Paleomonsoon precipitation deduced from a sediment core from the equatorial Indian Ocean

Rapid shifts in past climate recorded in polar ice sheets have elicited various explanations relating to either thermohaline circulation changes by ice-rafting or natural greenhouse gas concentrations modulated by climatic conditions in the tropics. To compare the tropical paleoclimate record with the polar record, one must choose sediment cores from highly productive ocean regions. Necessarily, such regions reflect the wind records in the tropics, because high productivity is associated with upwelling driven by winds. Comparing tropical precipitation records with high-latitude records is, however, a more difficult task because sediments recording paleoprecipitation usually have low sedimentation rates, and offer coarser resolution relative to polar ice cores. Here, we present δ ¹⁸O data of three planktonic species of Foraminifera (a proxy for precipitation) from such a sediment core, spanning the past 35 ka for the equatorial Indian Ocean, which falls under the southwest monsoon (SWM) realm. Results show that minimum SWM precipitation occurred at the Last Glacial Maximum, with a subsequent increase at Termination IA. During the Holocene, SWM precipitation intensified uniformly up to the core top (∼2.2 ka b.p.), as revealed by generally decreasing δ ¹⁸O values. Variations in precipitation are consistent with climate changes recorded in polar ice sheets. Although the different resolutions of the two records preclude a rigorous comparison, abrupt cooling/warming events appear to be accompanied by sudden reduction/enhancement in (SWM) rainfall. Thus, mechanisms with time scales much shorter than a millennium, such as natural greenhouse warming (e.g., CH₄ concentration), controlled by emissions from the tropics, could have played a major role in high-latitude climate change.     

The Potential for Environmentally Sound Development of Marine Deposits of Potassic and Phosphatic Minerals Offshore, Southern Africa

Extensive potassium and phosphorous-rich mineralization occurs on the outer continental shelf of the southern and west coasts of South Africa and Nambia. This article reviews the potential of exploiting these deposits in an environmentally sound manner for the manufacture of fertilizer. At present, reserves of potash and phosphate fertilizer are exploited from terresterial deposits, the majority being surface mined. The use of fertilizer in South Africa has shown no growth in the past 13 years, and, in some years, usage has even declined. On average, over the last decade, South Africa has consumed 2 million Mt of fertilizer (including nitrogen) per annum, the vast majority of phosphate fertilizer being produced by FOSKOR from the Phalaborwa Igneous Complex. Potash fertilizer is imported into South Africa. Although fertilizer consumption is expected to decrease in the short-term, there are good future prospects for the domestic and international fertilizer market. Considerable research into both glauconitic (containing K 2 O) and phosphatic deposits along the southern African continental shelf indicate that these sedimentary deposits have a complex genesis and mineralization. Of the total K 2 O reserves of 1300 million Mt on the southern African margin, 1000 million Mt is located off the southern African west coast, and the remainder situated on the Agulhas Bank. The largest glauconite concentration ( ±300 million Mt K 2 O) off southern Africa lies west of Saldanha Bay, South Africa. The distribution of P 2 O 5 off southern Africa is dominated by the vast deposit between Walvis Bay and Luderitz, Nambia. This reserve is estimated to contain 1000 million Mt of greater than 5% P 2 O 5 in a relatively small area of about 10000 km2. The phosphorite deposit south of Saldanha Bay constitutes a reserve of ±3500 million Mt of apatite and the deposit on the Agulhas Bank comprises 5500 million Mt. The phosphate deposit off Saldanha Bay occurs as an extensive, low to medium grade deposit. Although vast resources of potash and phosphatic minerals occur along the southern African outer continental shelf the expensive nature of marine exploitation may render most of these deposits, especially the phosphates, subeconomic. The low price of fertilizer andextensive natureontheonland deposits, although confined to asmallnumber of countries, mean that it will not be financially viable to extract these deposits. Assuming high grade glauconitic sand with the right composition can be located, the high market price indicates good future prospects for these potash deposits.     

Shipborne GPS attitude determination during MMST-93

The attitude parameters of a ship underway were measured using a configuration of four 10-channel NovAtel Model 951 narrow-correlator-spacing receivers. These C/A code receivers have output rates of up to 10 Hz and maintain effective carrier phase lock under relatively harsh ship dynamics. The attitude parameters are calculated independently at each epoch using differential carrier phase measurements, carrier phase ambiguities are resolved on-the-fly by constraining the approximately known distances between the antennas that are rigidly mounted on the ship. Carrier phase thermal noise and multipath are minimized by mounting the antennas as far apart as possible. The four-antenna configuration provides redundancy and further improves accuracy. During the Matthew Motion Sensor Trials (MMST-93) conducted off the coast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, in June-July 1993, the GPS-derived attitude parameters were compared with those obtained with a Honeywell HG1050 ring laser gyro inertial navigation system (INS) which provides roll and pitch with an accuracy of 15 arcsecs and heading with an accuracy of 2 arcmins. To simulate rough weather conditions, sharp maneuvers were performed to induce roll angles in excess of 10°. No accuracy degradation nor any loss of GPS measurements occurred. The RMS agreement between GPS and INS derived attitude parameters is better than 2 arcmins in heading, 1 arcmin in pitch and 3 arcmins in roll. This level of accuracy demonstrates the capability of GPS for cost-effective shipborne attitude determination at an accuracy level of 0.05     

中国对虾配合饲料限制性营养成分分析

以最常用的18种原料为对象,用线性规划的方法对华东沿海中国对虾人工饲料配制过程中的限制营养成分进行了分析。结果表明,粗脂肪、粗灰分、磷、精氨酸、赖氨酸是限制性营养成分,粗纤维和蛋氨酸在以植物性蛋白质为主的配方中是限制性营养成分。因此,在中国对虾人工饵料配方设计中,应注意选用脱脂原料,增加矿物质添加剂中磷的含量以及采用富含精氨酸和赖氨酸的原料。     

Current and temperature observations in the east Tsushima channel and the Sea of Genkai

Data on the Tsushima Current and its neighboring coastal current are analyzed to examine short-term variability of the currents and storm events due to typhoons. A three current-meter array was deployed in a strong current region of the east Tsushima channel during summer in 1983 and 1984, and other two current-meter arrays in the eastern coastal area of the channel (the Sea of Genkai) in the summer and autumn in 1983. The observations of coastal current show that the kinetic energy of the subtidal current component was larger in summer than in autumn by a factor of about 2. A comparison of the wind stresses and the estimated values of mixed layer depth in the summer and autumn season suggest that this seasonal change is closely associated with that of the mixed layer depth rather than with that of the wind stress. The Tsushima Current was greatly influenced by two storm events: its speed increased by a factor of 2 in one event and decreased to nearly zero in the other. Such a large variation of mean current during the storm was observed only for the Tsushima Current and not for the coastal current, suggesting that the Tsushima Current may temporarily change its regular course as a result of a storm.     

藻类分子生物技术两年评─—与藻类活性物质研究有关的生物技术

根据１９９２年６月－１９９４年６月国内外发表资料，评述海洋藻类活性物质研究的生物技术及最新成果。认为，海洋生物活性物质研究的重心正转向与海洋生物技术有关的研究。运用生物技术筛选、提取并生产藻类活性物质已经成为这一领域的主流。综合文献表明，藻类活性物质的生物技术正走向成熟，大量的活性物质被发现，光生物反应器将成为主要的下游生产技术，通过藻类基因工程生产药物已初现端倪。     

Artificial Reefs in the Low Productive Marine Environments of the Southeastern Mediterranean

Abstract. Fishery yields in the oligotrophic waters of the Southeastern Mediterranean arc low due to habitat and food limitations. A four year study of a complex of artificial structures established in the coastal waters of Israel points to several possible solutions to these problems. One approach is the artificial enrichment of the man-made reef with trash fish. This, together with the configuration of the reef, caused a significant increase in the abundance of fish predators such as groupers of the genus Epinephclus. Omnivores and herbivores were attracted only by the presence of artificial structures. Some species, such as the slipper lobster Scyllurides lulus, only use the man-made reef for shelter during part of the day or season; they forage over a much larger area the rest of the time and are important "importers" of food to the artificial habitat. Artificial kelp were effective in recruiting juveniles and small fishes to the site.     

Alkaline Phosphatase Activity in the Red-Tide Dinoflagellate, Ptychodiscus brevis

Abstract. Alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) was found in a nearshore, natural population of the red-tide dinoflagellate Ptychodiscus brevis. Initial hydrolysis rates were enhanced by two orders of magnitude within 24 h upon addition of ammonium. Other nutrient (additions) or no additions also lead to a higher, although less pronounced increase in activity. Enhanced growth after nutrient additions combined with specific APA indicated that the bloom was both N and P limited. Since the natural population was a mixture of diatoms and the dinoflagellate, APA was also measured in unialgal cultures of P. brevis. APA was not reduced but enhanced by the addition of low concentrations of orthophosphate (0.5 and 1 μM). Higher orthophosphate concentrations (5 to 20 μM) reduced APA, although activity returned to control levels within 2 to 6h. Repression occurred within 30 sec after a 20 μM orthophosphate addition. Cells which had APA repressed by an orthophosphate addition regained their initial activity within 2 h after washing with phosphate-free media. Phosphorus-deficient cells of P. brevis possess an alkaline phosphatase system which is capable of continued activity at low in situ orthophosphate levels.