A residual analysis method for quantitative comparison of spatial data from the Iceland-Faeroes Front

A spatial statistical method has been developed from the well-known Kriging technique in geostatistics, as a way of providing quantitative comparison between a pair of spatial data sets, and a measure for such a comparison. This residual analysis method is applied to oceanographic data in order to compare Iceland-Faeroes Front (IFF) model predictions against appropriate field observations, with an aim to assess the IFF model performance and its prediction accuracy. The method is also used to evaluate the model-generated dynamical variability within the model predictions, as well as the natural variability within the frontal observations. From the results, it has been found that the IFF model is highly robust, and gives better predictions at depth 150–350 m than elsewhere. Within such a depth (i.e. 250–350 m), there is also evidence to suggest that the main frontal region is most active above the IF Ridge. The natural variability obtained from the observations appears to be comparable to the model-generated dynamical variability after 20 days of integration, indicating a certain degree of accuracy in the model predictions. The method reported in this paper could also be extended for further use in model data assimilation. Thus, the work not only demonstrates how spatial statistics can be applied to oceanographic data, but also opens up new statistical tools for data handling in ocean modelling.     

副热带海域的海洋加热异常及其对副高的影响

海洋在天气、气候及大气环流变化过程中起着重要作用,海洋热源的异常分布是造成长期天气异常的重要原因。海洋对大气的作用主要是通过海气界面的热量交换来实现的，因此,直接运用海气热量交换来考虑海洋对大气的加热作用,分析海洋加热异常对长期天气、气候及大气环流的影响,具有更明确的物理意义。 西北太平洋副热带高压是造成我国旱、涝及天气变化的主要副热带天气系统,对我国夏季气温、雨带位置及强度影响很大。西北太平洋中、低纬副热带地区是海洋向大气提供热量和水汽较多的地区,也是海气相互作用最强烈的海域,这一地区的海洋加热对西北太平洋副热带高压的变化将有直接影响。本文分析了冬季西北太平洋副热带海域海洋加热主要场的分布特征,指出了海洋加热与西北太平洋副热带高压的关系。结果表明,冬季该海域海洋加热较常年偏多时,冬、春至初夏副高偏弱,位置偏东、南(6月副高脊线位置除外);反之,海洋加热较常年偏少时,副高偏强,位置偏西、北(6月副高脊线位置除外)。该海域海洋加热对副热带地区大气环流,尤其是副热带高压环流的变化有着重要作用。本结果对预测西北太平洋副热带高压的变化,研究中纬度海洋加热对西北太平洋副热带高压及其大气环流的影响有十分重要的意义。     

Shear Failure of a Clamped Dented Tubular Beam Under Lateral Impact

- The shear failure of a rigid-plastic dented clamped tubular beam under the lateral impact of a mass is investigated. Both the denting and the impact point are in the middle span of the beam. It is assumed that denting does not spread during the shear sliding. Numerical results show that the axial force and lateral deflection of the beam are very small at the moment of the occurence of shear failure, which means that the finite deformation effect can be neglected in the shear failure analysis. Also, some aspects of the initial impact energy are investigated.     

大鹏澳海域水体磷的形态及其分布特征

根据１９９２年１２月（冬季）和１９９３年７月（夏季）对大鹏澳海域２４ｈ定点连续观测和夏季大面调查，统计了该海域各种形态磷的变化范围和平均含量；计算了各种形态磷分别占总磷（ＴＰ）和总溶解磷（ＴＤＰ）的百分比；讨论了各种形态磷之间的相互关系；分析了影响ＴＰ和ＴＤＰ分布的环境因素。     

The synchronous coupling of a third-generation wave model and a two-dimensional storm surge model

The interaction of waves and currents is studied by the dynamical coupling of a third generation wave model and a two-dimensional storm surge model. The coupling process of the two models is implemented synchronously. To estimate the effects of waves on the generation of storm surges, the theory of Janssen is used. The effects of the wave radiation stress on surge levels and the effects of storm-induced currents on waves are also investigated.The coupled wave and storm surge models have been tested by hindcasting two storm events in the northern South China Sea. The use of the Simth and Banke stress relation underestimates the surges by 10%. The inclusion of the radiation stress improves the accuracy of the computed results slightly by 2%. The introduction of a wave-dependent surface drag gives a significant improvement. The storm-induced currents clearly affect the wave characteristics at the peak stage. However, as far as the prediction of wave height is concerned, it is better not to consider the wave radiation stress in the storm surge model unless this is accompanied by a wave-dependent surface drag.     

Video observations of marine gravel transport

In an analysis of video observations of gravel transport in the West Slent, UK, collective and individual characteristics of 458 bursts of bedload have been examined and the transport velocity and distance of 1680 individual particles in a consecutive succession of burst events determined. Infrequent, long duration, high stress events account for 60% of total transport in only 24% of the total time with the mean free path and transport velocity for particles being 0.16 m and 0.22 m/s, respectively. Clear links between intense intermittent turbulence and bedload transport revealed in this study, suggest progress in modelling requires a clearer understanding of near bed flow structure.     

Modern swathe sounding and sub-bottom profiling technology for research applications: The Atlas Hydrosweep and Parasound Systems

This chapter describes two separate but complementary research echosounder systems originally developed by Krupp Atlas Elektronik GmbH for the new German oceanographic research vessel Meteor.The Hydrosweep is a Hydrographic wide-swathe sweep survey echosounder for both shallow and deep water applications providing accurate bathymetric surveys and terrain-following navigation capabilities.The Parasound system is a hull-mounted dual channel parametric narrow-beam deep sea survey and sub-bottom profiling echosounder enabling particularly high vertical and horizontal resolution of seabed features.     

Three-dimensional visualization of mission planning and control forthe NPS autonomous underwater vehicle

The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is constructing a small autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) with an onboard mission control computer. The mission controller software for this vehicle is a knowledge-based artificial intelligence (AI) system requiring thorough analysis and testing before the AUV is operational. The manner in which rapid prototyping of this software has been demonstrated by developing a controller code on a LISP machine and using an Ethernet link with a graphics workstation to simulate the controller's environment is discussed. The development of a testing simulator using a knowledge engineering environment (KEE) expert system shell that examines AUV controller subsystems and vehicle models before integrating them with the full AUV for its test environment missions is discussed. This AUV simulator utilizes an interactive mission planning control console and is fully autonomous once initial parameters are selected