Estimation of mean and extreme waves in the East China Seas

Accurately estimating the mean and extreme wave statistics and better understanding their directional and seasonal variations are of great importance in the planning and designing of ocean and coastal engineering works. Due to the lack of long-term wave measurement data, the analysis of extreme waves is often based on the numerical wave hind-casting results. In this study, the wave climate in the East China Seas (including the Bohai Sea, the Yellow Sea and the East China Sea) for the past 35 years (1979–2013) is hind-casted using a third generation wave model – WAMC4 (Cycle 4 version of WAM model). Two sets of reanalysis wind data from NCEP (National Centers for Environmental Prediction, USA) and ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts) are used to drive the wave model to generate the long-term wave climate. The hind-casted waves are then analysed to study the mean and extreme wave statistics in the study area. The results show that the mean wave heights decrease from south to north and from sea to land in general. The extreme wave heights with return periods of 50 and 100 years in the summer and autumn seasons are significantly higher than those in the other two seasons, mainly due to the effect of typhoon events. The mean wave heights in the winter season have the highest values, mainly due to the effect of winter monsoon winds. The comparison of extreme wave statistics from both wind fields with the field measurements at several nearshore wave observation stations shows that the extreme waves generated by the ECMWF winds are better than those generated by the NCEP winds. The comparison also shows the extreme waves in deep waters are better reproduced than those in shallow waters, which is partly attributed to the limitations of the wave model used. The results presented in this paper provide useful insight into the wave climate in the area of the East China Seas, as well as the effect of wind data resolution on the simulation of long-term waves.     

PM10 Source Apportionment in Ahvaz,Iran, Using Positive Matrix Factorization

Source apportionment of particulate matter <10 µm in diameter (PM₁₀), having considerable impacts on human health and the environment, is of high priority in air quality management. The present study, therefore, aimed at identifying the potential sources of PM₁₀ in an arid area of Ahvaz located in southwest of Iran. For this purpose, we collected 24‐h PM₁₀ samples by a high volume air sampler. The samples were then analyzed for their elemental (Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, Pb, Se, Si, Sn, Sr, Li, Ti, V, Zn, Mo, and Sb) and ionic (NH, Cl^?, NO, and SO) components using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry and ion chromatography instruments, respectively. Eight factors were identified by positive matrix factorization: crustal dust (41.5%), road dust (5.5%), motor vehicles (11.5%), marine aerosol (8.0%), secondary aerosol (9.5%), metallurgical plants (6.0%), petrochemical industries and fossil fuel combustion (13.0%), and vegetative burning (5.0%). Result of this study suggested that the natural sources contribute most to PM₁₀ particles in the area, followed closely by the anthropogenic sources.     

前期风场控制的太湖北部湖湾水动力及对蓝藻水华影响

为明确前期风场对太湖北部湖湾水动力及蓝藻水华分布的影响,对2008年9月梅梁湾及贡湖湾水文、水质及气象开展了同步观测,结果表明:受前期东北风影响,梅梁湾及贡湖湾表层、中层及底层湖流流向均顺风向自湾内流向湾外,两个湖湾均不存在补偿流.表层湖流对风场变化响应敏感,而中场及底层流场对风场变化响应存在显著滞时.在偏南风作用下,梅梁湾表层湖流能快速形成顺时针环流.在偏西风作用下,贡湖湾表层湖流流向虽未发生偏转,但是湖流流速显著减小并导致流速沿水体垂向呈递增分布.观测期间水动力强度对太湖北部湖区叶绿素a浓度垂向分层及蓝藻水华水平漂移均具有重要影响.在水动力滞缓水域,蓝藻水华易在水表发生漂移堆积.在水动力强度较大水域,强烈的垂向混合作用能使蓝藻沿水深方向混合均匀,降低水华暴发风险.相对于水动力条件,营养盐对叶绿素a浓度空间分布的影响较弱.     

利用Himawari-8高频次监测太湖蓝藻水华动态

新一代静止气象卫星Himawari-8以其10 min/次的高观测频次,为连续动态监测蓝藻水华提供了有力的数据支持.基于太湖实地光谱测量资料,提出Himawari-8卫星资料太湖蓝藻水华动态监测方法.以2015年10月2日蓝藻水华发生过程为例,利用连续、多时次Himawari-8资料,动态监测了太湖蓝藻水华的发展变化,分析蓝藻水华的出现、发展和消失,计算蓝藻水华强度的动态变化,认识蓝藻水华程度及变化特征,估算蓝藻水华的动态变化速度.上述分析为研究蓝藻水华的生长消亡过程提供了支持.进一步探讨蓝藻水华动态变化与气象要素的关系,发现在相同的温湿条件下,风场对蓝藻水华的形成、运动和消失有直接的驱动作用.     

Research on wind-induced responses of a large-scale membrane structure

The wind-induced responses of a large-scale membrane structure, Expo Boulevard, are evaluated in this study. To obtain the wind pressure distribution on the roof surface, a wind tunnel test is performed. A brief analysis of wind pressure on the membrane roof is conducted first and then an analysis of the wind-induced responses of the structure is carried out using a numerical integral method in the time domain. In the process of calculation, the geometrical nonlinearity is taken into account. Results indicate that mean, RSM and peak values of the structure responses increase nonlinearly while the approaching flow velocity increases. Strong nonlinear characteristics are observed in the displacement responses, whereas the responses of nodal stress and cable axial force show minimal nonlinear properties when the membrane structure is subjected to wind loads. Different values of the damping ratio only have a minimal impact on the RSM response of the structure because the background component is a dominant part of the total dynamic response and the resonant component is too small. As the damping ratio increases from 0.02 to 0.05, the RMS responses of vertical displacement, nodal stress and cable axial force decrease by 8.1%, 6.7% and 17.9%, respectively. Since the mean component plays a significant role in the wind-induced response, the values of the gust response factor are not high for Expo Boulevard.     

1003号台风“灿都”风暴潮特征分析与模拟

根据粤西沿海4个海洋站潮位资料分析、讨论了“灿都”台风风暴潮特征:利用改进的Jelesnianski风场,并采用耦合天文潮模拟与非耦合天文潮两种方案,对1003号台风“灿都”进行模拟、分析,模拟结果显示:在改进的杰氏风场驱动下,两种预报结果误差都比较小,但耦合天文潮预报结果优于非耦合天文潮预报结果.     

Geophysical Model Function for Wind Speed Retrieval from SARAL/AltiKa

With the launch of SARAL/AltiKa altimeter, efforts have been made to develop wind speed retrieval algorithms. Here we present two algorithms for estimating and validating wind speed from AltiKa. The first method is based on a theoretical Geophysical Model Function (GMF) using forward model simulations for Ka band specifications. The second is the model function developed using the matched database of input and output vectors of Normalized Radar Cross Section (NRCS) from AltiKa and wind speed measurements from concurrent Jason-2 altimeters. Since the NRCS depends on both the surface roughness due to surface wind speed and on mean square slope of the surfaces, the significant wave height is used along with wind speed for model development as an proxy variable. Both the theoretical and empirical GMFs are evaluated for retrieval of wind speed from AltiKa and validated with NDBC buoys data. The empirical model provide wind speed retrieval accuracy of 1.4 m/s. The accuracy of wind retrievals from theoretical model is also in the similar range (1.6 m/s), indicating the sound physical basis applicable for the future altimeters with various incidence angles. The retrieved wind speed is applied for various case studies, bringing out all the regional and global features quite well.     

Development and application of an operational tide and storm surge prediction model for the seas around Taiwan

Storm surges are abnormal rises in sea level along coastal areas and are mainly formed by strong wind and atmospheric depressions.When storm surges coincide with high tide,coastal flooding can occur.Creating storm surge prediction systems has been an important and operational task worldwide.This study developed a coupled tide and storm surge numerical model of the seas around Taiwan for operational purposes at the Central Weather Bureau.The model was calibrated and verified by using tidal records from seas around Taiwan.Model skill was assessed based on measured records,and the results are presented in details.At 3-minute resolution,tides were generally well predicted,with the root mean-square errors of less than 0.11 m and an overall correlation of more than 0.9.Storms(winds and depressions) were introduced into the model forcing by using the parameter typhoon model.Five typical typhoons that threatened Taiwan were simulated for assessment.The surges were well predicted compared with the records.     

A GIS-based step-wise procedure for assessing physical exposure in fragmented archipelagos

Wind and waves are major forces affecting the geomorphology and biota in coastal areas. We present a generally applicable method for measuring and calculating fetch length, fetch direction and wave exposure. Fetch length and direction, measured by geographic information system-based methods, are used along with wind direction and wind speed data to estimate wave height and period by applying forecasting curves. The apparent power of waves approaching the shore, used as a proxy for wave exposure, is then calculated by a linear wave model. We demonstrate our method by calculating fetch lengths and wave exposure indices for five areas with varying exposure levels and types of meteorological conditions in the Finnish Archipelago Sea, situated in the northern Baltic Sea. This method is a rapid and accurate means of estimating exposure, and is especially applicable in areas with geomorphologically varying and complicated shorelines. We expect that our method will be useful in several fields, such as basic biogeographical and biodiversity research, as well as coastal land-use planning and management.     

海气动量通量研究综述

海气界面动量通量也称为风应力,是海流和表面海浪的主要驱动力,是海洋从大气获得动量的重要途径。因此,合理可靠的海洋表面风应力的参数化对于海洋、大气和波浪以及气候模式的准确预报都具有非常重要的科学意义和实用价值。对风应力拖曳系数的参数化是风应力参数化的主要内容。近来的观测发现,风应力拖曳系数随着风速的增加出现了先增后减的趋势,同时还与海面的波浪状态以及海流有关。基于观测或理论分析,目前已经得到了一系列的风应力拖曳系数计算方法或公式,有的考虑了海浪的作用,有的没有,但这些方案大都是适合中低风速,在高风速下的适用性还有待检验。本文回顾了目前在海气动量通量观测和参数化方面的研究进展,并建议应增加高风速下风速、海流以及海浪等的同步观测,以进一步完善风应力参数化方案。