Circulation and Brackish Water Dispersal in a Coastal Lagoon of Southwest Taiwan

Modest observations and numerical experiments were conducted to investigate circulation and brackish water dispersal in a coastal lagoon southwest of Taiwan. The Chi-Ku Lagoon, partially shielded from the sea by a string of sandbar barriers with two entrances among them, receives modest and episodic runoff from Chi-Ku Stream. Flood and ebb tidal streams entering and leaving the two entrances are found to converge and diverge in a flow stagnation area inside the lagoon. Under weak wind conditions, brackish water is preferentially retained in the flow stagnation area. Besides the observations, scenario runs using a three-dimensional numerical model also indicate strong modulation by monsoon winds. Both summer southwest monsoon and winter northeast monsoon reduce brackish water retention; the latter is found to be more effective. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A new efficient 3D non-hydrostatic free-surface flow model for simulating water wave motions

A new three-dimensional, non-hydrostatic free surface flow model is presented. For simulating water wave motions over uneven bottoms, the model employs an explicit project method on a Cartesian the staggered gird system to solve the complete three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations. A bi-conjugated gradient method with a pre-conditioning procedure is used to solve the resulting matrix system. The model is capable of resolving non-hydrostatic pressure by incorporating the integral method of the top-layer pressure treatment, and predicting wave propagation and interaction over irregular bottom by including a partial bottom-cell treatment. Four examples of surface wave propagation are used to demonstrate the capability of the model. Using a small of vertical layers (e.g. 2–3 layers), it is shown that the model could effectively and accurately resolve wave shoaling, non-linearity, dispersion, fission, refraction, and diffraction phenomena.     

Application of a two-dimensional depth-averaged hydrodynamic tidal model

A two-dimensional hydrodynamic model application to the San Francisco Bay was performed using the Boundary-Fitted HYDROdynamic model (BFHYDRO). The model forcing functions consist of tidal elevations along the open boundary and fresh water flows from the Delta Outflow. The model-predicted surface elevations compare well with the observed surface elevations at five stations in San Francisco Bay. Mean error in the model predicted surface elevations and currents are less than 7 and 9%, respectively. Correlation coefficients for surface elevations and currents are higher than 0.94 and 0.95, respectively. The amplitudes and phases of the principal tidal constituents at 24 tidal stations in San Francisco Bay, obtained from a harmonic analysis of a 90-day simulation compare well with the observed data. The predicted amplitude and phase of the M₂ tidal constituent at these stations are respectively within 8 cm and 8° of the observed data. Maximum errors in the K₁ harmonic amplitudes and phases are less than 3 cm and 7° respectively. The asymmetric diurnal and semi-diurnal tidal ranges and spring and neap tidal cycles of the surface elevations and currents are well reproduced in the model at all stations.     

A Sensitivity Analysis of the Waterline Method of Constructing a Digital Elevation Model for Intertidal Areas in ERS SAR scene of Eastern England

A sensitivity analysis of the waterline method of constructing a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) of an intertidal zone using remote sensing and hydrodynamic modelling is described. Variation in vertical height accuracy as a function of beach slope is investigated using a set of nine ERS Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images of the Humber/Wash area on the English east coast acquired between 1992 and 1994. Waterlines from these images are heighted using a hydrodynamic tide-surge model and interpolated using block kriging. On 1:500 slope beaches, an average block height estimation standard deviation of 18–22 cm is achieved. This rises to 27 cm on 1:100 slope beaches, and 32 cm on 1:30 slope beaches. The average heighting error at different slopes is decomposed into components due to waterline heighting error, inadequate sensor resolution and interpolation inaccuracy. It is shown that, at 1:500 slope, waterline heighting error and interpolation inaccuracy are the main error sources, whilst at 1:30 slope, errors due to inadequate sensor resolution become dominant. The ability of the technique to generate intertidal DEMs for almost the entire coastal zone in a complete ERS SAR scene covering 100×100 km is demonstrated.     

The DNA de-methylating agent 5-azacytidine does not restore CYP1A induction in PCB resistant Newark Bay killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus)

Newark Bay (NB) killifish (Fundulus heteroclitus) have been chronically exposed to environmental contaminants that activate the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) and are tolerant to toxic effects and CYP1A induction provoked by AHR ligands. Resistance to CYP1A induction could be due to an epigenetic mechanism such as DNA methylation. We measured in-ovo CYP1A catalytic activity (ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase, EROD) in NB and reference site killifish embryos aqueously exposed to various concentrations of the de-methylating agent 5-azacytidine, 5-AC (5, 50 and 500 μ(micro)M) with or without 0.2 μ(micro)g/l of the CYP1A inducer 3,3^′,4,4^′,5 pentachlorobiphenyl (IUPAC PCB126). Neither PCB126 alone, nor PCB126 plus 5-AC, induced EROD above levels in vehicle treated Newark Bay fish. In reference site fish, the same PCB126 dose provoked a 7.4-fold EROD induction relative to controls. We conclude that Newark Bay killifish are resistant to CYP1A induction by co-planar PCBs during early embryological development and our data suggests that DNA methylation does not play a critical role in resistance to CYP1A induction in this model.     

潜艇疲劳载荷的概率模型

探讨了建立潜艇疲劳载荷概率模型的方法，引入了正态分布和两参数威布尔分布两种概率模型。两参数威布尔分布较适合于用来描述潜艇下潜深度分布的概率特征。可根据潜艇的设计参数、任务及航行区域等因素来选取最可能的分布形式获得潜深分布密度函数。潜艇疲劳热点部位的应力(应变)幅值分布，可由应力(应变)和潜深的关系通过相应的变换得到。     

Structural modeling and testing of a concrete canoe

A finite element model is set up and experimental tests are performed to help understand the behavior of a concrete canoe and subsequently optimize its design. First, the performance criteria that must be satisfied to participate at the annual ASCE/Master Builders competition are described. Then, the finite element model and the different loading cases that were studied are presented. Results from these loading cases are discussed and used to optimize the material properties as well as the thickness of the hull and the dimensions of the gunwale and reinforcing ribs. Static and dynamic experimental tests were also conducted to validate the results of the finite element analyses. The results indicate that the main stresses and strains are caused by the static load cases. The additional stresses caused during races are small.     

渤、黄、东海内潮的数值模拟

在全球的海洋中,中国东海和临近海域是最显著的内潮生成地之一。本文采用NODC(Levitus) World Ocean Atlas 1998提供的季平均温、盐资料,计算海水的密度,并计算垂向密度梯度的最大值点,得到一个较符合海水实际的密度分层。使用三维非线性数值模型(将海洋分为2层)研究了潮汐(M2,S2,K1,O1分潮)作用下渤黄东海的内潮,揭示了整个海区内潮起伏的空间分布,结果发现大振幅的波动均发生在台湾东北(冲绳海槽)海域和中国近海地形突变之处,其中前者更显著。对于各分潮模拟得到的表面潮与TOPEX/Poseidon高度计资料基本一致。研究结果表明上层海水的深度和厚度的梯度对内潮有一定的影响;冬季分布区域比夏季小,强度比夏季大。