Species, tissue and gender-related organochlorine bioaccumulation in white-sided dolphins, pilot whales and their common prey in the northwest Atlantic

Organochlorine concentrations were measured in white-sided dolphins, pilot whales, and their prey from the Gulf of Maine and used to identify species, tissue, and gender differences, and trophic transfer trends, in bioaccumulation. Polychlorinated biphenyl concentrations ([PCB]) in dolphin blubber (13 +/- 7.1 micrograms/g fresh wt.) were twice those in pilot whales, but pesticide concentrations (20 +/- 13 micrograms/g fresh) were similar between species. 4,4'-DDE, trans-non-achlor, Cl6(153) and Cl6(138) concentrations were highest. Skin tissues had more recalcitrant organochlorines than the internal organs. Male dolphins bioaccumulated higher concentrations of nonmetabolizable PCBs and hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers, whereas pilot whales had no gender-related differences in bioaccumulation. Pilot whales, mackerel, and herring had proportionately higher concentrations of DDTs, whereas [PCB] were higher in dolphins and squid. Although these odontocetes feed at the same trophic level and store a similar suite of contaminants, dolphins bioaccumulated higher and potentially hazardous 4,4'-DDE and PCB concentrations from food in their more geographically restricted range.     

The mixing efficiency and the processes of restratification in a stably stratified medium

The mechanism of the effect of a collapsing turbulent eddy on diapycnal transport in a stably stratified fluid is considered. It is shown that at small Richardson turbulent numbersRi ₀ the mixing efficiency increases asRi ₀, and at large numbers it decreases in proportion toRi ₀ ^–1/2 .Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov. UDK 551.465.15.     

The structure,dynamics, and transformation of the estuary lenses in run-off seawater on the shelf of Guinea

Peculiarities of the dynamics and the structure formation in the estuary run-off lenses have been analysed based on field data obtained at the Guinean coast (the central eastern Atlantic Ocean). Attention was paid to the processes of restratification, internal mixing, and exchange in the areas of the frontal zone of the run-off lens and the tidal frontal zone. The stabilization of the front of the estuary run-off lens by means of the periodic washing out of its forepart by tidal upwelling is described. The mechanisms of the energy transformation in the leading part of the lens have been revealed. Effects of run-off and loczalization of transformed waters in the small-scale frontal zones are found. The energy estimations represented will be useful in considering analogous phenomena in other coastal regions.Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov.     

Water vapor in the atmosphere over the northern Tien Shan

Refined data of systematic measurements of total water vapor in the atmosphere from May 1980 to April 2005 are presented. The data were obtained at the Issyk Kul atmospheric-monitoring station by the method of solar molecular-absorption spectroscopy. Over 25 years, the annual mean water-vapor content in the atmosphere increased by 4.5% at a mean rate of increase of 0.18% per year. However, the water-vapor content decreased in the last five years. The results of statistical processing of experimental data (general statistical characteristics, correlation coefficients, composite oscillations) are described. A refined model is proposed for forecasts of temporal variations in the monthly mean and annual mean water-vapor contents for the coming years. The model includes a linear trend and the sum of oscillations with periods close to the periods of a number of well-known geophysical phenomena. Regression equations are proposed to relate the water-vapor content in the atmospheric column to the surface temperature and absolute humidity.     

Probable gas hydrate/free gas model over western continental margin of India

Multi-channel seismic reflection data from the western continental margin of India (WCMI) have been analyzed to construct a plausible model for gas hydrate formation. A reflector at 2950 ms two way travel time (TWT) on one of the sections is interpreted to represent the base of the layer of the methane hydrate, identified by a bottom simulating reflector (BSR) that lies almost 500 ms beneath the sea floor. BSRs of similar origin are common world wide, where they are usually interpreted to mark the base of gas hydrate bearing clastic sediment, with or without underlying free gas. In this study we present a model with the contrasting physical properties that produce synthetic wavelets that match with the observed BSR amplitude and waveforms for varying source-receiver offsets of multi-channel seismic reflection data. The preliminary results presented here put important constraints on models that predict the distribution and formation of hydrate. Offset-dependent amplitude recovery also gives an appropriate response for hydrate characterization.     

印度东南部海岸拉梅斯沃勒姆滨外保克湾底层水特征对底栖有孔虫的影响

有孔虫生活在海洋和半咸水环境。底栖有孔虫的存在很大程度上受物理因素（深度、温度、光量、水体扰动）、化学因素（盐度、溶解氧和可用元素）和生物因素（食物供给量和底层沉积物特征）的制约。研究人员对印度东、西岸现代底栖有孔虫生态学和分布状态进行了研究。Ｎａｉｄｕ等在对Ｖｉｓａｋｈａｐａｔｎａｍ港复合体有孔虫进行分析后提出 ,可以将有孔虫作为海洋污染的指示物。ＳｒｅｅｎｉｖａｓａＲａｏ等采用Ｑ模式系数分析对尼赞伯德讷姆湾有孔虫的分布进行了研究 ,确认此区域存在４种组合 ,受不同环境条件的影响。Ｋｈａｒｅ等对门格…     

Raising the packing density of computerized oceanographic data records

In this paper the peculiarities of compiled oceanographic data sets, which consist primarily in the presence of some characteristic information as well as in the planned incomplete filling of the files with observations, are discussed. A number of special ways are suggested which essentially improve the packing density of computerized data without applying special archiving algorithms. The effectiveness of these methods has been tested by treating thein situ hydrological/chemical data file compiled in the Black Sea in 1988.Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

Atmospheric forcing of the southeast Bering Sea Shelf during 1995–99 in the context of a 40-year historical record

The atmospheric forcing of the Bering Sea over its eastern shelf is estimated using the 40-year record of daily data from the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis. This data set includes estimates of the processes responsible for the atmospheric forcing, namely the surface fluxes of momentum, sensible and latent heat, and longwave and shortwave radiation, and therefore permits quantifying effects that previously could be inferred only from the large-scale nature of the flow. The forcing in 1995–1999 is described in detail using daily time series; historical context for these results is provided with seasonal averages for the years 1959–1999.The analysis for winter concentrates on aspects related to the formation and advection of sea ice. Results indicate that the presence of sea ice is strongly related to the net surface-heat fluxes as well as the cross-shelf component of the wind. The 40-year record lacks any discernible long-term trend in the winter forcing and response. There was a notably cold period in the early to middle 1970s, and a warm period from the late 1970s into the early 1980s, but conditions during the 1990s are similar to those in the late 1950s and 1960s.The analysis for the warm season focuses on the mechanisms responsible for the variability in SST warming. Much of the intraseasonal and interannual variability in this warming can be attributed to variations in the downward shortwave radiation (solar heating). The 40-year record does indicate a long-term trend toward increased solar heating, and reduced surface latent-heat fluxes (evaporative cooling). These changes have led to August SSTs in the 1990s that are roughly 1°C warmer than in the 1960s.     

Stratigraphy of the sediment infill in Bosphorus Strait: water exchange between the Black and Mediterranean Seas during the last glacial Holocene

The sediment infill over the Paleozoic bedrock in the Bosphorus Strait consists of four sedimentary units which were deposited in the last 26,000 ¹⁴C years B.P. The stratigraphy of these units suggests that this part of the Bosphorus was a freshwater lake between 26,000 and 5,300 ¹⁴C years B.P., depositing sands with a freshwater mollusc fauna of Black Sea neo-euxinian affinity (Dreissena rostriformis, Dreissena polymorpha, and Monodacna pontica). The first appearance of euryhaline Mediterranean molluscs (e.g., Ostrea edulis, Mytilus edulis) was observed at 5,300 ¹⁴C years B.P. in this part of the Bosphorus. Deposition of coarse Mytilus-bank and Ostrea-bank units suggests that the establishment of the present dual-flow regime in the Bosphorus took place at about 4,400 ¹⁴C years B.P.