The magnetic polarity stratigraphy of a Hauterivian/Barremian carbonate sequence from southern Italy

Remanence directions, measured at 2  cm intervals along a composite 88  m bore-core, enable mean palaeomagnetic poles to be defined at 13.6°S, 25.2°W and 13.6°N, 154.8°E. The directions of remanence vary very smoothly away from each palaeomagnetic pole, extending more than 90° from them. This raises doubts about the physical meaning of polarity definitions based on the distance between virtual and mean palaeomagnetic poles. For practical purposes, intermediate polarity is defined as directions whose virtual poles lie more than 25° from the mean pole, enabling at least five normal subchrons to be specified within the upper predominately reversed quarter of the core and 11 reversed subchrons within the lower predominantly normal three-quarters of the core. The stratigraphic thickness between these subchrons shows a very high linear correlation ( r >0.99) with the stratigraphic thickness of other terrestrial sequences and the distances between marine polarity sequences of comparable age. The analysed sequence contains wavelength spectra which, when transformed to the temporal realm, match periodicities determined for three marine magnetic anomaly profiles of similar age. These also match planetary orbital periodicities for the Cretaceous. These observations suggest that secular variations and polarity transitions are driven by common core processes whose surface expression is influenced by changes in the planetary orbits. Such detailed geomagnetic features enable far greater reliability in establishing magnetostratigraphic correlations and also enable them to be dated astronomically.     

“6·30”川渝特大暴雨过程中西南低涡发展机制模拟分析

利用地面加密自动站、NCEP(1°×1°)再分析及WRF-ARW数值模拟资料,对造成2013年6月29日至7月1日川渝地区特大暴雨过程的西南低涡的演变特征及热动力机制进行了诊断分析。此次特大暴雨过程分为三个阶段,其中与西南低涡发展相关的第二阶段为主要降雨时段。结果表明:(1)西南低涡生成后,呈现增强-减弱-再次增强的波动性演变特征,在6月30日上午和夜间分别经历了两次显著的涡度发展过程,并在第二次发展过程中达到最强。(2)低空辐合是西南低涡最主要的涡源,由低空辐合导致的正涡度增加近乎贯穿于整个西南低涡的生命史。在西南低涡的第二次发展过程中,中层辐合和涡度的垂直输送显著增强,也是西南低涡的重要涡源。(3)负值非平衡动力强迫激发了低空辐合的增长,在非平衡动力强迫的各项中,位势高度的拉普拉斯项为非平衡动力强迫提供了主要的负贡献来源。(4)非绝热加热先于西南低涡而增强,两者间的正反馈作用可能是西南低涡波动性发展的重要机制。在关闭了微物理过程中的潜热和地面潜热及感热通量的敏感性试验中,西南低涡及降雨的模拟均有不同程度的减弱。     

The effect of the temporal resolution of the wind forcing on a central Mediterranean Sea model

The impact of the wind forcing temporal resolution in the central Mediterranean Sea is addressed using a numerical ocean circulation model. The model uses interactive surface fluxes based on the ERA-Interim 6-hourly atmospheric reanalyses except for the 10 m wind for which ERA5 hourly reanalyses are used. Additional temporal resolution (2, 3, 6, 12 and 24 h) wind sets are deduced from the ERA5 hourly data. An ensemble of simulations (six members) is then performed where only the temporal resolution of the wind forcing is changed. The impact of the temporal resolution is studied based on this set of simulations. The dependence of the surface wind stress and heat flux on the wind resolution is derived based on an analytical expression where the Weibull distribution is used to characterise the probability density function of the wind speed. Results from the analytical model are found close to those from the numerical model when a linear increase of the exchange coefficients with the wind speed is considered. Power input into the sea and surface heat loss both increase with the increase of the temporal resolution but at lower rates when approaching hourly forcing values. The increase of the latent heat loss at these high resolutions is small (~−0.8 Wm^-2) but still important, around 10–20% the Mediterranean basin heat budget (−5 to −7 Wm^-2). The increase of the wind forcing temporal resolution decreases the sea surface temperature (SST) and increases the sea surface salinity (SSS) with largest values in the shallow area of the Gulf of Gabès (eastern coast of Tunisia). A decrease of SSS is however noticed in some areas mainly northwest of the Tunisia coast. Hydrographical changes are also found in the Tunisia-Sicily channel. They are characterised by mesoscale structures with no remarkable change of the major water veins.     

Seasonal anecdysis and moulting synchrony in field populations of Palaemon elegans (Rathke)

A population of Palaemon elegans studied during 1978–1980 showed a characteristic moult cycle structure according to season, comprising a winter anecdysis, ‘epidemic’ spring moulting and synchrony of moult cycle development. The initiation of moulting in the spring was temperature-dependent, an estimated environmental temperature of 7–8 °C being necessary to allow moulting. Developmental synchrony during the moult cycle was observed following the initial spring moults, and it is thought that the degree and duration of moult synchrony is temperature-dependent. Synchrony is lost during the summer. Despite seasonal climatic differences between years, little difference in the time of appearance of berried females was seen. It is thought that oogenesis is controlled primarily by photoperiodic rather than temperature-dependent mechanisms. During egg development the moult cycle of ovigerous females was prolonged during intermoult stages and, during late vitellogenesis, premoult stages were prolonged.     

The 1980/1981 phytoplankton cycle in the coastal waters off Connemara,Ireland

The results of a phytoplankton survey conducted in coastal waters off western Ireland in 1980/1981 are reported. Surface values of temperature, salinity, NO₃N, PO₄P, Si, total N, total P and chlorophyll a (Chla) collected at 6 stations during 14 cruises are presented along with the species composition of the net phytoplankton.The spring bloom occurred in late April and was dominated by diatoms. Between April and July further diatom blooms occurred. In July and August dinoflagellates were dominant. This change was associated with the stratification of offshore water and low concentrations of Chla and nutrients. In Autumn large blooms of Ceratium tripos were found; it is suggested that the cause was heavy freshwater runoff. In autumn and winter some warm water oceanic species (e.g. Oxytoxum scolopax) occurred.     

Seasonality of the Kuroshio Transport Revealed in a Kuroshio Assimilation System

The seasonal variation of the Kuroshio transport south of Japan has been investigated using the results of an assimilation model. Annual and semiannual variations of the transport and dynamic depth anomaly are reconstructed by CEOF (complex orthogonal empirical function) analysis. In the basin west of the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge, the annual component of the variation propagates westward with the phase speed of the long Rossby wave associated with the first baroclinic mode. The variation also shows a similar tendency to that reproduced in a wind-driven, two-layer model with a ridge. This suggests that the annual variation revealed in the assimilation model is associated with the baroclinic first mode of motion excited above the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge. Furthermore, it is found that both the semiannual component and the annual component are important members determining the seasonal variation of the Kuroshio transport south of Japan. The semiannual component is revealed as a double gyre pattern in the basin west of the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Response of the soft coral Heteroxenia fuscescens to ultraviolet radiation regimes as reflected by mycosporine-like amino acid biosynthesis

The variation in mycosporine‐like amino acid (MAA) concentration in the soft coral Heteroxenia fuscescens in relation to changes in ultraviolet radiation (UVR) regimes was investigated at the Gulf of Eilat, northern Red Sea. Solar radiation (300–700 nm) was measured for different depths and seasons. The UVR irradiance was measured to a depth of 25 m on the reef. The mean attenuation coefficient for UV‐B measured in winter was twofold that of the summer value. Separation of H. fuscescens extracts by reverse‐phase isocratic high‐performance liquid chromatography revealed a single MAA compound, palythine (λ_max = 320 nm). Possible seasonal changes in MAAs in colonies of H. fuscescens along a depth gradient were examined on different dates. Palythine concentrations in the colonies were significantly higher in summer than in the other seasons particularly in shallow water. Possible changes in MAA content in colonies of H. fuscescens as a result of UVR protection, were determined by experiments conducted for periods of 1 week, 1 month and 3 months, at a depth of 5 m. In these experiments colonies were removed from the natural substrate and placed underwater, protected from UVR by a PVC filter. Significant differences between UV‐exposed and protected colonies of H. fuscescens were found only in the 3‐month experiment conducted during the summer. These findings demonstrate that UVR is an important environmental factor regulating MAA biosynthesis in the soft coral H. fuscescens.     

南海大尺度地转环流的季节特征

使用Ｓ．Ｌｅｖｉｔｕｓ的温度、盐度的气候资料，用诊断分析方法获得南海年平均和各季的海面起伏以及大尺度地转环流的统计结果，并比较了其季节变化。结果表明：南海冬、夏季的地转环流场有相反的流动趋势；但在东北部常年存在气旋式环流，在其驱动下巴士海峡西侧存在准定常的Ｎ向流；南海还存在明显的随季节变化的强流区。