Geopotential topography of deep levels in the Pacific Ocean

After examination of the baroclinic structure below 3000 db, recent data were used to map the geopotential topography at 1000, 1500, and 2000 db (referred to 3000 db) in the Pacific Ocean. In the high-latitude regions and in the western boundary currents, considerable relief is present at 1000 and 1500 db, and the Circumpolar Current is still well-developed at 2000 db. The geostrophic circulation inferred is very similar to the surface circulation in these areas. Neglect of the structure below 1000 db results in appreciable errors in estimates of the transport of these currents; direction of near-surface flow is properly shown, however, and computed speeds are not greatly in error. In the equatorial Pacific and central North Pacific, little relief is present, and the trends are generally unlike the surface flow.     

Random dynamic analysis of multi-body offshore structures

A general method for the dynamic analysis of multi-body offshore structures is presented, being based on a constraint matrix approach. A method of deriving the constraint matrix for a general structure is given, and this is then used to derive the equations of motion of a whole system from those of it's component parts. The response of the system to both first and second order random wave forces is found and then used to calculate the forces and moments in the connecting mechanisms. The structure is assumed to have rigid component parts and a linearised frequency domain analysis method is used, although other methods are discussed. To illustrate it's use, the method is applied to both the SBS and Yoke-CALM design of offshore mooring terminal.     

West African holocene stratigraphy, transgressions and climatic changes

First an historical outline of the West African Holocene stratigraphy is briefly presented showing that the present scheme is situated halfway between litho- and climatostratigraphy. Then, on the basis of comparisons between previous hypotheses and published palynostratigraphical results, a tentative climatic zonation is proposed whose congruence with deltaic and continental succession is emphasised. Finally, in the Senegal river, a correlation based on purely lithostratigraphical system clear of all climatic interpretation, provides interesting information on the hydrodynamics of the sea-level change at the very base of the Holocene from the delta to 250km upstream.     

Variations of antioxidant efficiency and presence of endosymbiotic diatoms in the Antarctic porifera Haliclona dancoi

The role of endosymbiotic diatoms as pro-oxidant stressors in porifera has been investigated in the Antarctic sponge Haliclona dancoi in which the presence of diatoms is influenced by marked seasonal variations during the austral summer. Both chlorophaeopigments and frustules were absent in sponge tissues sampled in early November at the beginning of the summer and increased from the mid of December with slightly shifted temporal trends. The efficiency of antioxidant defenses in the sponge showed a marked response to symbionts with clearly enhanced values corresponding to the peak of diatoms.     

Total oxyradical scavenging capacity of the deep-sea amphipod Eurythenes gryllus

Environmental concern for the deep-sea ecosystem is increasing as contaminants, originating from anthropogenic activities, have been detected in deep-sea biota. However, little is known on the xenobiotics metabolising capability of deep-sea fauna. In this study, the deep-sea amphipod Eurythenes gryllus was selected as sentinel species to measure the total oxyradical scavenging capacity (TOSC). Individuals of E. gryllus were sampled at 2000 m depth in the Arctic Ocean. The TOSC assay was measured on the cytosolic fraction and the soluble fraction (3 kDa) of the digestive gland and on the cell-free haemolymph toward peroxyl, hydroxyl and peroxynitrite radicals according to the method of Winston et al. [Free Radical Biology and Medicine 24 (3) (1998) 480] and Regoli and Winston [Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology 156 (1999) 96]. These results provide the first baseline data set for total antioxidant capacity in a deep-sea amphipod.     

Impact pressure of breaking waves on vertical and sloping walls

Laboratory tests are conducted to measure the impact pressures of breaking waves on vertical, 5° forward, and 5, 10, 20, 30, and 45° backward sloping walls. The base structure of the wall has a foreshore slope of . Regular waves are used throughout the experiments for all wall angles. The maximum impact pressures on the wall are shown to satisfy the log-normal probability distribution. It is found from the present experiments that the impact pressures and resulting forces on sloping walls can be greater than those on a vertical wall. On the seven different walls tested, the maximum impact pressures occur most frequently slightly below the still-water level. The pattern of the impact pressure history does not change with the slope of the wall, and as the probability of maximum impact pressure decreases, the pressures around the peak pressure region of the impact pressure histories remain longer.