Conceptual model about the interaction between El Ni(n)o/ Southern Oscillation and Quasi-Biennial Oscillation in far west equatorial Pacific

Interaction between the Quasi-Biennial Oscillation in far west equatorial Pacific (QBOWP) and the El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is studied using a new conceptual model. In this conceptual model, the QBOWP effects on ENSO are achieved through two ways: (1) the oceanic Kelvin wave along equatorial Pacific, and (2) the Atmospheric Walker Circulation anomaly, while ENSO effects on QBOWP can be accomplished by the atmospheric Walker Circulation anomaly. Diagnosis analysis of the model results shows that the Atmospheric bridge (Walker circulation) plays a more important role in interaction between the ENSO and QBOWP than the oceanic bridge (oceanic Kelvin wave along equatorial Pacific); It is found that by the interaction of the ENSO and QBOWP, a free ENSO oscillation with 3-5 years period could be substituted by a oscillation with the quasi-biennial period, and the dominant period of SST anomaly and wind anomaly in the far west equatorial Pacific tends to be prolonged with enhanced ENSO forcing. Generally, the multi-period variability in the coupled Atmosphere-Ocean System in the Tropical Pacific can be achieved through the interaction between ENSO and QBOWP.     

Age model, physical properties and paleoceanographic implications of the middle Pleistocene core sediments in the Choshi area, central Japan

Abstract   A continuous, well-preserved core was obtained from the Choshi area, on the Pacific side of Japan, to investigate paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic changes around the northwestern Pacific region during the middle Pleistocene. Siliciclastic sequences in the core are divided into five formations – the Obama, Yokone, Kurahashi and Toyosato Formations in the Inubo Group and the Katori Formation, in ascending order. Examination of calcareous nannofossils and magnetic polarities detected four datums in the core sediments of the Inubo Group: the top of Reticulofenestra asanoi , the base of Helicosphaera inversa , the top of Pseudoemiliania lacunosa and the Brunhes–Matuyama boundary. Fourteen marine isotope stages (MIS24–MIS11) were identified in the δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C records based on detected datums and the graphic correlation with the standard stack oxygen isotope curve. Magnetic susceptibility and gamma-ray attenuation porosity evaluator density were also measured and low values characterize the glacial intervals. Biogenic sedimentation by primary production may be larger during the glacial periods because of invasions of nutrient-rich northern surface-waters related to the southward shift of the Kuroshio front in the Choshi area.     

西太平洋海底海山富钴结壳惰性气体同位素组成及其来源

采用高真空气体质谱系统测定了西太平洋麦哲伦海山富钴结壳不同层圈及其基岩的惰性气体丰度和同位素组成,结果显示:(1)西太平洋富钴结壳主要是水成成因,其中惰性气体来源不同,He 绝大多数来自宇宙尘(IDPs),少量来自陆源风成微粒;Ar 主要来自海水溶解的大气,少量来自陆源风成微粒或沉积岩建造水;Ne 和 Xe 主要来自海水中溶解大气, 少量来自宇宙尘;(2)在具三层结构的结壳中,亮煤层(致密层)的惰性气体同位素相对外层和疏松层有较大的不同,显示大洋磷酸岩化对早期沉积的结壳惰性气体组成有较大的影响,如导致~4He 的升高和~3He/~4He 的显著降低;(3)太平洋富钴结壳玄武岩基岩的~3He/~4He 非常低,为0.0095～0.074Ra,与本区磷块岩基岩(0.087Ra)相似,而远低于正常海底玄武岩的~3He/~4He 比值,显示这些基岩曾与富含放射性成因~4He 和 P 的上升洋流或沉积物中建造水发生过水/岩反应,这个过程将释放出较多的成矿元素,有利于富钴结壳的形成,海底海山玄武岩中较低的 He 同位素组成可作为富钴结壳的找矿标志之一。     

两类ENSO事件赤道太平洋次表层海温异常的演变特征

基于美国马里兰大学提供的海洋同化(SODA)月平均资料,用个例和合成分析方法,剖析了两类ENSO事件赤道太平洋海温异常演变特征。结果指出,东部型ENSO事件的初始海温异常源来自赤道西太平洋次表层,海温异常中心沿气候温跃层向东向上传送,至赤道东太平洋表层形成ENSO事件。东部型ENSO冷暖事件互为初始场,在形成某一位相的ENSO事件的过程中也同时为相反位相的ENSO事件准备条件。中部型ENSO事件的初始海温异常源出现在赤道中太平洋次表层,海温异常中心沿气候温跃层向东向上传送至赤道中东太平洋表层形成ENSO事件。中部型ENSO事件多在前次事件减弱中断后出现。     

副高边缘暴雨的多普勒雷达回波特征

利用常规观测资料和多普勒雷达探测资料，对2003-2004年湖南省4次副高边缘暴雨的天气形势和雷达回波特征进行了分析研究。结果表明：4次暴雨过程的副高位置适当，高空有低槽，中低层有低空急流和低涡切变线，地面上有冷锋。在基本反射率图上，低槽暴雨有S-N向的窄带回波特征、冷式切变线暴雨有准W—E向的积层回波特征、暖式切变线有NE—SW向的积层回波特征，但每一次暴雨过程不尽相同。在多普勒速度图上常出现低空急流、冷暖平流、冷锋、逆风区以及高层大风核等特征，并常是几种特征同时出现，有利于强降水产生。     

1999—2003年西北太平洋热带气旋综合预报的误差分析

应用1999—2003年中国中央气象台 (CMO)、日本气象厅 (JMA) 以及美国联合台风警报中心 (JTWC) 发布的西北太平洋热带气旋综合预报资料, 从总误差、逐年误差趋势、不同海区误差、不同路径趋势误差、不同强度趋势误差等5个方面对各预报中心的路径及强度预报结果进行分析, 结果表明:5年总的平均误差以JTWC的路径预报误差最小, 而JMA的强度预报较准确; 在不同海域, 各预报中心的路径预报能力各有优势, 但在热带气旋的强度预报方面, JMA的方法在各海区都较稳定; 对不同路径趋势热带气旋的预报方面, 除了南海转向热带气旋的路径预报比JMA和CMO稍差一些之外, JTWC的路径预报在大多数情况下都是好于或相当于JMA和CMO; 在不同强度变化趋势热带气旋的预报方面, JTWC在大多数情况下都优于其他中心。上述结果帮助业务和科技人员全面了解各预报中心的预报能力优劣, 也为今后改进我国的热带气旋预报提供有益的参考。     

Interannual Thermocline Signals and El Nio-La Nia Turnabout in the Tropical Pacific Ocean

One of the fundamental questions concerning the nature and prediction of the oceanic states in the equatorial eastern Pacific is how the turnabout from a cold water state (La Nina) to a warm water state (El Nino) takes place, and vice versa. Recent studies show that this turnabout is directly linked to the interannual thermocline variations in the tropical Pacific Ocean basin. An index, as an indicator and precursor to describe interannual thermocline variations and the turnabout of oceanic states in our previous paper (Qian and Hu, 2005), is also used in this study. The index, which shows the maximum subsurface temperature anomaly (MSTA), is derived from the monthly 21-year (1980-2000) expendable XBT dataset in the present study. Results show that the MSTA can be used as a precursor for the occurrences of El Nino (or La Nina) events. The subsequent analyses of the MSTA propagations in the tropical Pacific suggest a one-year potential predictability for El Nino and La Nina events by identifying ocean temperature anomalies in the thermocline of the western Pacific Ocean. It also suggests that a closed route cycle with the strongest signal propagation is identified only in the tropical North Pacific Ocean. A positive (or negative) MSTA signal may travel from the western equatorial Pacific to the eastern equatorial Pacific with the strongest signal along the equator. This signal turns northward along the tropical eastern boundary of the basin and then moves westward along the north side of off-equator around 16°N. Finally, the signal returns toward the equator along the western boundary of the basin. The turnabout time from an El Nino event to a La Nina event in the eastern equatorial Pacific depends critically on the speed of the signal traveling along the closed route, and it usually needs about 4 years. This finding may help to predict the occurrence of the El Nino or La Nina event at least one year in advance.     

Modeling the length of day and extrapolating the rotation of the Earth

The stochastic behavior of the length of day (LOD) process is analyzed and is modeled within statistical accuracy on a time-scale ranging from weeks to millennia by a three-component model comprising a global Brownian motion process, decadal fluctuations, and a 50-day Madden–Julian oscillation. While the model is intended to be phenomenological, some possible physical models underlying the three components are speculated upon. The model is applied to estimate long-range extrapolation errors. For example, it predicts a standard error of 1 h in the clock-time correction ΔT for extrapolation by 1,500 years from 500 to 2000 BC.     

Link between SSZ ophiolite formation, emplacement and arc inception, Northland, New Zealand: U–Pb SHRIMP constraints; Cenozoic SW Pacific tectonic implications

New U–Pb age-data from zircons separated from a Northland ophiolite gabbro yield a mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U age of 31.6 ± 0.2 Ma, providing support for a recently determined 28.3 ± 0.2 Ma SHRIMP age of an associated plagiogranite and  29–26 Ma ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages (n = 9) of basalts of the ophiolite. Elsewhere, Miocene arc-related calc-alkaline andesite dikes which intrude the ophiolitic rocks contain zircons which yield mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages of 20.1 ± 0.2 and 19.8 ± 0.2 Ma. The ophiolite gabbro and the andesites both contain rare inherited zircons ranging from 122–104 Ma. The Early Cretaceous zircons in the arc andesites are interpreted as xenocrysts from the Mt. Camel basement terrane through which magmas of the Northland Miocene arc lavas erupted. The inherited zircons in the ophiolite gabbros suggest that a small fraction of this basement was introduced into the suboceanic mantle by subduction and mixed with mantle melts during ophiolite formation.

We postulate that the tholeiitic suite of the ophiolite represents the crustal segment of SSZ lithosphere (SSZL) generated in the southern South Fiji Basin (SFB) at a northeast-dipping subduction zone that was initiated at about 35 Ma. The subduction zone nucleated along a pre-existing transform boundary separating circa 45–20 Ma oceanic lithosphere to the north and west of the Northland Peninsula from nascent back arc basin lithosphere of the SFB. Construction of the SSZL propagated southward along the transform boundary as the SFB continued to unzip to the southeast. After subduction of a large portion of oceanic lithosphere by about 26 Ma and collision of the SSZL with New Zealand, compression between the Australian Plate and the Pacific Plate was taken up along a new southwest-dipping subduction zone behind the SSZL. Renewed volcanism began in the oceanic forearc at 25 Ma producing boninitic-like, SSZ and within-plate alkalic and calc-alkaline rocks. Rocks of these types temporally overlap ophiolite emplacement and subsequent Miocene continental arc construction.     

再论岩石圈地幔蘑菇云构造及其深部成因

根据地球物理资料的分析得到,除了东北吉辽地区太平洋板块向大陆俯冲外,当今中国东部其他地区大陆下都没有俯冲太平洋板块的证据。中生代以来中国东部发生的岩石圈巨变不是太平洋板块向中国大陆的俯冲所造成,而是由于软流圈物质上涌形成蘑菇云构造对岩石圈地幔的改造而引发的重大地质事件。软流圈物质的上涌使岩石圈地幔成为新生地幔与残剩地幔并存的结构,岩石圈被激活,稳定的克拉通地壳褶皱变形,地壳减薄,地震频发,岩浆活动活跃,地面沉降,并形成广袤的西太平洋边缘海。但是岩石圈厚度并未减薄,只是由于岩石圈地幔形成了蘑菇云结构使它的速度降低,与周遍地区的岩石圈结构产生明显差别。蘑菇云地幔发育的地区覆盖整个东南亚西太平洋地区。包括中国东北的中东部、华北的东部、华南的东南缘、马来半岛、印尼、菲律宾、日本海、黄海、东海、南海,加罗林盆地和菲律宾海盆。与这个东南亚西太平洋低速岩石圈地幔相对应,还存在一个巨大的大地椭球面正异常,它应是核幔边界的质量过剩所引起。它与印度洋—西藏地区核幔边界质量亏损引起的负大地椭球面异常孪生,并形成一个控制中国大陆构造的深层动力系统,这个动力系统产生的时代可能为中生代或晚古生代。它们之间的地幔环流造成了东南亚西太平洋岩石圈巨变,并驱动印度板块的北移和青藏高原的隆升。