Surface tidal currents in the open sea area to the east of the Zhoushan Islands measured with high frequency surface wave radar

Based on the quasi-harmonic analysis of 11 d vector ocean currents obtained from two high frequency sur- face wave radars located at Zhujiajian Island and Shengshan Island, the spatial distribution characteristics of surface tidal currents in the open sea area to the east of the Zhoushan Islands of Zhejiang Province, China are studied. The following conclusions are drawn from the analysis： the tidal current pattern in the open sea area to the east of Zhoushan Islands is primarily regular semidiurnal, which is significantly affected by the shallow water constituents. The directions of the major axes of tidal current ellipses of M2 lie approx- imately in the NW-SE direction. With the increasing of distance away from the coast, the directions of the tidal current ellipses gradually shift toward the E-W direction. The tidal currents are mainly reversing cur- rents. The spatial distribution of probable maximum current velocities decreases gradually from northeast to southwest which is basically in accordance with the spatial distribution of measured maximum current velocities. The residual currents near the coast are larger than those far away from the coast. The directions of the residual currents are basically north by east, and the angle to the due north increases gradually with the increasing distance away from the coast. The topography shows a certain impact on the spatial distri- bution of shallow water constituents, the rotation of tidal currents, the probable maximum currents and the residual currents.     

南海北部珊瑚生长率对4.2 ka气候事件的记录

The 4.2 ka event that occurred during the period from 4 500–3 900 a BP was characterized by cold and dry climates and resulted in the collapse of civilizations around the world. The cause of this climatic event, however, has been under debate. We collected four corals(Porites lutea) from Yongxing Island, Xisha Islands, South China Sea, dated them with the U-series method, and measured the annual coral growth rates using X-ray technology. The dating results showed that the coral growth ages were from 4 500–3 900 a BP, which coincide well with the period of the4.2 ka event. We then reconstructed annual sea surface temperature anomaly(SSTA) variations based on the coral growth rates. The growth rate-based SSTA results showed that the interdecadal SSTA from 4 500–3 900 a BP was lower than that during modern times(1961–2008 AD). A spectral analysis showed that the SSTA variations from4 500–3 900 a BP were under the influence of El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation(ENSO) activities. From 4 500–4 100 a BP, the climate exhibited La Ni?a-like conditions with weak ENSO intensity and relatively stable and lower SSTA amplitudes. From 4 100–3 900 a BP, the climate underwent a complicated period of ENSO variability and showed alternating El Ni?o-or La Ni?a-like conditions at interdecadal time scales and large SSTA amplitudes. We speculate that during the early and middle stages of the 4.2 ka event, the cold climate caused by weak ENSO activities largely weakened social productivity. Then, during the end stages of the 4.2 ka event, the repeated fluctuations in the ENSO intensity caused frequent extreme weather events, resulting in the collapse of civilizations worldwide. Thus, the new evidence obtained from our coral records suggests that the 4.2 ka event as well as the related collapse of civilizations were very likely driven by ENSO variability.     

2009/2010—2011/2012年度夏秋季南奥克尼群岛水域南极磷虾捕捞群体年龄结构时空变化

利用南极磷虾渔业科学观察员收集的南极磷虾生物学数据,在将研究区域划分成60'×30'精细尺度单元的基础上,分析了南奥克尼群岛南极磷虾种群捕捞群体年龄结构的时空变化。结果表明,2009/2010年度,南极磷虾体长范围为33.2—69.0 mm,平均体长为51.8 mm,优势体长组为52—60 mm(52.3%),另在44—48 mm有一个次峰区;2010/2011年度,体长范围为22.9—59.3 mm,平均体长为44.5 mm,优势体长组为42—50 mm(56.8%);2011/2012年度,体长范围为18.5—59.4 mm,平均体长为41.7 mm,优势体长组为36—46 mm(67.3%)。三个年度间南极磷虾体长频次分布呈显著性差异(p0.001),且不具相似性(PSI=41.25—73.42)。2009/2010—2011/2012年度各旬别磷虾体长组可分成3个组,其中2011年2月上旬和2012年3月中旬可划分为一组,2010年1月下旬至2月中旬以及2011年2月中旬可归为一组,这几个体长组均呈双峰分布,其他的体长组划归为一组。1+和2+龄虾大多出现在离南奥克尼群岛最近的水域,而离南奥克尼群岛较远的单元中则多为4+龄以上的磷虾个体。     

琉球群岛以东海域表层沉积物元素地球化学特征

对琉球群岛以东海域134个站位表层沉积物的化学元素含量进行了系统测试,结合矿物学资料等,对研究区的表层沉积物元素地球化学特征进行了分析。结果表明:(1)琉球群岛以东海域沉积物具有半深海沉积物的地球化学特征;(2)通过元素因子分析,把25种元素或氧化物分为4种组合,每一种组合对应不同的物质来源,分别为陆源成因组合(SiO2,K2O,Zr,TiO2,Y,Sc,Na2O,La,Al2O3,P2O5,Ce),生物成因组合(Sr,CaO,L.O.I,CaCO3),火山源成因组合(MgO,V,Fe2O3,Cr,Li,Co),自生源成因组合(Ni,MnO,Cu,Ba);(3)控制本区元素分布的因素主要是水深、物质来源以及生物和铁锰物质的自生作用。     

南麂列岛海洋自然保护区浮游动物丰度和生物量的时空分布

根据2004年5月、8月、11月和2005年2月南麂列岛海洋自然保护区海域调查资料,阐述了该海域浮游动物丰度和生物量的时空分布,探讨了其与环境因子的关系,并分析了保护区建区14a后丰度和生物量的变化以及不同季节生态类群丰度的组成特点。结果表明,浮游动物丰度和生物量季节变化明显,8月丰度最高,为(267.05±100.94)ind./m3,其他依次为11月、5月和2月;5月生物量最高,为(403.64±331.41)mg/m3,其他依次为8月、11月和2月;相关性分析表明,浮游动物丰度与生物量之间存在明显的正相关,相关系数为0.763,丰度、生物量与水温呈显著的正相关;与无机氮、活性磷酸盐表现为负相关;与浮游植物细胞丰度和叶绿素a含量未表现出相关性;与1990年相比,2004年春季浮游动物丰度和生物量均有所下降,秋季变化不大;不同季节各生物类群丰度和百分比均有差异。     

Characterization of magnetic particles and magnetostratigraphic dating of shallow-water carbonates in the Ryukyu Islands, northwestern Pacific

Abstract   Characterization of magnetic particles, and magnetostratigraphic dating, of Holocene and Pleistocene shallow-water carbonates (the Ryukyu Group) in the Ryukyu Islands was carried out to infer the age of reef formation. Magnetic particles from these strata are dominated by fine-grained, single-domain magnetite/maghemite (40–140 nm in length). The magnetite crystals exhibit the size and morphologies characteristic of the magnetite formed by magnetotactic bacteria. No large multidomain grains were seen in transmission electron microscopy observations. The widespread presence of single-domain magnetite in the Ryukyu Islands suggests that bacterial magnetites carry depositional remanent magnetization, which is stable enough for magnetostratigraphic dating and thereby for elucidating the evolution of shallow-water carbonates. The polarity-reversal sequence seen in a core taken from the Ryukyu Group correlates with the timescale of the Matuyama chron, including the Jaramillo subchron, Kamikatsura or Santa Rosa Excursions, through the Brunhes chron. These magnetostratigraphic results imply that the time of reef initiation in the Ryukyu Islands of the northwestern Pacific was earlier than in the Great Barrier Reef of the southwestern Pacific, where it started after the Brunhes–Matuyama boundary.     

中国近海及其附近海域若干涡旋研究综述Ⅱ.东海和琉球群岛以东海域

综述东海和琉球群岛以东海域若干气旋型和反气旋型涡旋的研究.对东海陆架、200m以浅海域,主要讨论了东海西南部反气旋涡、济州岛西南气旋式涡和长江口东北气旋式冷涡.东海两侧和陆坡附近出现了各种不同尺度的涡旋,其动力原因之一是与东海黑潮弯曲现象有很大关系,其次也与地形、琉球群岛存在等有关.东海黑潮有两种类型弯曲:黑潮锋弯曲和黑潮路径弯曲.黑潮第一种弯曲出现了锋面涡旋,评述了锋面涡旋的存在时间尺度与空间尺度和结构等;也指出了黑潮第二种弯曲,即路径弯曲时在其两侧出现了中尺度气旋式和反气旋涡,讨论了它们的变化的特性.特别讨论了冲绳北段黑潮弯曲路径和中尺度涡的相互作用,着重指出,当气旋式涡在冲绳海槽北段成长,并充分地发展,其周期约在1~3个月时,它的空间尺度成长到约为200km(此尺度相当于冲绳海槽的纬向尺度)时,黑潮路径从北段转移到南段.也分析了东海黑潮流量和其附近中尺度涡的相互作用.最后指出在琉球群岛以东、以南海域,经常出现各种不同的中尺度反气旋式和气旋式涡,讨论了它们在时间与空间尺度上变化的特征.     

西沙群岛西科1井碳酸盐岩稳定同位素地层学

西科1井由于矿化重结晶作用和白云岩化作用普遍发育, 无法采用传统的氧同位素地层学方法进行地层年代标定.但是该井δ13C变化曲线与南海及全球主要大洋的碳同位素变化曲线完全相同, 可以用来准确标定200 ka以来的地层年龄.该井0~50 m深度对应全球氧同位素1~7期, 5 m处地层时代为14 ka, 为氧同位素1期的底界年龄; 11.70 m处为氧同位素2期的底界, 年龄为29 ka; 13.90 m深度年龄为57 ka; 到35.65 m为氧同位素6期底界, 年龄为191 ka, 同时δ13C值表现出冰期低而间冰期高的特点, 取自25.21 m的珊瑚U-Th定年年龄为131.062±2.320 ka.通过碳同位素定年发现, 石岛缺失近代5 ka以来的沉积物, 在间冰期向冰期转换时因海平面下降造成碳酸盐台地暴露剥蚀.全球气候变化是石岛碳酸盐台地δ13C值发生突变的主要原因.      

2013年南沙群岛海域温跃层的季节变化及形成机理

利用调查数据及遥感数据揭示了2013年南沙群岛海域温跃层的季节变化特征,温跃层上界深度平均值春、夏、冬季基本一致,介于45~47 m之间,秋季最大,达60 m;温跃层厚度平均值夏、秋、冬季基本一致,介于85~87 m之间,春季相对较小,为78 m。温跃层强度平均值春、夏、秋、冬季几乎一致,介于0.13~0.15℃/m之间。调查海域温跃层上界深度季节变化的形成机理为:春季西深东浅的原因是西部受净热通量较小、大风速、负的风应力旋度以及中南半岛东部外海的中尺度暖涡和反气旋环流共同作用,东部近岸海域净热通量高值、风速相对较小及风应力旋度引起的Ekman抽吸效应共同控制;夏季深度分布较均匀的原因是10°N以北风致涡动混合强但受Ekman抽吸影响,10°N以南风致涡动混合弱但风应力旋度为负值;秋季深度较其他季节平均加深15 m的原因是南沙群岛海域被暖涡占据,暖涡引起的反气旋式环流使得温跃层上界深度被海水辐聚下压;冬季正的风应力旋度产生的Ekman抽吸和冷涡引起的气旋式环流共同作用,使得温跃层上界深度较秋季平均抬升15 m。     

Recent rapid salinity rise in three East Antarctic lakes

Research in East Antarctica has shown several recent environmental changes that may be linked to human impacts on climate. In order to detect the influence and context of these changes on coastal aquatic ecosystems we examined lake sediment cores from three lakes in the Windmill Islands, East Antarctica; Beall Lake, Holl Lake and ȁ8Lake Mȁ9. Cores were sectioned at␣2.5 mm intervals. Their diatom species composition was examined to detect changes in lake salinity using a diatom-salinity transfer function, and their algal pigment content was examined to detect photoautotrophic community responses to environmental change. Results showed that Holl Lake originated in a depression exposed by Holocene recession of the continental ice sheet and that Beall Lake and Lake M originated as isolated marine basins formed by changes in relative sea level. A general late Holocene trend of declining lake salinity was evident in all three lakes, interrupted by one short-term high salinity event in Beall Lake. This is consistent with a long-term positive moisture balance. This general decline in salinity has been followed by a remarkable recent rapid increase in salinity in all three lakes in the last few decades. We speculate that this rapid increase in salinity might be linked to changes taking place in the region including feedbacks resulting from decreasing sea ice extent as recorded in the nearby Law Dome ice core, and positive feedbacks in the catchments whereby reduced snow cover has led to decreased albedo, which in turn has caused increased evaporation and sublimation. Collectively these changes have shifted the lakes across a threshold from positive to negative moisture balance. A minor, but not rapid shift in the abundance of diatom pigments relative to pigments from green algae and cyanobacteria was also detected suggesting that some changes in photoautotrophic community composition have occurred. Measurements of modern nutrient levels are also higher than would be expected in Beall Lake and Holl Lake, given the extremely low sediment accumulation rates. This may be associated with a c. 300% increase in the population of Adélie penguins in the Windmill Islands recorded since the 1950s, or may a first signs of a rapid increase in catchment development and associated lake productivity as experienced in Antarctic and Arctic lakes subject to recent rapid regional warming. The most marked feature of the records is the rapid increase in salinity in all three lakes in␣the last few decades, which has occurred in lakes both with and without resident penguin populations.Dominic A. Hodgson and Donna Roberts contributed equally to this work