codoping. Besides, compared to the Al-N and Ga-N codoping cases, the hole effective mass of In-N codoped system is much smaller, indicating the p-type conductivity can be more enhanced by In-N codoping.