Deep-circulation flow at mid-latitude in the western North Pacific

Direct current measurements with five moorings at 27–35°N, 165°E from 1991 to 1993 and with one mooring at 27°N, 167°E from 1989 to 1991 revealed temporal variations of deep flow at mid-latitude in the western North Pacific. The deep-circulation flow carrying the Lower Circumpolar Deep Water from the Southern Ocean passed 33°N, 165°E northwestward with a high mean velocity of 7.8 cm s⁻¹ near the bottom and was stable enough to continue for 4–6 months between interruptions of 1- or 2-months duration. The deep-circulation flow expanded or shifted intermittently to the mooring at 31°N, 165°E but did not reach 35°N, 165°E although it shifted northward. The deep-circulation flow was not detected at the other four moorings, whereas meso-scale eddy variations were prominent at all the moorings, particularly at 35°N and 29°N, 165°E. The characteristics of current velocity and dissolved oxygen distributions led us to conclude that the deep-circulation flow takes a cyclonic pathway after passing through Wake Island Passage, passing 24°N, 169.5–173°E and 30°N, 168–169°E northward, proceeds northwestward around 33°N, 165°E, and goes westward through the south of the Shatsky Rise. We did not find that the deep-circulation flow proceeded westward along the northern side of the Mid-Pacific Seamounts and eastward between the Hess Rise and the Hawaiian Ridge toward the Northeast Pacific Basin.     

A discussion on vertical profiles of dissolved Cu,Cd and Ni in the northwestern Pacific, south of Japan

Some of the results about vertical profile of heavy metals of seawater to the south of Japan in Oct. 1990 are presented and discussed in relation to the concentration of dissolved Cu, Cd and Ni to biogeochemical environments. It points out that the distribution of dissolved Cu is higher in surface water than that in/upper 500 m layer, and maxima value attains the 8. 2 n mol/dm3 in depth of 4 000 m. The concentrations of dissolved Ni ranges from 3. 4 n mol/dm3 in surface seawater to 8. 5 n mol/dm3 in the deep to the south of Japan. The highest values are observed in the colder waters. This paper shows also that the vertical profile of dissolved Cd is perfect nutrient-type distribution. And dissolved Cd and Phosphate are linearly correlated by the regression equation. The ·Cd : ·N : ·P atomic ratio is 3. 5 × 10-4 : 14 : 1.     

南太平洋风场时空统计特征分析

南太平洋风场时空统计特征对船舶远洋交通运输、远洋出访、南极考察和科学试验等活动有重要实用价值。本文根据 1 950～ 1 995年共 46a的南太平洋船舶气象报资料 ,按 1°× 1°和5°× 5°网格统计的海面风进行分析研究。通过分析每月风各要素的等值线分布图 ,得出南太平洋风场季节变化特点不如北半球各大洋显著 ,但仍有较明显的季节变化 ,只是季节性差异较小 ,冬季比夏季风强盛 ,相应的平均风速 6级和 8级以上大风频率也较大 ;全年风场基本相似 ,低纬度地区 (2 5°S以北至赤道 )为信风区 ,常年盛行东至东南风 ;2 5°S～ 35°S的广大海域上 ,风力较小 ,风向变化最大 ;40°S以南盛行偏西风 ,风力最强。     

Formation, Distribution and Volume Transport of the North Pacific Intermediate Water Studied by Repeat Hydrographic Observations

In order to examine the formation, distribution and transport of North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW), repeated hydrographic observations along several lines in the western North Pacific were carried out in the period from 1996 to 2001. NPIW formation can be described as follows: (1) Oyashio water extends south of the Subarctic Boundary and meets Kuroshio water in intermediate layers; (2) active mixing between Oyashio and Kuroshio waters occurs in intermediate layers; (3) the mixing of Oyashio and Kuroshio waters and salinity minimum formation around the potential density of 26.8σ_θ proceed to the east. It is found that Kuroshio water flows eastward even in the region north of 40°N across the 165°E line, showing that Kuroshio water extends north of the Subarctic Boundary. Volume transports of Oyashio and Kuroshio components (relative to 2000 dbar) integrated in the potential density range of 26.6–27.4σθ along the Kuroshio Extension across 152°E–165°E are estimated to be 7–8 Sv (10⁶ m³s⁻¹) and 9–10 Sv, respectively, which is consistent with recent work. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Assemblages of phytoplankton pigments along a shipping line through the North Atlantic and tropical Pacific

A set of phytoplankton pigment measurements collected on eight quarterly transects from France to New Caledonia is analyzed in order to identify the main assemblages of phytoplankton and to relate their occurrence to oceanic conditions. Pigment concentrations are first divided by the sum [monovinyl chlorophyll a plus divinyl chlorophyll a] to remove the effect of biomass, and second are normalized to give an equal weight to all pigments. The resulting 17 pigments × 799 observations matrix is then classified into 10 clusters using neural methodology. Eight out of these 10 clusters have a well marked regional or seasonal character, thus evidencing adapted responses of the phytoplankton communities. The main gradient opposes two clusters with high fucoxanthin and chlorophyll c₁₊₂ in the North Atlantic in January, April and July, to three clusters in the South Pacific Subtropical Gyre with high divinyl chlorophyll a, zeaxanthin and phycoerythrin. One of the clusters in the South Pacific Subtropical Gyre has relatively high zeaxanthin and phycoerythrin contents and dominates in November and February (austral summer), while another with relatively high divinyl chlorophylls a and b dominates in May and August (austral winter). The third one in the South Pacific is characterized by high carotene concentration and its occurrence peaks in February and May. In the equatorial current system, one cluster, rich in chlorophylls b and c₁₊₂, is strictly located in a narrow zone centred at the equator, while another with relatively high violaxanthin concentration is restricted to the high nutrient - low chlorophyll waters in only the southern part of the South Equatorial Current. One cluster with relatively high prasinoxanthin content has a spatial distribution spanning the entire South Equatorial Current. Two clusters have a ubiquitous distribution: one in the equatorial Pacific, the Carribbean Sea and the North Atlantic during summer has pigment concentrations close to the average of the entire dataset, and the other in the South Pacific Subtropical Gyre, the Carribbean Sea and the North Atlantic during autumn clearly has an oligotrophic character. Many of the differences between clusters are caused by diagnostic pigments of nano- or picoflagellates. While the space and time characteristics of the clusters are well marked and might correspond to differences in physical and chemical forcing, knowledge of the ecological requirements of these flagellates is generally lacking to explain how the variability of the environment triggers these clusters.     

Seasonal variations of the ocean surface circulation in the vicinity of Palau

The surface circulation in the western equatorial Pacific Ocean is investigated with the aim of describing intra-annual variations near Palau (134°30′ E, 7°30′ N). In situ data and model output from the Ocean Surface Currents Analysis—Real-time, TRIangle Trans-Ocean buoy Network, Naval Research Laboratory Layered Ocean Model and the Joint Archive for Shipboard ADCP are examined and compared. Known major currents and eddies of the western equatorial Pacific are observed and discussed, and previously undocumented features are identified and named (Palau Eddy, Caroline Eddy, Micronesian Eddy). The circulation at Palau follows a seasonal variation aligned with that of the Asian monsoon (December–April; July–October) and is driven by the major circulation features. From December to April, currents around Palau are generally directed northward with speeds of approximately 20 cm/s, influenced by the North Equatorial Counter-Current and the Mindanao Eddy. The current direction turns slightly clockwise through this boreal winter period, due to the northern migration of the Mindanao Eddy. During April–May, the current west of Palau is reduced to 15 cm/s as the Mindanao Eddy weakens. East of Palau, a cyclonic eddy (Palau Eddy) forms producing southward flow of around 25 cm/s. The flow during the period July to September is disordered with no influence from major circulation features. The current is generally northward west of Palau and southward to the east, each with speeds on the order of 5 cm/s. During October, as the Palau Eddy reforms, the southward current to the east of Palau increases to 15 cm/s. During November, the circulation transitions to the north-directed winter regime.     

黑潮弯曲时的北太平洋冬季海温异常对大气低频振荡的影响

利用中科院大气物理研究所开放实验室ＩＡＰ－ＡＧＣＭ（二层大气环流模式），针对黑潮弯曲时的北太平洋冬季表层海温（ＳＳＴ）异常进行八个月的数值积分试验。试验结果表明：黑潮弯曲时北太平洋冬季ＳＳＴ异常对大气低频振荡的影响具有明显的３０－６０ｄ振荡的特征；在北半球的３０－６０ｄ振荡，大部分地区为向西传播，在南半球则为向东传播；其经向传播较为复杂，在１２０°Ｅ剖面上以向南传播为主；热带地区受此ＳＳＴ异常的影响以西太平洋、印度洋大气加热场的３０－６０ｄ振荡为主要标志。     

Abundant seamounts of the Rano Rahi seamount field near the Southern East Pacific Rise, 15° S to 19° S

A widespread seamount province, the Rano Rahi Field, is located near the superfast spreading Southern East Pacific Rise (SEPR) between 15°–19° S. Particularly abundant volcanic edifices are found on Pacific Plate aged 0 to 6.5 Ma between 17°–19° S, an area greater than 100,000 km². The numbers of seamounts and their volume are several times greater than those of a comparablysurveyed area near the Northern East Pacific Rise (NEPR), 8°–17° N. Most of the Rano Rahi seamounts belong to chains, which vary in length from 25 km to >240 km and which are very nearly collinear with the Pacific absolute and relative plate motion directions. Bends of 10°–15° occur along a few of the chains, and some adjacent chains converge or diverge slightly. Many seamount chains have fluctuations in volume along their length, and statistical tests suggest that some adjacent chains trade-off in volume. Several seamount chains split into two lines of volcanoes approaching the axis. In general, seamount chains composed of individual circular volcanoes are found near the axis; the chains consist of variably-overlapping edifices in the central part of the survey; to the west, volcanic ridges predominate. Near the SEPR, the volume of nearaxis seamount edifices is generally reduced near areas of deflated cross-sectional area of the axial ridge. Fresh lava flows, as imaged by sidescan sonar and sampled by dredging, exist around some seamounts throughout the entire survey area, in sharp contrast to the absence of fresh flows beyond 30 km from the NEPR. Also, the increases in seamount abundance and volume extend to much greater crustal ages than near the NEPR. Seamount magnetization analysis is also consistent with this wider zone of seamount growth, and it demonstrates the asynchronous formation of most of the seamount chains and volcanic ridges. The variety of observations of the SEPR seamounts suggests that a number of factors and mechanisms might bring about their formation, including the mantle upwelling associated with superfast spreading, off-axis mantle heterogeneities, miniplumes and local upwelling, and the vulnerability of the lithosphere to penetration by volumes of magma. In particular, we note the association of extensive, recent volcanism with intermediate wavelength gravity lineaments lows on crust aged 6 Ma. This suggests that the lineaments and some of the seamounts share a common cause which may be related to ridge-perpendicular asthenospheric convection and/or some manner of extension in the lithosphere.     

分形理论在太平洋多金属结核分布研究中的应用

分形理论与耗散结构、混沌理论一样,是最近一个时期非线性科学研究中所取得的重要成果[1],并在近年来得到了迅速的发展.其主体内容是研究系统的自相似性和不规则性,能为复杂问题的定量化提供新的途径[2].用分形理论研究地质现象是非线性科学的一个重要方向,前人已在地质数据的分形结构、地质时空结构的自相似性及其动力学机制、地质现象的分形重建与矿床分形统计预测方法等方面进行探索,取得了一些重要成果[3～6],但值得指出的是地质分形是统计意义上的无规分形,与数学意义上的严格自相似有区别.     

Coral Cover Change Associated to El Niño, Eastern Pacific, Costa Rica, 1992–2001

Abstract. Changes in live and dead coral cover were documented at three localities off the Costa Rican central Pacific coast first in 1992 during the aftermath of the 1991–1992 El Niño; again in the period between 1994 and 1995, and last in January 2001. Recovery of coral communities after the 1991–1992 El Niño was expressed by a significant increase (～40 %) in 1994 of live coral cover at one locality (Manuel Antonio). A subsequent decrease (～50 %) in response to the very strong 1997–1998 episode was recorded at Manuel Antonio and Ballena, mainly due to partial tissue mortality of branching (Pocillopora spp.) and massive (Porites lobata) corals. Mortality of entire colonies associated to that event was scarce and confined to branching and nodular (Psammocora stellata) corals. This species was not found at one locality (Cambutal) in the 2001 survey and it is presumed locally extinct. The recovery of this coral and others will depend on recruits from surviving colonies in deeper waters and other coral communities in the vicinity. Within sites at a given locality, contrasting results in live coral cover variability were found. This is partially due to distinct coral assemblages, coral growth, physical exposure to tidal regime, and, related to the latter, variable duration and intensity of the warming event. In general, predominant meteorological conditions at the studied area are conducive to solar radiation (UV) stress during El Niño years and are related to changes in the atmosphere‐ocean interactions in response to the warming events.