The Levant Slumps and the Phoenician Structures: collapse features along the continental margin of the southeastern Mediterranean Sea

Two distinct series of slumps deform the upper part of the sedimentary sequence along the continental margin of the Levant. One series is found along the base of the continental slope, where it overlies the disrupted eastern edge of the Messinian evaporites. The second series of slumps transects the continental margin from the shelf break to the Levant Basin. It seemed that the two series were triggered by two unrelated, though contemporaneous, processes. The shore-parallel slumps were initiated by basinwards flow of the Messinian salt, that carried along the overlying Plio-Quaternary sediments. Seawater that percolated along the detachment faults dissolved the underlying salt to form distinctly disrupted structures. The slope-normal slumps are located on top of large canyons that cut into the pre-Messinian sedimentary rocks. A layer of salt is found in the canyons, and the Plio-Quaternary sediments were deposited on that layer. The slumps are bounded by large, NW-trending faults where post-Messinian faulted offset was measured. We presume that the flow of the salt in the canyons also drives the slope-normal slumps. Thus thin-skinned halokynetic processes generated the composite post-Tortonian structural patterns of the Levant margin. The Phoenician Structures are a prime example of the collapse of a distal continental margin due to the dissolution of a massive salt layer.     

Local remineralization patterns in the mesopelagic zone of the Eastern North Atlantic, off the NW Iberian Peninsula

The short-time-scale variability of the remineralization patterns in the domain of Eastern North Atlantic Central Waters (ENACW) off the NW Iberian Peninsula is studied based on biogeochemical data (oxygen, nutrient salts, total alkalinity, pH, dissolved organic matter and fluorescence of dissolved humic substances) collected weekly between May 2001 and April 2002. The temporal variability of inorganic variables points to an intensification of remineralization during the summer and autumn, with an increase of nutrients, total inorganic carbon and fluorescence and a decrease of oxygen. During the subsequent winter mixing, there is a biogeochemical reset of the system, with lower nutrients, total inorganic carbon and fluorescence and higher oxygen. In contrast to inorganic variables, the levels of dissolved organic matter in the ENACW seem to respond to short-term events probably associated with fast sinking particles, where solubilisation of organic matter prevails over remineralization. Applying a previously published stoichiometric model, we observed a vertical fractionation of organic-matter remineralization. Although there is a preferential remineralization of proteins and P compounds in the entire domain of ENACW, the percentage was higher in the upper ENACW (σ<27.10 kg/m³) than in the lower; the percentage of N and P compounds in the oxidised organic matter was >80% for the upper ENACW and 63% for the lower. Likewise, the redissolution of calcareous structures contributes about 6% and 13% to the carbon regenerated in the upper and lower layers of ENACW, respectively.     

A climatology of mesoscale model simulated low-level wind jets over Cook Inlet and Shelikof Strait, Alaska

Weather in the North Gulf of Alaska is characterized by a high frequency of deep synoptic-scale low-pressure systems, especially during the cold season. The strong pressure gradients of these storms interact with the extremely rugged terrain of the coastal mountains to produce a variety of channeled flows. These surface wind regimes are not well documented in the scientific community, due to the paucity of observations. Modeling of these phenomena in regions of complex terrain is of great interest to those working with hydrodynamic, wave, and pollutant transport models in coastal and shelf areas. Such models, when coupled with ocean and coastal-ecology counterparts, give a broad view of the role surface winds play in shaping local coastal marine ecosystem in this region. This paper presents a climatology of simulated low-level wind jets over the domain of Cook Inlet and Shelikof Strait along Alaska's south-central coast. Daily simulations using the RAMS model were conducted in a 36-h forecast mode for the cold-season period 10/1/03 to 3/31/04. Systematic analysis of the resulting simulated low-level wind field makes it possible to characterize these jets and gap flows in spatial and temporal detail. The comparison between the RAMS winds and the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR)-derived winds when available verifies the existence of these wind jets and the capability of the model to simulate these cases. Clearly, the results of a study in this region depend on the fidelity of the model at these scales (O[5 km]). The SAR comparisons attempt to help establish this. From the 6 months of simulations over Cook Inlet and Shelikof Strait, the low-level wind jets are classified into 10 different regimes by location and orientation. These regimes are categorized into four more general groups: cross-channel westerly, easterly, and up and down Inlet flows. The nature of a particular regime is largely a function of pressure gradient orientation and local topography. Jets in the same group have a similar occurrence distribution with time. Some form of jet occurred in the study region almost daily each month of the period, with December 2003 having the highest frequency of wind jets.     

渤海大型底栖动物丰度和生物量的研究

于 1997年 6月、1998年 9月和 1999年 4月 3个航次对渤海的大型底栖动物进行了定量研究。在研究海区共采到大型底栖动物 30 6种 ,其中甲壳动物 97种 ,环节动物 95种 ,软体动物 88种 ,棘皮动物 11种 ,其它动物共 15种。其总平均丰度和生物量分别为 2 5 76 ind./m2和4 4 .4 7g/m2。渤海大部海区的总平均生物量在过去十年中可能未发生大的变化。渤海含砂量相对高的生境有较高的动物丰度 ,而在水位较深的水域 ,由于有较高的初级生产量到达底部 ,从而支持着较高的大型底栖动物的生物量。渤海海峡口可能是渤海大型底栖动物生物量的高值区     

斑节对虾(Penaeus monodon)蛋白质的氨基酸分析

１９９３年分析了不同大小斑节对虾肌肉中游离氨基酸含量和肌肉蛋白质 的氨基酸组成。虾体肌肉中有各种游离氨基酸存在，但数量很少，而且比例与肌肉 中结合氨基酸不一致。不同大小斑节对虾，其肌肉中氨基酸组成基本一样，不同的 是小虾的半胱氨酸、蛋氨酸含量比中虾、成虾的低；成虾的缬氨酸、异亮氨酸含量比 小虾、中虾的低，而酪氨酸、苯丙氨酸、天门冬氨酸较高。随着虾体的长大，甘氨酸、 丙氨酸的含量逐渐下降，而脯氨酸的含量升高。雌雄虾的氨基酸组成基本一致，只 是雄虾的甘氨酸含量偏低，精氨酸含量偏高。     

石榴石橄榄岩的熔融实验及其地质意义

在20×10~9Pa和25×10~9Pa条件下,对石榴石橄榄岩进行的14次高温高压熔融实验研究表明,在1600℃时石榴石橄榄岩开始熔融(初熔),熔体中的SiO_2>70％,Na_2O+K_2O>8％,类似于A型花岗岩成分。本实验为地幔花岗岩的成因提供了证据。     

对虾一种无包涵体杆状病毒病原的PCR检测

为建立对虾无包涵体杆状病毒的快速诊断技术,应用PCR技术分别对暴发性流行病发生前、流行中和发病后的对虾样品进行了检测.根据已克隆的对虾杆状病毒部分基因组序列而设计的引物能特异性地扩增出靶DNA片段,最低可以检测1pg的病素DNA.由典型发病症状对虾的胃、腮、肝胰腺、中肠、游泳足、肌内和心脏等器官和组织中成功地检测到病毒.不同组织和器官经扩增得到的信号强弱不同:病虾的胃扩增得到的信号最强,中肠、肌肉、心脏和游泳足次之,腮和肝胰腺信号最弱,说明病毒在不同组织和器官中数量及感染程度不同.在对虾发病前及发病后,用二次PCR还能检测表面不发病呈隐性感染状态的对虾携带的病毒;而对野生健康虾的检测结果为阴性.研究表明,PCR是检测对虾暴发性流行病快速、灵敏而准确的方法,对病毒病的早期诊断、防治和高健康对虾品种的选育具有指导意义.     

Estimation of Contamination of ERS-2 and POSEIDON Satellite Radar Altimetry Close to the Coasts of Australia

It is broadly acknowledged that the precision of satellite-altimeter-measured instantaneous sea surface heights (SSH) is lower in coastal regions than in open oceans, due partly to contamination of the radar return from the coastal sea-surface state and from land topography. This study investigates the behavior of ERS-2 and POSEIDON altimeter waveform data in coastal regions and estimates a boundary around Australia's coasts in which the altimeter range may be poorly estimated by on-satellite tracking software. Over one million 20 Hz ERS-2 (March to April 1999) and POSEIDON (January 1998 to January 1999) radar altimeter waveform data were used over an area extending 350 km offshore Australia. The DS759.2 (5'resolution) ocean depth model and the GSHHS (0.2 km resolution) shoreline model were used together to define the coastal regions. Using the 50% threshold retracking points as the estimates of expected tracking gate, we determined that the sea surface height is contaminated out to maximum distance of between about 8 km and 22 km from the Australian shoreline for ERS-2, depending partly on coastal topography. Using the standard deviation of the mean waveforms as an indication of the general variability of the altimeter returns in the Australian coastal region shows obvious coastal contamination out to about 4 km for both altimeters, and less obvious contamination out to about 8 km for POSEIDON and 10 km for ERS-2. Therefore, ERS-2 and POSEIDON satellite altimeter data should be treated with some caution for distances less than about 22 km from the Australian coast and probably ignored altogether for distances less than 4 km.     

Mixed layer variability in Northern Arabian Sea as detected by an Argo float

Seasonal evolution of surface mixed layer in the Northern Arabian Sea (NAS) between 17° N–20.5° N and 59° E-69° E was observed by using Argo float daily data for about 9 months, from April 2002 through December 2002. Results showed that during April - May mixed layer shoaled due to light winds, clear sky and intense solar insolation. Sea surface temperature (SST) rose by 2.3 °C and ocean gained an average of 99.8 Wm⁻². Mixed layer reached maximum depth of about 71 m during June - September owing to strong winds and cloudy skies. Ocean gained abnormally low ∼18 Wm⁻² and SST dropped by 3.4 °C. During the inter monsoon period, October, mixed layer shoaled and maintained a depth of 20 to 30 m. November - December was accompanied by moderate winds, dropping of SST by 1.5 °C and ocean lost an average of 52.5 Wm⁻². Mixed layer deepened gradually reaching a maximum of 62 m in December. Analysis of surface fluxes and winds suggested that winds and fluxes are the dominating factors causing deepening of mixed layer during summer and winter monsoon periods respectively. Relatively high correlation between MLD, net heat flux and wind speed revealed that short term variability of MLD coincided well with short term variability of surface forcing.