Robust adaptive control of underactuated ships on a linear course with comfort

This paper addresses an important problem in ship control application—the robust stabilization of underactuated ships on a linear course with comfort. Specifically, we develop a multivariable controller to stabilize ocean surface ships without a sway actuator on a linear course and to reduce roll and pitch simultaneously. The controller adapts to unknown parameters of the ship and constant environmental disturbances induced by wave, ocean current and wind. It is also robust to time-varying environmental disturbances, time-varying change in ship parameters and other motions of the ship such as surge and heave. The roll and pitch can be made arbitrarily small while the heading angle and sway are kept to be in reasonably small bounds. The controller development is based on Lyapunov’s direct method and backstepping technique. A Lipschitz continuous projection algorithm is used to update the estimate of the unknown parameters to avoid the parameters’ drift due to time-varying environmental disturbances. Simulations on a full-scale catamaran illustrate the effectiveness of our proposed controller.     

A nitrate and silicate budget in the equatorial Pacific Ocean: a coupled physical–biological model study

A coupled physical–biological model was developed to simulate the low-silicate, high-nitrate, and low-chlorophyll (LSHNLC) conditions in the equatorial Pacific Ocean and used to compute a detailed budget in the Wyrtki box (5°N–5°S, 180–90°W) for the major sources and cycling of nitrogen and silicon in the equatorial Pacific. With the incorporation of biogenic silicon dissolution, NH₄ regeneration from organic nitrogen and nitrification of ammonia in the model, we show that silicon recycling in the upper ocean is less efficient than nitrogen. As the major source of nutrients to the equatorial Pacific, the Equatorial Undercurrent provides slightly less Si(OH)₄ than NO₃ to the upwelling zone, which is defined as 2.5°N–2.5°S. As a result, the equatorial upwelling supplies less Si(OH)₄ than NO₃ into the euphotic zone in the Wyrtki box, having a Si/N supply ratio of about 0.85 (2.5 vs. 2.96 mmolm⁻² day⁻¹). More Si(OH)₄ than NO₃ is taken up with a Si/N ratio of 1.17 (2.72 vs. 2.33 mmolm⁻² day⁻¹) within the euphotic zone. The difference between upwelling supply and biological uptake is balanced by nutrient regeneration and horizontal advection. Excluding regeneration, the net silicate and nitrate uptakes are nearly equal (1.76 vs. 1.84 mmolm⁻² day⁻¹). However, biogenic silica export production is slightly higher than organic nitrogen (1.74 vs. 1.59 mmolm⁻² day⁻¹) following a 1.1 Si/N ratio. In the central equatorial Pacific, low silicate concentrations limit diatom growth; therefore non-diatom new production accounts for most of the new production. Higher silicate supply in the east maintains elevated diatom growth rates and new production associated with diatoms dominate upwelling zone. In contrast, the new production associated with small phytoplankton is nearly constant or decreases eastward along the equator. The total new production has a higher rate in the east than in the west, following the pattern of surface silicate. This suggests that silicate regulates the diatom production, total new production, and thereby carbon cycle in this area. The modeled mean primary production is 48.4 mmolCm⁻² day⁻¹, representing the lower end of direct field measurements, while new production is 15.0 mmolCm⁻² day⁻¹, which compares well with previous estimates.     

Inter-annual variability in larval supply to populations of three invertebrate taxa in the northern California Current

We investigated sources of inter-annual variability in larval supply to crab and sea urchin populations at Bodega Head and Point Reyes in northern California. During the spring and summer upwelling seasons of the years 1992 through 1997 we monitored the weekly settlement rates of nine species of crabs and two species of sea urchins. As observed in previous studies, daily values of alongshore windstress, temperature and salinity provided evidence for the poleward flow of relatively warm, low salinity water from south of Point Reyes, an apparent retention zone, during upwelling relaxation events. In years dominated by these events (1992, 1993, 1995 and 1996) we observed that alongshore windstress, temperature and salinity were coherent and temperature was significantly correlated with cancrid crab settlement. During these years the magnitude of cancrid crab settlement and the fraction of cancrid crabs relative to other crab species settling were high. Over four years of concurrent sampling there was consistently greater cancrid crab settlement at the Point Reyes site, within the retention zone, than at Bodega Head. Settlement of non-cancrid crabs (porcellanids, grapsids, pagurids and majids) was not as closely linked to intra-annual patterns of upwelling and relaxation, possibly due to the shorter seasonal availability of larvae allowing for the influence of fewer relaxation events. Settlement of this group among years was positively correlated with environmental indicators of strong seasonal upwelling; high salinity, Bakun upwelling index and low temperature. Sea urchin settlement events were observed in June and July of 1992, 1994 and 1997 during warming periods when salinity and temperature were increasing and alongshore windstress was low. Across the six years of the study, we found that cancrid crab larvae had a more even seasonal availability than larvae of non-cancrid species, which settled in greatest numbers during the early portion of the upwelling season. Sea urchins settled in greatest numbers during the later part of the upwelling season. Together these patterns demonstrate the taxon-specific way that inter-annual variability in larval supply is forced by the coincidence of larval availability with favorable physical transport mechanisms.     

Multi-bioindicator study of a small estuary in Vendée (France)

Surficial sediment (about 5 mm) was scraped off in 15 stations selected in the Vie Estuary, a small estuary on the French Atlantic coast. The samples, prepared using the suitable methods, were used for comparing the behaviour of periphytic algae, sporopollinic and other palynologic material, ostracoda and foraminifera for proposing a synthetic evaluation of the information provided by each of them. Dinoflagellate cysts, which are found in an almost monospecific assemblage in low-salinity water, are dispersed by tidal currents, but the location of tintinnids in only the lower reaches shows a limited inward transport. Sporopollinic material is clearly related to the adjacent vegetation, indicating a local origin, and then little influence of transport on the microbenthos, even if fragments of freshwater crustaceans and of Pediastrum alga are found down to the mouth in the sporopollinic deposits. This limited transport of microbenthos allows the use of periphytic algae, benthic ostracoda and benthic foraminifera as indicators of local environmental conditions. It was then possible to determine the extent of marine influence in the estuary, to discriminate between the main channel and adjacent basins, and between different stages of evolution of the basins, from a recently dug basin to a eutrophicated one.     

Recent developments in “added-mass” planing theory

The results of several recent isolated investigations in planing theory are consolidated in this paper, together with new insights generated by a recent numerical solution of the vertically impacting wedge problem by Zhao and Faltinsen [(1992), Water entry of two-dimensional bodies. J. Fluid Mech. 246, 593–612]. As a result, in contrast to some earlier studies, it is found that the “wetted width” associated with the added mass is not that of the intersection of the wedge with the undisturbed water surface, but the wetted width of the splashed-up water, as originally proposed by Wagner [(1932), Uber Stoss-und Gleitvorgange an der Oberflache von Flussig-Keiten, Zeitschrift für Angewandte Mathematik und Mechanik, Band 12, Heft 4 (August)]. However, the splash-up ratio is not the value of (π/2–1) which he proposed, but a value which decreases with increasing deadrise, originally proposed in the late-1940s by Pierson (“Pierson's hypothesis” in the paper). For 30° deadrise, for example, Pierson's splash-up ratio is two-thirds that of Wagner's.The new equations are employed to determine the increase in the “added mass” of prismatic hull sections due to chine immersion, using experimental data. If m_o^′ is the added amss of the hull section whose chines are just wetted, Payne [(1988), Design of High-speed Boats. Volume 1: Planing. Fishergate, Inc., Annapolis, Maryland, U.S.A.] postulated that the increase in added mass due to a chine submergence (z_c) would be

where b is the chine beam and k is a constant which Payne [(1988), Design of High-speed Boats. Volume 1: Planing. Fishergate, Inc., Annapolis, Maryland, U.S.A.] gave as .The present analysis includes the “one-sided flow” correction introduced in Payne [(1990), Planing and impacting forces at large trim angels. Ocean Engng 17, 201–234]. Partly for that reason and partly because of the more precise analysis of the experimental data, the present paper revises the value to k = 2 for wetted length to beam ratios normally employed. For deadrise angles in excess of 40° and wetted keel to beam ratios in excess of 2.0, there is some evidence that k < 2.0.The revised theoretical formulation is compared with eight different sets of experimental data for flat plate and prismatic hull forms and is found to be in excellent agreement when the speed is high enough for “dynamic suction” (a loss of buoyancy at low speeds and low wetted lenghts) to be unimportant. This is true for “chines-dry” operation with deadrise angles up to 50° and chines-wet operation at length to beam ratios far in excess of the most extreme conventional practice.The research involved in performing this analysis led to the realization that different towing tanks measure different wetted chine lengths for the same hulls and test conditions. Some consistently measure more splash-up than “theory” (based on Pierson's splash-up hypothesis) predicts and others measure somewhat less than the theory. Some examples are given in Appendix B. The reason for this is not understood.     

Measurement of stress effects (scope for growth) and contaminant levels in mussels (Mytilus edulis) collected from the Irish Sea

The objective of this research was to quantify the impact of pollution along the coastlines of the Irish Sea. Pollution assessment was based on the combined measurement of scope for growth (SFG), and chemical contaminants in the tissues of mussels (Mytilus edulis) collected from 38 coastal sites around the Irish Sea during June-July in 1996 and 1997. On the UK mainland coast, the SFG showed a general trend with a significant decline in water quality in the Liverpool and Morecambe Bay region. High water quality was recorded along the west coast of Wales, as well as southwest England and northwest Scotland (clean reference sites outside the Irish Sea). Along the coast of Ireland there was a similar trend with reduced SFG within the Irish Sea region. SFG was generally low north of Duncannon and then improved north of Belfast. The poor water quality on both sides of the Irish Sea is consistent with the prevailing hydrodynamics and the spatial distribution of contaminants associated with urban/ industrial development. The decline in SFG of mussels on both sides of the Irish Sea was associated with a general increase in contaminant levels in the mussels. Certain contaminants, including PAHs, TBT, sigmaDDT, Dieldrin, gamma-HCH, PCBs, and a few of the metals (Cd, Se, Ag, Pb), showed elevated concentrations. Many of these contaminants were particularly elevated in the coastal margins of Liverpool Bay, Morecambe Bay and Dublin Bay. A quantitative toxicological interpretation (QTI) of the combined tissue residue chemistry and SFG measurements indicated that at the majority of coastal sites, c. 50 to > 80% of the observed decline in SFG was due to PAHs as a result of fossil fuel combustion and oil spills. TBT levels were highest at major ports and harbours, but these concentrations only made a minor contribution to the overall reduction in SFG. At no sites were individual metals accumulated to concentrations that could cause a significant effect on SFG. The study identified many sites where the observed reduction in SFG was far greater than predicted from the limited number of chemical contaminants analysed, thus indicating the presence of additional 'unknown toxicants'. Sewage (containing domestic, agricultural and industrial components) appears to be an important contributor to reduced SFG and linear alkylbenzenes (LABs) and As may provide suitable 'sewage markers'. There was a highly significant positive correlation between SFG and As (P < 0.001). This relationship may be due to reduced As uptake by algal food material and mussels at sites with elevated P04 concentrations (e.g. at sites with sewage inputs). Phosphate is a known competitive inhibitor of As accumulation, at least in algae. The results highlight that further research is required on 'sewage markers' in mussels. The SFG approach therefore provides a rapid, cost-effective and quantitative measure of pollution impact, as well as a means of identifying the causes through a QTI of tissue contaminants levels. It also serves to identify the presence of unidentified toxicants and areas that require further study.     

Anthropogenic trace metals in sediment and settling particulate matter on a high-energy continental shelf (Sydney,Australia)

The anthropogenic contribution of trace metals to settling particulate matter (SPM) and surficial sediments was determined on the high-energy continental shelf adjacent to Sydney, Australia. Settling particulate matter and surficial sediment was collected in the vicinity of a major sewage outfall and at five control sites on the middle shelf (80-100 m water depth). Sediment traps were deployed on 10 occasions for up to 2 weeks during the summer and winter of 1995 and SPM was analyzed for Ag, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn. Cobalt, Fe, Mn and Ni act conservatively in SPM and in sediments regionally and are used as normalizing elements to determine anthropogenic enrichment. Surficial sediments and SPM are enriched in Ag, Cr, Cu, Pb and Zn near a major ocean outfall and at four of the five control sites, although sewage particles contribute < 5% of trace metals in the total sample. Silver is the most sensitive trace metal tracer for establishing the presence of sewage particulate matter. Sewage particulate matter flux near the outfall was estimated using a two end-member mixing model and is below 0.5 g m(-2) day(-1) during all deployment periods. The mean sewage particulate matter flux at sampling locations 30 km and 60 km north of the outfall are <0.13 g m(-2) day(-1) and <0.01 g m(-2) day(-1), respectively, indicating an efficient dispersal of anthropogenic material on this high energy continental shelf.