Distribution of deep near-inertial waves observed in the Kuroshio Extension

The distribution of deep near-inertial waves (NIWs) is investigated using data mainly from an array of 46 near-bottom acoustic current meter sensors spanning a 600 km × 600 km region as part of the Kuroshio Extension System Study during 2004–2006. The deep NIW distribution is interpreted in the context of both upper-layer and near-bottom mapped circulations. The wintertime-mean mixed-layer NIW energy input, modeled from observed wind stress, has the same range of values north and south of the Kuroshio Extension in this region. Yet, the wintertime-mean deep NIW energy distribution reveals a sharp factor-of-5 decrease from north to south of the Kuroshio jet. This direct observational evidence shows that the Kuroshio Extension blocks the equatorward propagation of NIWs. The NIW energy that does reach the sea floor within the subset of wintertime observations in the subtropical gyre arrives with patchy spatial and temporal distribution. Elevated NIW energy in deep water is associated with anticyclones in the deep barotropic flow and unassociated with upper layer eddies.     

Benthic habitat quality change as measured by macroinfauna community in a tidal flat on the west coast of Korea

Yellow Sea tidal flats are internationally recognised for their contribution to biological diversity and yet are under enormous pressure from reclamation, pollution and overexploitation. The benthic macroinfauna community is the dominant community on these tidal flats and a reliable indicator of benthic environmental changes. We surveyed the current benthic macroinfauna community of the Ganghwa Southern Tidal Flat, the largest remaining Korean mud flat in the Yellow Sea, in order to examine changes in the environmental situation of this benthic ecosystem. The results show a significant decline in species diversity from the last survey made in 2003, and a shift in species composition with appearances of polychaetes indicative of pollution and physical disturbances and other opportunistic species becoming dominant in both density and biomass. The benthic community shift observed during the two study periods may be associated with increased nutrient pollution as well as increased physical disturbances in this area. However, we recognise the limitations of the data both in frequency and scope but believe the significant changes to the composition of the benthic fauna are sufficient to warrant concern. Observations are required to examine the extent to which these human activities induce benthic community shift in this tidal flat.     

Pathologic survey on the Manila clam <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ruditapes philippinarum</Emphasis> (Adams and Reeve 1850) from Haeju off the western coastal Yellow Sea

Pathologic condition of Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum collected from Haeju off the west coast of North Korea in February and March 2007 was investigated in this study. The diagnostics included a protozoan parasite, Perkinsus olseni, the brown ring disease (BRD) caused by bacteria Vibrio tapetis and metazoan parasites Trematod and Cestod. P. olseni infection was examined using histology and Ray’s fluid thioglycollate medium (RFTM) assay along with Choi’s NaOH digestion technique. Trematode and cestode infection was also examined from the histology. A total of 140 clams with 35–45 mm in shell length (2–3 years old) were analyzed. Condition factor (CF), a ratio of the wet tissue weight to the shell dry weight, ranged from 0.445±0.074 (February) to 0.544±0.132 (March). Total body burden of P. olseni (i.e. infection intensity) ranged from 18,644±37,755 (February) to 26,933±80,611 cells/g wet tissue (March) with the prevalence of 76.7–43.3% (March) respectively. Prevalence of trematode and cestode infection in February and March varied 22.5–25.0 and 15.0–22.5% respectively. Infection intensity of V. tapetis ranged 1–2 and the prevalence was 1.4 (February) and 5.7% (March). Prevalence and infection intensity of P. olseni in clams from Haeju was comparatively lower than those of clams reported on the west coast of Korea. BRD and the other metazoan parasite infection were also relatively lower or similar to the condition of the clams reported previously. CF of Haeju clams was also relatively higher than the clams in Gyeonggi Bay and Taean, suggesting that Haeju clams had relatively better pathologic and health condition.     

Effect of connecting rain barrels on the storage size reduction

In this article, the possibility of sharing rain barrels and the potential benefit of reducing storage size through physical and non‐physical connections of rain barrels in a community are investigated. Using the concepts of homogeneous/heterogeneous users in rainwater harvesting systems (RWHS), two simple cases of a community composed of four prospective users are examined. The first is performed with the users who have the same mean and variance in water demands (homogeneous users), and the second is with the users with different means and variances (heterogeneous users). To take account for the rainfall characteristics in different places, historical records from six cities in the USA are used for storage–reliability–yield analysis. The result indicates that required total storage can be reduced by connecting multiple rain barrels. In addition, a significant difference is found between homogeneous and heterogeneous user groups. Homogeneous users do not achieve a substantial benefit from connecting their rain barrels; these users may even be disadvantaged by sharing. In contrast, heterogeneous users receive benefit by reducing the total required storage. Most benefit is expected between users with maximum difference in mean water demands. The reduction in storage size was as considerable as 37% in this study. The quantity of storage reduction depends on locations and target reliabilities. Knowledge of the benefits and limitations of rain barrel connections can improve RWHS performance through ability to customize a network plan for individual users. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A framework for coupling shoals and shallow embayments with main channels in numerical modeling of coastal plain estuaries

A simple computational framework is developed to include shoals and shallow embayments (SSE) and their interaction with main channels in estuarine modeling. The scheme, treating SSE as temporary storage areas, accounts for the water and material exchanges between SSE and main channels as the tide rises and falls, and for the biogeochemical processes affecting nonconservative substances such as water-quality parameters in SSE. The scheme, because of its simple nature, can be easily incorporated into one-, two- or three-dimensional models of estuaries with substantial SSE. The concept and the model implementation of the scheme are explained using a vertical two-dimensional model of estuarine hydrodynamics and water quality. The model application to the tidal Rappahannock River, a western shore tributary of Chesapeake Bay, demonstrates the scheme is simple and physically reasonable, and the importance of SSE in estuarine modeling. The inclusion of SSE in a water-quality model not only provides a framework, for computing water-quality conditions therein but also accounts for the interaction between SSE and the main channel. It is shown that significant errors may result if the effects of SSE are not properly accounted for in modeling of an estuary with extensive SSE.     

Tectonic evolution at an early proterozoic continental margin: The Svecokarelides of eastern Finland

The early Proterozoic history of the Baltic Shield in Fennoscandia provides evidence of fragmentation of a late Archaean craton, continental sedimentation and then back-arc spreading, interpreted as being associated with the uprise of a mantle diapir. Basin subsidence and infilling with flysch debris is explained on the basis of thermal decay, locking of a subduction zone and erosion of an uplifted arc. Compressive tectonism in the Karelian part of the Svecokarelian orogen resulted in obduction of the contents of the back-arc basin on to the continental foreland. Further compression caused further thickening of the supracrustal pile and interdigitation of tectonic slices of basement and cover due to thrusting. Subsequently movement was resolved along major NW-trending wrench-faults that generally follow the margin of teh craton and which represent zones of reactivation of planar features developed in late Archaean times. As the crustal pile was warped and uplifted in subsequent deformational phases, the deep levels of the wrench-faults acted as sites of granitoid emplacement.The tectonic activity in the Karelian part of the Svecokarelides is interpreted as the response to the northward movement of oceanic lithosphere in the Svecofennian part of the orogen where successively-formed early Proterozoic island arcs moved northwards and were intensely deformed, associated with the development and emplacement of large masses of igneous material. The resultant orogen, consisting of a stable craton, obducted nappes, exotic terrane, transcurrent faults and island arcs that moved obliquely to the margin of the craton, shows many similarities in development to that of the western Cordillera of North America.     

Focal mechanisms of recent earthquakes in the Southern Korean Peninsula

We evaluate the stress field in and around the southern Korean Peninsula with focal mechanism solutions, using the data collected from 71 earthquakes ( M_L = 1.9–5.2) between 1999 and 2004. For this, the hypocentres were relocated and well-constrained fault plane solutions were obtained from the data set of 1270 clear P -wave polarities and 46 SH / P amplitude ratios. The focal mechanism solutions indicate that the prevailing faulting types in South Korea are strike-slip-dominant-oblique-slip faultings with minor reverse-slip component. The maximum principal stresses (σ₁) estimated from fault-slip inversion analysis of the focal mechanism solutions show a similar orientation with E–W trend (269°–275°) and low-angle plunge (10°–25°) for all tectonic provinces in South Korea, consistent with the E–W trending maximum horizontal stress (σ_Hmax) of the Amurian microplate reported from in situ stress measurements and earthquake focal mechanisms. The directions of the intermediate (σ₂) and minimum (σ₃) principal stresses of the Gyeongsang Basin are, however, about 90 deg off from those of the other tectonic provinces on a common σ₂–σ₃ plane, suggesting a permutation of σ₂ and σ₃. Our results incorporated with those from the kinematic studies of the Quaternary faults imply that NNW- to NE-striking faults (dextral strike-slip or oblique-slip with a reverse-slip component) are highly likely to generate earthquakes in South Korea.     

Evaluation of density in layer compaction using SASW method

SASW test, which is non-intrusive and rapid in the field application, was used to evaluate the layer density in the roller compaction without performing the complicated inversion process. The concept of normalized shear wave velocity was introduced to minimize the effect of confinement in the density evaluation. SASW test was performed to determine the shear wave velocity of the layer, and the free–free resonant column (FF–RC) test was adopted to determine the correlation between the normalized shear wave velocity and density of the site, which is almost unique independent of confinement. Testing and data reduction procedures of both tests were briefly discussed and an evaluation procedure of the field density was proposed by effectively combining in-situ shear wave velocity determined by the SASW test with the correlation between the normalized shear wave velocity and the density determined by the FF–RC test. Finally, the feasibility of the proposed method was verified by performing a field case study at Hoengsung road construction site. Field densities determined by the proposed method matched well with those determined by sand cone tests, showing the potential of applying the proposed method in the field density evaluation.