Low-frequency current variability observed at the shelfbreak in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico: November 2004–May 2005

Fourteen acoustic Doppler current profilers (ADCPs) were deployed on the shelf and slope for 1 year just west of the DeSoto Canyon in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico by the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) as part of its Slope to Shelf Energetics and Exchange Dynamics (SEED) project. The winter and spring observations are discussed here in regards to the low-frequency current variability and its relation to wind and eddy forcing. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analyses showed that two modes described most of the current variability. Wind-forced variability of the along-shelf flow was the main contributor in Mode 1 while eddies contributed much of the variability in Mode 2. Wind-stress controlled currents on the shelf and slope at time scales of about a week. On longer time scales, variations in the currents on both the outer shelf and slope appear to be related to seasonal variations in the time-cumulated wind stress curl. Winds were dominant in driving the along-shelf transports, particularly along the slope. However, the effective wind stress component was found to be aligned with the west Florida shelf direction rather than the local shelf direction. Eddy intrusions, which were more numerous in winter and spring than in summer and fall, and winds were found to contribute significantly to cross-shelf exchange processes.     

Cross-shore variation of long-term average longshore current velocity in the nearshore zone

The cross-shore variation of long-term average longshore current velocity was investigated on the basis of a 15-year data set of longshore current, wave and wind. The longshore current velocities were measured once a day along a 427-m-long pier. The results show that the direction of the long-term average longshore current velocity away (>200 m) from the shore was the opposite to that near the shore. The southward current was dominant offshore, whereas the northward current was dominant near the shore. The cross-shore variation of the long-term average longshore current velocity was formed owing to a difference between the wave and wind conditions when the northward and southward currents developed. When the northward current developed, the offshore wave height was relatively small and the frequency of the southward wind velocity was almost equal to that of the northward one. As a result, the northward current developed only near the shore and decayed outside the narrow surf zone. On the other hand, when the southward current developed, the offshore wave height was relatively large and the southward wind velocity was predominant, which resulted in the southward current developing not only in the wide surf zone but also outside the surf zone. The superposition of the two cross-shore variations produced a cross-shore variation of the long-term average longshore current velocity with a northward velocity near the shore and a southward velocity away from the shore.     

Extreme wave event along the Guyana coastline in October 2005

The objective of the research is to analyze in detail the causes and consequences of the unusual event at the coast of Guyana (South America) during October 16–19, 2005. Several sea defense structures were damaged and flooding of low-lying areas occurred. A data analysis of offshore wave and water level characteristics shows an abrupt change in wave direction from east to almost north on October 16, 2005 and a sudden increase in the offshore peak period up to extreme values. The offshore significant wave height was also relatively high, and these wave characteristics coincided with springtide conditions. The long-wave periods and the sharp transition in wave direction indicate that this event is associated with swell waves generated by a depression far away. An analysis of hurricanes and depressions reveals that a severe depression in the Northern Atlantic Ocean during October 11–15 was the origin of this swell event. Numerical computations with SWAN have been carried out to investigate the propagation of the offshore wave characteristics towards the shoreline. The SWAN model includes wave damping due to the presence of soft mud deposits. A calibration of the parameters has been carried out using joint offshore and onshore wave data from November 2006. The numerical simulations of the event in October 2005 clearly demonstrate that the mud banks damp the wave heights, but have almost no effect on the peak period. The resulting waves at the steep sea walls can be classified as surging waves causing severe runup and overtopping. The obtained insights are translated into practical recommendations for the Guyana Sea and River Defence Division in Guyana to build a sustainable management and maintenance of the sea defenses in the future.     

Ventifacts and wind-abraded rock features in the Taylor Valley, Antarctica

An area north of Lake Fryxell in the Taylor Valley, Antarctica, was surveyed to determine the frequency of occurrence of rocks that show strong evidence of wind abrasion and ventifaction, which is defined here as rocks having well-developed faceting, to define their relative abundance in this area of the ice-free McMurdo Dry Valley system and to provide an indication of the role of wind as a geomorphic agent in this area. The orientation of abrasion-caused features (facets, keels, and grooves) with respect to the present day wind regime is also described. Rocks were examined on five linear transects ranging from 300 to 510 m in length. A total of 1324 rocks were examined. On average, 60% of all rocks exhibited distinct wind abrasion features with polish being the most common feature and polished rocks were distributed equally between survey lines, suggesting abrasion was ubiquitous in the study area. Approximately 4% of the rocks had distinct facets and/or keels, and fine-grained ultramafic peridotite-type rocks produced the most finely-featured forms (i.e., sharp facet edges and keels). A larger percentage, ≈ 12.5%, had grooves. Grooves were typically associated with a tabular form of mafic diabase-type igneous rock. The distribution of faceted ventifacts and grooved rocks was not uniform for the five transects, suggesting that the distribution mechanism for the surface rocks and the source areas determined, to a large extent, what form of ventifact could be produced at a location. The orientation of the grooves and dip directions of the facets indicates the direction of the abrasive winds had a strong westerly component, which coincides with the modern wind regime of winter katabatic flows that move down valley toward the Ross Sea. The orientation of the facets and grooves suggests that the rate of formation of the ventifacts proceeds at a pace greater than other surficial processes (e.g., down-slope soil movement, cryoturbation), which should tend to remove trends in the facet and groove orientations, or that the down-slope movement of the surface is approximately perpendicular to the wind allowing preservation of the alignment.     

Numerical Modelling Of Turbulent Airflow Over Water Waves

A nonlinear numerical model is developed for turbulent boundary-layer flowover a train of water waves of finite amplitude or slope. The airflow isassumed to be steady, two-dimensional, and neutrally-stratified. The wavesurface is assumed to be aerodynamically rough and flow conditions at thewave surface are prescribed. The numerical model used in this study adoptsthree turbulence closure schemes with different degrees of physicalcompleteness. Two of these are second-order schemes, whichare believed to describe turbulent flow more completely than thesimpler closures used in most previous studies. Although models with all turbulence closures agree qualitatively in the prediction of the amplitude of the surface normal stress perturbation, the lower- and higher-order closures differ significantly in predictions of phase, and hence the form drag and energy transfer rate between wind and waves. Our model results are in reasonable agreement with field and laboratory measurements, although predicted energy transfer rates are generally at the low end of the range of experimental values. Cases with airflow at various angles to the wave direction are also considered.     

多普勒雷达风场反演VAP方法的资料预处理

在分析了三类单多普勒雷达反演风场方法的基础上, 认为VAP方法是近期内可望在业务中应用的方法, 并指出VAP方法的关键是能否将原始资料中的中-U及以上尺度的风场信息过滤出来, 以消除中-V尺度以下风场信息对反演结果的影响.为此提出了二维区域滑动低通滤波方法对资料进行预处理.此外还对VAP方法的风速计算公式进行了改进以减小计算误差.     

鲅鱼圈地区污染气象特征分析

利用近3a的鲅鱼圈地区地面常规气象资料和2005年3～4月鲅鱼圈地区低空污染气象探测资料,分析了鲅鱼圈地区低空污染气象特征。结果表明:鲅鱼圈地区各类型风速廓线出现频率比较均匀,而且由于地面粗糙度较大,因此风速廓线指数比平原地区稍大。     

沙尘天气频率与相关气象因子的关系

基于北京及其周边14个国家基本气象站1971—2000年气象资料的相关分析,指出风速、相对湿度是影响沙尘天气的关键气象因子,用这两个气象因子构建了月沙尘气象指数。月沙尘气象指数与沙尘天气频率具有较一致的周期性,沙尘天气日的沙尘气象指数是非沙尘日指数的倍数关系。另外,根据月沙尘气象指数在不同月份的分布特征,给出了相应的季节性气象指数计算方法,对14个站计算的结果显示,季节性气象指数与沙尘天气频率有很好的线性关系,这种线性关系具有明显的区域特征。     

石家庄大气污染与沙尘天气的关系分析

利用2002—2006年石家庄市逐时气象资料和环境监测资料,分析了8次典型沙尘天气对空气污染的影响。结果表明:沙尘天气的首要污染物均是可吸入颗粒物,春季中度以上污染日平均出现在沙尘日当日或次日;造成石家庄沙尘天气污染源分外来型、本地型以及二者共同影响型3种;其中,本地型沙尘污染多受冷锋影响,PM10浓度与风速呈正相关。而外来型污染多处于弱气压场控制,PM10浓度与南风呈反相关,而当风向转偏北时则利于污染物积累。