The international conference “Vortices and coherent structures: from ocean to microfluids”, Vladivostok,Russia, 28–31 August 2017

The international conference “Vortices and coherent structures: from ocean to microfluids” was held at the Pacific Oceanological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Vladivostok (Russia) from August 28 to August 31, 2017. The event gathered experimentalists and theoreticians, oceanographers and physicists, with a common interest in observing and modelling fluid flows in different media, from the ocean to laboratory flows. It was a fruitful idea to bring together researchers from a variety of backgrounds to benefit from a vigorous discussion of concepts across different disciplines in oceanography and hydrodynamics.

     

Atlas of Japan (East) Sea hydrographic properties in summer, 1999

Hydrographic properties from CTD and discrete bottle sample profiles covering the Japan (East) Sea in summer, 1999, are presented in vertical sections, maps at standard depths, maps on isopycnal surfaces, and as property–property distributions. This data set covers most of the Sea with the exception of the western boundary region and northern Tatar Strait, and includes nutrients, pH, alkalinity, and chlorofluorocarbons, as well as the usual temperature, salinity, and oxygen observations.     

早全新世白令海北部陆坡沉积环境快速变化

理解增暖背景下海洋环境的演化过程是海洋学和气候学一项重要的研究内容。在地质时期,地球经历了多次增暖时段（包括早全新世）,这为认识海洋环境演化过程提供了重要参考。早全新世全球气候经历了快速增暖,并伴随着冰原融化和海平面快速上升,对包括白令海在内的高纬边缘海的沉积过程和海洋环境产生显著影响。白令海发育宽阔的大陆架,毗邻北美大陆,接受来自育空河、阿纳德尔河和库斯科维姆河物质的供给。目前我们对白令海如何响应早全新世气候的认识还存在明显不足。本研究对位于白令海北部陆坡LV63-19-3岩心沉积物中陆源碎屑组份进行了高分辨率调查,结合沉积年龄模型,研究了早中全新世（距今11.7～5.5 ka）白令海北部陆坡陆源沉积演化过程。研究结果显示,在距今11.5～11 ka,白令海北部陆坡沉积速率高达392.9 cm/ka,在距今约9.7 ka以后降至17.2 cm/ka。在距今11～10.7 ka,发现一层厚约40 cm的暗色纹层状沉积层。在高沉积速率时段,沉积物平均粒径较细,距今9 ka以来平均粒径逐渐增大。主微量元素分析结果表明,陆源碎屑沉积物母岩性质以长英质沉积物为主,并存在少量火山碎屑源贡献。白令海北部陆坡高沉积速率事件对应于冰原融水脉冲（MWP）-1B事件（距今11.4～11.1 ka）,并导致白令海陆坡硅质生产力勃发。在距今11～10.7 ka研究区春夏季海冰覆盖增加抑制表层水体氧供给,夏、秋季持续冰川融水和高表层生产力进一步加剧了水体层化和海洋内部消耗,共同促进了纹层状沉积层的形成。距今9 ka以来白令海季节性海冰活动增强,但是陆源碎屑物质质量累积速率则逐渐减小,表明随着海平面上升,供给到研究区的陆源物质减少。我们认为早全新世白令海北部陆坡沉积环境快速变化是海平面、冰融水脉冲事件和季节性海冰活动共同作用的结果,实际上受高纬日射量、北美大陆冰原融化和全球气候变化控制。     

Magnetic properties of the LL5 ordinary chondrite Chelyabinsk (fall of February 15, 2013)

Here we characterize the magnetic properties of the Chelyabinsk chondrite (LL5, S4, W0) and constrain the composition, concentration, grain size distribution, and mineral fabric of the meteorite's magnetic mineral assemblage. Data were collected from 10 to 1073 K and include measurements of low‐field magnetic susceptibility (χ₀), the anisotropy of χ₀, hysteresis loops, first‐order reversal curves, Mössbauer spectroscopy, and X‐ray microtomography. The REM and REM′ paleointensity protocols suggest that the only magnetizations recorded by the chondrite are components of the Earth's magnetic field acquired during entry into our planet's atmosphere. The Chelyabinsk chondrite consists of light and dark lithologies. Fragments of the light lithology show logχ₀ = 4.57 ± 0.09 (s.d.) (n = 135), while the dark lithology shows 4.65 ± 0.09 (n = 39) (where χ₀ is in 10^?9 m³ kg^?1). Thus, Chelyabinsk is three times more magnetic than the average LL5 fall, but is similar to a subgroup of metal‐rich LL5 chondrites (Paragould, Aldsworth, Bawku, Richmond) and L/LL5 chondrites (Glanerbrug, Knyahinya). The meteorite's room‐temperature magnetization is dominated by multidomain FeNi alloys taenite and kamacite (no tetrataenite is present). However, below approximately 75 K remanence is dominated by chromite. The metal contents of the light and dark lithologies are 3.7 and 4.1 wt%, respectively, and are based on values of saturation magnetization.     

Biogeochemistry of dissolved carbon,major, and trace elements during spring flood periods on the Ob River

Detailed knowledge of the flood period of Arctic rivers remains one of the few factors impeding rigorous prediction of the effect of climate change on carbon and related element fluxes from the land to the Arctic Ocean. In order to test the temporal and spatial variability of element concentration in the Ob River (western Siberia) water during flood period and to quantify the contribution of spring flood period to the annual element export, we sampled the main channel year round in 2014–2017 for dissolved C, major, and trace element concentrations. We revealed high stability (approximately ≤10% relative variation) of dissolved C, major, and trace element concentrations in the Ob River during spring flood period over a 1‐km section of the river channel and over 3 days continuous monitoring (3‐hr frequency). We identified two groups of elements with contrasting relationship to discharge: (a) DIC and soluble elements (Cl, SO₄, Li, B, Na, Mg, Ca, P, V, Cr, Mn, As, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ba, W, and U) negatively correlated (p < 0.05) with discharge and exhibited minimal concentrations during spring flood and autumn high flow and (b) DOC and particle‐reactive elements (Al, Fe, Ti, Y, Zr, Nb, Cs, REEs, Hf, Tl, Pb, and Th), some nutrients (K), and metalloids (Ge, Sb, and Te), positively correlated (p < 0.05) with discharge and showed the highest concentrations during spring flood. We attribute the decreased concentration of soluble elements with discharge to dilution by groundwater feeding and increased concentration of DOC and particle‐reactive metals with discharge to leaching from surface soil, plant litter, and suspended particles. Overall, the present study provides first‐order assessment of fluxes of major and trace elements in the middle course of the Ob River, reveals their high temporal and spatial stability, and characterizes the mechanism of river water chemical composition acquisition.     

Daily rainfall projections from general circulation models with a downscaling nonhomogeneous hidden Markov model (NHMM) for south‐eastern Australia

An ensemble of stochastic daily rainfall projections has been generated for 30 stations across south‐eastern Australia using the downscaling nonhomogeneous hidden Markov model, which was driven by atmospheric predictors from four climate models for three IPCC emissions scenarios (A1B, A2, and B1) and for two periods (2046–2065 and 2081–2100). The results indicate that the annual rainfall is projected to decrease for both periods for all scenarios and climate models, with the exception of a few scenarios of no statistically significant changes. However, there is a seasonal difference: two downscaled GCMs consistently project a decline of summer rainfall, and two an increase. In contrast, all four downscaled GCMs show a decrease of winter rainfall. Because winter rainfall accounts for two‐thirds of the annual rainfall and produces the majority of streamflow for this region, this decrease in winter rainfall would cause additional water availability concerns in the southern Murray–Darling basin, given that water shortage is already a critical problem in the region. In addition, the annual maximum daily rainfall is projected to intensify in the future, particularly by the end of the 21st century; the maximum length of consecutive dry days is projected to increase, and correspondingly, the maximum length of consecutive wet days is projected to decrease. These changes in daily sequencing, combined with fewer events of reduced amount, could lead to drier catchment soil profiles and further reduce runoff potential and, hence, also have streamflow and water availability implications. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Estimation of actual evapotranspiration from an alluvial aquifer of the Kouris catchment (Cyprus) using continuous streamflow records

The Kouris catchment is located in the south of the Troodos massif in Cyprus. The hydrology is driven by a Mediterranean climate, a mountainous topography, and a complex distribution of hydrogeological properties resulting from complex geology. To quantify the regional water balance further, a simple method using continuous streamflow records in the River Limnatis (Kouris catchment) was applied to calculate the actual evapotranspiration rate in the dry seasons. It was found that daily cycles of streamflow, recorded by automatic pressure logger, were caused by direct evaporation from the groundwater table and by transpiration of riparian forest. The daily amounts of ‘missing’ streamflow were calculated for the period 30 October–4 November 2001 and were extrapolated to the entire dry season and to the whole Kouris catchment. The actual evapotranspiration rate from the alluvial aquifer of the region is 2·4 ± 0·5 Mm³ for April–September 2001. The validity of the assumptions and the uncertainties in the estimates used in the method are discussed. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ophiolites of the Eastern Peninsulas zone (Eastern Kamchatka): Age, composition, and geodynamic diversity

Abstract   The geological, geochemical and mineralogical data of dismembered ophiolites of various ages and genesis occurring in accretionary piles of the Eastern Peninsulas of Kamchatka enables us to discriminate three ophiolite complexes: (i) Aptian–Cenomanian complex: a fragment of ancient oceanic crust, composed of tholeiite basalts, pelagic sediments, and gabbroic rocks, presently occurring in a single tectonic slices (Afrika complex) and in olistoplaques in Pikezh complex of the Kamchatsky Mys Peninsula and probably in the mélange of the Kronotsky Peninsula; (ii) Upper Cretaceous complex, composed of highly depleted peridotite, gabbro and plagiogranite, associated with island arc tholeiite, boninite, and high-alumina tholeiitic basalt of supra-subduction origin; and (iii) Paleocene–Early Eocene complex of intra-island arc or back-arc origin, composed of gabbros, dolerites (sheeted dykes) and basalts produced from oceanic tholeiite melts, and back-arc basin-like dolerites. Formation of the various ophiolite complexes is related to the Kronotskaya intra-oceanic volcanic arc evolution. The first ophiolite complex is a fragment of ancient Aptian–Cenomanian oceanic crust on which the Kronotskaya arc originated. Ophiolites of the supra-subduction zone affinity were formed as a result of repeated partial melting of peridotites in the mantle wedge up to the subduction zone. This is accompanied by production of tholeiite basalts and boninites in the Kamchatsky Mys segment and plagioclase-bearing tholeiites in the Kronotsky segment of the Kronotskaya paleoarc. The ophiolite complex with intra-arc and mid-oceanic ridge basalt geochemical characteristics was formed in an extension regime during the last stage of Kronotskaya volcanic arc evolution.     

Barents Sea upstream events impact the properties of Atlantic water inflow into the Arctic Ocean: Evidence from 2005 to 2006 downstream observations

Inflow of Atlantic water (AW) from Fram Strait and the Barents Sea into the Arctic Ocean conditions the intermediate (100–1000 m) waters of the Arctic Ocean Eurasian margins. While over the Siberian margin the Fram Strait AW branch (FSBW) has exhibited continuous dramatic warming beginning in 2004, the tendency of the Barents Sea AW branch (BSBW) has remained poorly known. Here we document the contrary cooling tendency of the BSBW through the analysis of observational data collected from the icebreaker Kapitan Dranitsyn over the continental slope of the Eurasian Basin in 2005 and 2006. The CTD data from the R.V. Polarstern cruise in 1995 were used as a reference point for evaluating external atmospheric and sea-ice forcing and oxygen isotope analysis. Our data show that in 2006 the BSBW core was saltier (by ～0.037), cooler (by ～0.41 °C), denser (by ～0.04 kg/m³), deeper (by 150–200 m), and relatively better ventilated (by 7–8 μmol/kg of dissolved oxygen, or by 1.1–1.7% of saturation) compared with 2005. We hypothesize that the shift of the meridional wind from off-shore to on-shore direction during the BSBW translation through the Barents and northern Kara seas results in longer surface residence time for the BSBW sampled in 2006 compared with samples from 2005. The cooler, more saline, and better-ventilated BSBW sampled in 2006 may result from longer upstream translation through the Barents and northern Kara seas where the BSBW was modified by sea-ice formation and interaction with atmosphere. The data for stable oxygen isotopes from 1995 and 2006 reveals amplified brine modification of the BSBW core sampled downstream in 2006, which supports the assumption of an increased upstream residence time as indicated by wind patterns and dissolved oxygen values.