Dicroerisma (Actiniscales, Dinophyceae) in the open Pacific Ocean, a gymnodinioid dinoflagellate with an endoskeleton

This study is the first to describe and illustrate the dinoflagellate genus Dicroerisma in the open Pacific Sea and in the southern hemisphere.Eleven individuals ascribed to Dicroerisma psilonereiella were encountered in subsurface waters(>70 m depth) from 34°N to 33°S.Another specimen that differs from the type is also illustrated.These findings reveal that Dicroerisma is a widespread genus and that there is tentative existence of another species within the genus.     

西太平洋暖池热含量变化与东亚冬季风关系

利用 1955-2003 年 NCEP\NCAR 再分析资料和美国 Scripps 海洋研究所环境数据分析中心 ( JEDAC ) 提供的冬季热含量资料,采用小波分析、相关及合成分析等方法, 分析了西太平洋暖池热含量变化特征及其与东亚冬季风关系.结果表明,西太平洋暖池热含量与东亚冬季风有着非常密切的联系,当西太平洋暖池热含量异常偏高时,对流层低层在菲律宾及以东洋面形成一个异常的气旋性环流,中国大陆上空形成一个异常的反气旋性环流,从而使得东亚冬季风在东南区加强,西北区减弱.     

影响山东热带气旋活动的气候特征与太平洋海温的关系

利用1949～2003年热带气旋年鉴资料,对55年来影响山东热带气旋(TC)活动的气候特征与太平洋海温的关系进行了分析.结果表明:(1)在厄尔尼诺年,影响山东的TC频数较常年明显偏少.厄尔尼诺次年TC频数较常年稍有增加;拉尼娜年影响山东的TC频数较常年显著偏多,增加明显的月份主要是8月和9月,拉尼娜次年,影响山东TC频数偏少.厄尔尼诺事件强度越大,影响山东的TC频数越少;(2)影响山东的TC数和菲律宾以东洋面的海温呈正相关,并具有很好的持续性.影响山东的TC多年,赤道中东太平洋有较强的负距平区,影响山东的TC少年,赤道中东太平洋为正距平区;(3)厄尔尼诺年,影响山东的TC强度偏强.拉尼娜年,影响山东的TC强度明显偏弱.影响山东的TC强度厄尔尼诺年要比拉尼娜年强很多;(4)影响山东TC偏强年在赤道中东太平洋有较强的正距平区,影响山东TC偏弱年在赤道中东太平洋地区有较强的负距平.综上说明赤道中东太平洋的海温高低对影响山东的TC频数和强度有较好的指示作用.     

5月南极涛动对青藏高原西部夏季气温影响的诊断分析

青藏高原是全球气候变暖最敏感的地区之一,是北半球夏季最大的热源,其气候响应受到广泛关注。然而,有关南极涛动与青藏高原夏季气温的关系和机理知之甚少。为了研究南极涛动与青藏高原夏季气温的关系,基于1979—2020年英国东安哥拉大学气候研究中心（CRU）的逐月气温、美国国家海洋和大气管理局（NOAA）的逐月海表面温度和大气环流再分析数据以及南极涛动指数等数据,采用相关、回归、合成分析等方法进行研究。结果表明,北半球夏季青藏高原西部气温与5月南极涛动存在显著负相关,即当5月南极涛动异常偏弱时,夏季青藏高原西部气温异常偏高。其影响过程为,南极涛动为正位相时,在南印度洋中高纬地区出现“负-正-负”的经向“三极子”海温模态,该模态可持续到夏季,在印度洋形成异常的纬向-垂直环流,相应在热带西印度洋和东印度洋-海洋性大陆之间的降水异常导致热带正“偶极子”降水模态,通过该降水模态在青藏高原西部引起异常反气旋环流和下沉运动,有利于高原西部气温偏高。研究结果显示,海洋的热惯性在“延长”南极涛动影响过程中起着重要的桥梁作用,可为青藏高原夏季气温预测提供科学依据。     

Characteristics of tropical cyclones making landfall on the Pacific coast of Mexico: 1970-2010

This study evaluates impacts from tropical cyclone (TC) landfalls on populated areas located along the Pacific Ocean coast of Mexico. The period of interest is from 1970 through 2010 and an international disaster database is used to identify the impact from the landfalling TCs. More than 30 landfall events occurred during the period; we examined the top 25 TCs based on rainfall accumulation, as well as the top 10 TC-related disasters based on the affected population. Each event resulted in affected population from 20 000 to more than 800 000. Strong winds and heavy rainfall, during periods of one to three days, are associated with property damage and loss of lives. Our results indicate that excessive rainfall accumulations and daily rates, over highly populated areas, are important elements associated with the occurrence of disasters. Six of the top 10 TC-related disasters occurred during El Niño and three during neutral conditions; however, looking at the top 25 events, 10 occurred during El Niño and 10 during neutral conditions. Three case studies that occurred during El Niño events (Liza in 1976, Pauline in 1997, and Lane in 2006) are documented in more detail as they affected areas with different population densities in the southern and northwestern coasts of Mexico.     

Long-chain alkenones and U37′ variability along a south–north transect in the Western Pacific Ocean

In this paper, we present 50 surface water samples collected during the IMAGES III cruise (June–July 1997) along a transect from New Zealand to the China Sea (42°S–178°E, 21°N–120°E) covering a temperature range from 13.3 to 30.4 °C. A very worthwhile aspect of this study is a coupling of both biomarker (alkenone) and coccolithophorid counting. We show that the U₃₇^k′–temperature relationship is very similar to the Prahl et al. [Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 52 (1988) 2203] culture calibration and to the global core top calibration of Müller et al. [Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 62 (1998) 1757]. However, in the warmest surface waters of the Western Pacific ocean (>26.4 °C) where Gephyrocapsa oceanica is likely the most widespread species, the associated U₃₇^k′ has a constant value of 1.0. The consequence is that above this temperature threshold, U₃₇^k′ cannot be used as an accurate paleothermometer.     

热带大气季节内振荡和ENSO的相互关系

通过观测资料的分析和数值模拟,研究了热带大气季节内振荡与ＥＮＳＯ的相互关系．一方面,在Ｅ１Ｎｉｎｏ事件发生之前,热带大气季节内振荡（尤其是在赤道中西太平洋地区）异常偏强,通过海一气相互作用它可能是Ｅ１Ｎｉｎｏ的一种重要激发机制．同时,赤道中西太平洋地区大气季节内振荡的异常加强同东亚中高纬度地区３０—６０天振荡的加强和强东亚冬季风有关．另一方面,ＥＮＳＯ对热带大气季节内振荡也有重要影响,在Ｅ１Ｎｉｎｏ期间,热带大气季节内振荡明显减弱;其结构明显趋于正压性．     

Linking the northern hemisphere sea-ice reduction trend and the quasi-decadal arctic sea-ice oscillation

The nature of the reduction trend and quasi-decadal oscillation in Northern Hemisphere sea-ice extent is investigated. The trend and oscillation that seem to be two separate phenomena have been found in data. This study examines a hypothesis that the Arctic sea-ice reduction trend in the last three decades amplified the quasi-decadal Arctic sea-ice oscillation (ASIO) due to a positive ice/ocean-albedo feedback, based on data analysis and a conceptual model proposed by Ikeda et al. The theoretical, conceptual model predicts that the quasi-decadal oscillation is amplified by the thinning sea-ice, leading to the ASIO, which is driven by the strong positive feedback between the atmosphere and ice-ocean systems. Such oscillation is predicted to be out-of-phase between the Arctic Basin and the Nordic Seas with a phase difference of 3/4, with the Nordic Seas leading the Arctic. The wavelet analysis of the sea ice data reveals that the quasi-decadal ASIO occurred actively since the 1970s following the trend starting in the 1960s (i.e., as sea-ice became thinner and thinner), as the atmosphere experienced quasi-decadal oscillations during the last century. The wavelet analysis also confirms the prediction of such out-of-phase feature between these two basins, which varied from 0.62 in 1960 to 0.25 in 1995. Furthermore, a coupled ice-ocean general circulation model (GCM) was used to simulate two scenarios, one without the greenhouse gas warming and the other having realistic atmospheric forcing along with the warming that leads to sea-ice reduction trend. The quasi-decadal ASIO is excited in the latter case compared to the no-warming case. The wavelet analyses of the simulated ice volume were also conducted to derive decadal ASIO and similar phase relationship between the Arctic Ocean and the Nordic Seas. An independent data source was used to confirm such decadal oscillation in the upper layer (or freshwater) thickness, which is consistent with the model simulation. A modified feedback loop for the sea-ice trend and ASIO was proposed based on the previous one by Mysak and Venegas and the ice/albedo and cloud/albedo feedabcks, which are responsible for the sea ice reduction trend.     

Global divides: Deconstructing the way we see the world should not be left to senior geography

Terms such as ‘Third World/First World’, ‘Developing/Developed’ are still in common usage despite many commentators and educators signalling that they are inadequate. Using empirical evidence from research in New Zealand, this paper discusses how these dividing terms may be under stress among young people who seek new ways of learning about places and people. In conceptualising the South Pacific, terms like ‘developing world’ may be challenged by young people. Debating these terms at all levels of education is important and should not merely be left to tertiary levels.