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.     

Kuroshio extension variability explored through assimilation of TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data into a quasi-geostrophic model

Mesoscale features in the eastward extension of the Kuroshio were investigated using assimilation of TOPEX/POSEIDON (T/P) data into a three-layer quasi-geostrophic model. The T/P data exhibited an elongated state of the southern recirculation gyre in 1993–95 and 1997, between whose two periods the gyre had a contracted state in 1995–96. A few stationary eddies were located in the southern gyre during the contracted state. The baroclinic instability, which was indicated by the phase shift from the uppermost-to the lowest-layer anomalies toward the downstream side, was evident near the Kuroshio Extension (KE) path. Since the instability never appeared in the artificial model without bottom topography, the topographic barrier for the eastward flow in the lowest layer was a necessary condition for the instability. The instability synchronized with the transition in the western region of the KE axis from the elongated to the contracted states. This evolution was interpreted as if the baroclinic instability played some part in the KE states and was a trigger for the transition from the elongated to the contracted states.     

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.     

Effects of scattering and resonance on energy dissipation of an internal tide in a narrow shelf

The effects of scattering and resonance on the energy dissipation of an internal tide were investigated using a two-dimensional model which is a reassembled version of the theoretical generation model devised by Rattray et al. (1969) for internal tide. The basic character of the scattering process at the step bottom was first investigated with a wide shelf model. When the internal wave incited from a deep region (Region II) into the shallow shelf region (Region I), a passing wave into the shallow region, a reflected wave into the deep region, and a beam-like wave, i.e. a scattered wave (SW), emanated at the step bottom. The SW, which consists of the superposition of numerous internal modes, propagated upward/downward into both regions. The general properties of the SW were well expressed around the shelf edge, even in the present model with viscosity effect. The amplitude of the SW decreased dramatically when the depth of the velocity maximum of the incident internal wave in Region II corresponded with the depth of the shelf edge. In the narrow shelf model, where the decay distance of the internal wave in Region I is longer than the shelf width, the incident internal wave reflected at the coast to form a standing wave. When the internal wave in Region I is enhanced by the resonance, the energy of the SW in Region II is also intensified. Furthermore, the energy of the modes in Region II predominated when the velocity maximum is identical to that of the dominant mode in Region I. These results suggest that the spatial scale of shelf region is a very important factor governing the energy dissipation of the internal tide through reflection and scattering in a narrow shelf.     

日本对虾仔虾呼吸和排泄的初步研究

本文采用水瓶法和径流装置研究了不同温度下摄食和饥饿的日本对虾（Penaeus japonicus)仔虾（P）的呼吸与排泄。结果表明，日本对虾仔虾体长与干体重呈指数函数关系，DW＝0．006e^0.515L(r^2=0.999,n=16)；耗氧和氨排泄率随着温度的升高而提高、随着仔虾体重的增长反而变小；耗氧和氨排泄率与体重呈幂函数关系，30和26℃下耗氧率（R）与体重的关系方程式分别是R＝2.669DW^-1.041(r^2=0.953,n=8)和R=2.370DW^-0.708,(r^2=0.533,n=8)，30和26℃下氨排泄率（E）与体重的关系方程式分别是E＝36.81DW^-0.615(r^2=0.654,n=8) 和E＝15．28DW^-0.795(r^2=0.652,n=8）；饱食仔虾的耗氧率明显高于饥饿的仔虾，因摄食使仔虾（P15）额外消耗的能量为4％－20％，仔虾的特殊动力作用（SDA）大约在摄食5－7h后发生，并可持续作用10h左右。     

Effects of salinity downshock on dimethylsulfide production

During time-series observations in Sagami Bay, Japan, the concentration of dissolved dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP_d), a precursor of dimethylsulfide (DMS), was negatively correlated with salinity. In the laboratory, low-salinity shock reduced DMS production rates of the natural bacterial community and induced rapid DMSP release from a dinophyte, Heterocapsa triquetra, suggesting that low-salinity shock reduced DMSP_d consumption but enhanced DMSP_d production, which agrees with the negative correlation between DMSP_d and salinity observed in Sagami bay. In addition, low-salinity shock did not affect DMSP lyase activity of H. triquetra. Low-salinity shock would increase the contribution from algae in DMS production, leading to an increase in potential DMS productivity in the environment.     

东海沉积物中轻矿物的研究

本文对东海大陆架、冲绳海槽及长江表层沉积物中的轻矿物进行了研究。调查区范围为121°-129°E,32°-26°30′N。长江采样区段为芜湖——长江口。共分析了124个样品,其中长江样品11个,东海大陆架样品100个,冲绳海槽样品13个。使用的样品粒级为0.1-0.25毫米。     

东海大陆架异养细菌的生态分布

从海洋物质循环的观点来看,异养细菌在分解有机物质和无机化过程中起着极重要的作用。从海洋食物链的角度来看,分解各种类型有机物而得以增殖的异养细菌自身也是海洋原生动物、浮游动物及底栖动物的营养源。异养细菌在海洋生态系中占有极重要的位置。对海洋中某些细菌的代谢活动与其他海洋生物之间的相互关系的研究日益受到普遍的重视。 海洋异养细菌的生态分布资料已有不少报道。但至今尚未有人发表过东海大陆架海域海洋微生物生态调查的报告。东海大陆架海域江河交汇人海,大陆对海洋的影响极为突出,水文和底质情况复杂,水产资源丰富,因而特别富有多样化的有机物来源。调查和了解这一海域中异养细薗生态分布规律,并研究其参与物质转化过程的特异性,不仅有助于深入研究海洋生态学问题,而且对于阐述东海大陆架的特点也极有价值。本文着重讨论异养细菌在东海大陆架的生态分布特征及菌群组成的特点。     

Algorithm for HF radar vector current measurements

A new algorithm is proposed, called the stream function method (SFM) for producing vector current maps from radial data measured by dual-site high frequency surface wave radar (HFSWR). In SFM, a scalar stream function is constructed under some oceanographic assumptions. The function describes the two-dimensional (2-D) ocean surface water motion and is used to obtain the distribution of vector currents. The performance of SFM is evaluated using simulated radial data, which demonstrates that SFM has advantages over typical vectorial combination methods (VCM) both in error acceptance and robustness, and excels another method based on least-squares fitting (LSF) in recovering the complicated current models. Furthermore, SFM is capable of providing the total currents based on radials from single-site radar. We also test the assumptions of horizontal non-divergence in the simulation. The new algorithm is applied to the field experiment data of Wuhan University’s ocean state measuring and analyzing radar (OSMAR), collected in the coastal East China Sea during April 11–17, 2004. Quantitative comparisons are given between radar results by three current algorithms and in-situ current meter measurements. Preliminary analysis of the vertical current shear is given based on the current meter measurements.