The importance of extratropical and tropical cyclones on the short-term evolution of barrier islands along the northern Gulf of Mexico, USA

Data are presented indicating the complexity and highly variable response of beaches to cold front passages along the northern Gulf of Mexico, in addition to the impacts of tropical cyclones and winter storms. Within the past decade, an increase in the frequency of tropical storms and hurricanes impacting the northern Gulf has dramatically altered the long-term equilibrium of a large portion of this coast. A time series of net sediment flux for subaerial and nearshore environments has been established for a section of this coast in Florida, and to a lesser extent, Mississippi. The data incorporate the morphological signature of six tropical storms/hurricanes and more than 200 frontal passages.

Data indicate that (1) barrier islands can conserve mass during catastrophic hurricanes (e.g., Hurricane Opal, a strong category 4 hurricane near landfall); (2) less severe hurricanes and tropical storms can promote rapid dune aggradation and can contribute sediment to the entire barrier system; (3) cold fronts play a critical role in the poststorm adjustment of the barrier by deflating the subaerial portion of the overwash terrace and eroding its marginal lobe along the bayside beach through locally generated, high frequency, steep waves; and (4) barrier systems along the northern Gulf do not necessarily enter an immediate poststorm recovery phase, although nested in sediment-rich nearshore environments. While high wave energy conditions associated with cold fronts play an integral role in the evolution and maintenance of barriers along the northern Gulf, these events are more effective in reworking sediment after the occurrence of extreme events such as hurricanes. This relationship is even more apparent during the clustering of tropical cyclones.

It is anticipated that these findings will have important implications for the longer term evolution of barrier systems in midlatitude, microtidal settings where the clustering of storms is apparent, and winter storms are significant in intensity and frequency along the coast.     

Change of multifractal thermal characteristics in the western Philippine sea upper layer during internal wave-soliton propagation

The upper layer (above 140 m depth) temperature in the western Philippine Sea near Taiwan was sampled using a coastal monitoring buoy (CMB) with 15 attached thermistors during July 28–August 7, 2005. The data were collected every 10 min at 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, and 20 m using the CMB sensors, and every 15 sec at 15 different depths between 25 m and 140 m. Internal waves and solitons were identified from the time-depth plot of the temperature field. Without the internal waves and solitons, the power spectra, structure functions, and singular measures (representing the intermittency) of temperature field satisfy the power law with multi-scale characteristics at all depths. The internal waves do not change the basic characteristics of the multifractal structure. However, the internal solitons change the power exponent of the power spectra drastically, especially in the low wave number domain; they also break down the power law of the structure function and increase the intermittency parameter. The physical mechanisms causing these different effects need to be explored further.     

南海中北部表层沉积物的矿物沉积

本文研究了南海中北部500多个样品的矿物学。认为,本区表层沉积物中矿物种类繁多,分布较为普遍,碎屑矿物(含火山物质)、粘土矿物、自生矿物常有出现。以前者为最显著(共60多种,其中重矿物50多种,轻矿物近10种),主要分布于陆架区及深海盆;粘土矿物次之,多分布于陆坡～深海盆;自生矿物较少,陆架～深海盆均有分布。文中根据矿物沉积特征和环境差异,把它划分为6个矿物区。     

Further evidence for non-reemergence of winter SST anomalies in the North Pacific eastern subtropical mode water area

Following our previous study (Sugimoto and Hanawa, 2005b), we further investigate the reason why reemergence of winter sea surface temperature anomalies does not occur in the North Pacific eastern subtropical mode water (NPESTMW) area, despite its occurrence in the North Pacific subtropical mode water and North Pacific central mode water areas. We use vertical temperature and salinity profiles of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment Hydrographic Program and Argo floats with high vertical and temporal resolution, together with heat flux data through the sea surface. We point out first that one of the causes for non-occurrence of reemergence is that the thickness of NPESTMW is very thin. In addition to this basic cause, two major reasons are found: a vigorous mixing in the lower portion of NPESTMW and less heat input from the atmosphere in the warming season. Since, in the lower portion of NPESTMW and deeper, the stratification is favorable for salt-finger type convection to occur compared with the other mode water areas, vigorous mixing takes place. This is confirmed by both a large Turner Angle there and the existence of staircase structures in vertical temperature and salinity profiles. From the viewpoint of heat input, the NPESTMW area gradually gains heat in the warming season compared with other mode water areas. As a result, NPESTMW cannot be capped so quickly by the shallow summer mixed layer, and water properties of NPESTMW are to be gradually modified, even in the upper portion.     

Geomorphological evidence for upslope canyon-forming processes on the northern KwaZulu-Natal shelf,SW Indian Ocean,South Africa

A geomorphological and statistical analysis of slope canyons from the northern KwaZulu-Natal continental margin is documented and compared with submarine canyons from the Atlantic margin of the USA. The northern KwaZulu-Natal margin is characterized by increasing upslope relief, concave slope-gradient profiles and features related to upslope growth of the canyon forms. Discounting slope-gradient profile, this morphology is strikingly similar to canyon systems of the New Jersey slope. Several phases of canyon incision indicate that downslope erosion is also an important factor in the evolution of the northern KwaZulu-Natal canyon systems. Despite the strong similarities between the northern KwaZulu-Natal and New Jersey slope-canyon systems, key differences are evident: (1) the concavity of the northern KwaZulu-Natal slope, contrasting with the ∼linear New Jersey slope; (2) the relative isolation of the northern KwaZulu-Natal canyons, rather than the dense clustering of the New Jersey canyons; and (3) the absence of strongly shelf-breaching canyons along the northern KwaZulu-Natal margin. In comparison with the New Jersey margin, we surmise a more youthful stage of canyon evolution, a result of either the canyons themselves being younger or the formative processes being less active. Less complicated patterns of erosion resulting from reduced sediment availability have developed in northern KwaZulu-Natal. The reduction in slope concavity on the New Jersey margin may be the result of grading of the upper slope by intensive headward erosion, a process more subdued—or less evident—on the KwaZulu-Natal margin.     

Numerical modelling of the sea level under the actions of the tide and strong wind in the Bohai Sea

In this paper, the numerical modelling of the tidal level and current in the Bohai Sea was carried out with ADI method, by taking the sum of four main tidal components M2,S2K2,O1 as the open boundary condition. The calculated values were consistent with the predicted ones (the observed values in the case of calm) in the Tidal Table. On the basis of the modelling of the tide, the sea level and current fields under the effects of strong wind were simulated. The calculated results were also quite satisfactory.     

利用X射线衍射测定单斜辉石中硬玉组分含量

硬玉是单斜辉石中十分重要的端元组分,是单斜辉石分类的主要基础。利用x射线衍射分析确定的硬玉组分含量计算式为Jd(％)=[A-2.235]×25.741,其中Jd为硬玉组分百分含量,A为2—Theta角为30°(d=2.97)时峰值的相对强度Ⅰ与半高宽的乘积,其计算误差仅6.32％。     

东海浮游动物量的分布特征

浮游动物生物量属于海洋次级生产力的范畴,在海洋食物链中是极其重要的环节。对其生产力大小的探讨,可以评价海洋渔业资源的潜力和开发远景,由此可以看出浮游动物生物量,是渔场调查中必要的基础资料。东海是我国海洋渔业十分重要的开发区域。这里有鲐鲹等中上层鱼类;有带鱼、大黄鱼、小黄鱼等底层鱼类。这些鱼类都有比较广泛的食性[2,3],在它们发育早期或者直到成年阶段,必须有依赖浮游动物为食的时期。因此浮游动物的数量分布与经济鱼类的幼鱼或成鱼的数量分布都有密切的关系。本文根据为1971年7月至1974年6月,共历时4年,在北纬27°—32°、东经127°以西海区所进行的35个航次,1577个测站的调查资料。采集系用大型浮游动物网(口径80厘米,网目每厘米15个)由底到表垂直拖网。     

The irregular wave force on pier group

In this paper, the irregular wave force on a cylindrical pier group is calculated by the method of spectrum analysis, and the coefficients of the group effect of piers in the pier group are given here. The calculated results, using P-M and Bretshneider's. (B's) spectra, are obtained for the cases of 2 piers, 3 piers and 4 piers. To compare these results with those obtained for regular waves, we can come to some significant conclusions. Under the action of the irregular wave, when the distance between the piers in the pier group increases, the coefficient of the group effect decreases and tends rapidly to the case of a single pier. In general, when the ratio of the distance between the piers to the diameter of the pier is greater than 4, the group effect can be neglected.     

美国红鱼试养的初步研究

笔者自行培育的美国红鱼苗体长25～30mm．1996年6月上、中旬到当年12月中旬．其个体的平均重量分别达到了750g和800g，生长速度优于我国其他养殖鱼种。