GEBCO Centennial Special Issue – Charting the Secret World of the Ocean Floor: The GEBCO Project 1903–2003

This special issue of Marine Geophysical Researches presents five papers dealing with GEBCO, the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans, which celebrated its Centennial in April 2003, hosted by the International Hydrographic Bureau and the Principality of Monaco. Over the past 103 years GEBCO has been the sole body dedicated to compiling all available data to produce standardized maps of the oceans and seas covering 71% of planet Earth. Over time GEBCO has undergone a complete transformation as sparse 500 m contours on paper charts were replaced by digital grids with ever-increasing resolution. The 2003 Centennial saw the release on two CDROMS with the first global 1′ grid, produced by methods unheard of in 1984, when GEBCO’s last 6th Edition paper chart set was published. In GEBCO’s second century, the thrust is towards global grids that will capture the resolutions available with evolving deep-water swath mapping technologies, as well as vast improvement in the details of the shallow continental shelves that have traditionally been the preserve of the hydrographic community. As little more than 10% of the oceans have been mapped to the desired level of detail, there is much to be done. However refinements in satellite altimetry appear to offer an interim stop-gap as more multi-beam sonars ply the oceans and as the littoral countries of the world map their adjacent marine areas for submission under Article 76 of UNCLOS (United Nations, 1983, 1999). In addition GEBCO is becoming increasingly proactive, with outreach to the public via the internet and a new GEBCO Map of the World, active data-scrounging, and encouraging development of the first drifting buoys for acquiring data in the inaccessible areas of the Antarctic, SW Pacific, and Arctic Oceans.     

Modelling linear wave transformation induced by dissipative structures—Random waves

The relevant theory is presented and numerical results are compared with the analytical solution for the interaction of non-breaking waves with an array of vertical porous circular cylinders on a horizontal bed. The extension to the cases of unidirectional and multidirectional waves is obtained by means of a transfer function. The influence of the mechanical properties of porous structures and wave irregularity on wave transformation is analysed. Results for unidirectional and multidirectional wave spectra are compared to those obtained for regular waves. The model presented reproduces well the analytical results and provides a tool for analysing several engineering problems.     

Regeneration of sand waves after dredging

Sand waves are large bed waves on the seabed, being a few metres high and lying hundreds of metres apart. In some cases, these sand waves occur in navigation channels. If these sand waves reduce the water depth to an unacceptable level and hinder navigation, they need to be dredged. It has been observed in the Bisanseto Channel in Japan that the sand waves tend to regain their shape after dredging. In this paper, we address modelling of this regeneration of sand waves, aiming to predict this process. For this purpose, we combine a very simple, yet effective, amplitude-evolution model based on the Landau equation, with measurements in the Bisanseto Channel. The model parameters are tuned to the measured data using a genetic algorithm, a stochastic optimization routine. The results are good. The tuned model accurately reproduces the measured growth of the sand waves. The differences between the measured weave heights and the model results are smaller than the measurement noise. Furthermore, the resulting parameters are surprisingly consistent, given the large variations in the sediment characteristics, the water depth and the flow field. This approach was tested on its predictive capacity using a synthetic test case. The model was tuned based on constructed predredging data and the amplitude evolution as measured for over 2 years. After tuning, the predictions were accurate for about 10 years. Thus, it is shown that the approach could be a useful tool in the optimization of dredging strategies in case of dredging of sand waves.     

用Matlab中的Neural Network Toolbox仿真赤道东太平洋SST的预报模型

基于ＮＣＥＰ／ＮＣＡＲ再分析资料和ＣＯＡＤＳ海洋资料中的全球月平均海平面气压场、８５０hPa纬向风场及海洋温度场，利用Ｍatlab中的Ｎeural Network Toolbox仿真环境和ＢＰ模型改进算法比较准确地仿真和反演出了南方涛动指数、赤道纬向风指数和滞后的赤道东太平洋海温之间的动力结构和预报模型。该模型具有很好的拟合精度和可行的预报效果。可在一定时效内预测赤道东太平洋月平均海温的变化趋势。由于所建系统是具有直接因果关系的预报模型，因此不仅可直接用于预测，而且可有效避免类拟非线性微分方程组在积分过程中由于对初值敏感性而可能产生的对预报结果的不确定性。     

任意曲线曲面上重磁位场转换的B样条函数法

提出用B样条函数求解曲线、曲面上重磁位场的向上延拓,水平、垂向导数计算,磁异常分量互换的方法。该方法的特点是:原理简明,程序通用性强,计算精度高。     

复杂网络河的数值模拟

依据复杂网络河的特点及其内在联系，本文建立了其特征矩阵及由Newton-Raphson格式表述的隐式圣－维南差分方程组的系数矩阵，经输入边界条件及解方程组，可得到不同各支段上，下游端点上的水位和流量值。     

底部边界层颗粒态物质迁移特征的放射性核素分析方法

利用颗粒态放射性核素携带的颗粒物历经过程信息,我们提出用泥沙扩散方程和颗粒态放射性核素扩散方程联解底部边界层颗粒态物质迁移参数的方法。分析实例的样品取自荷兰Waden Sea南部Balgzand潮滩(砂坪)和Mok湾潮滩(泥坪)的两个站位(BG1和Mok2)。示踪核素为~(234)Th,~(210)Pb和~(137)Cs,其放射性比度由r能谱测出。     

In situ and satellite observations of the eastward migration of the Western Alboran Sea Gyre

During October 2003 an intensive oceanographic survey (BIOMEGA) was carried out in the Alboran Sea, coinciding with a migration event of the Western Alboran Sea Gyre (WAG). The observations gathered during that cruise constitute the first field evidence of a migrated stage of the WAG. In this work we present the main differences between the 3D hydrodynamic fields observed during BIOMEGA and those corresponding to a WAG located at its usual position. The migration of the gyre was followed by satellite (altimetry and sea surface temperature) imagery. The causes of the gyre migration are explored in terms of the quasi-geostrophic tendency equation, in particular of the dynamics governing scales larger than the Rossby radius of deformation. It is shown that the steady state gyre must be almost equivalent barotropic and that the key process to break down the stationarity would be a density advection at gyre scale. The mechanisms to explain the migration of the WAG proposed by previous authors are discussed in light of the explanation proposed in this work.     

Calculation of the added mass of circular cylinders in shallow water

The added mass of hull section shapes must be known, in order to carry out any studies of ship motions, which may be associated with either seakeeping or manoeuvring. Determination of the added mass in deep water can involve conformal mapping or surface singularity distributions. However, in shallow water the problem of determining the added mass is made more difficult by the proximity of the seabed. In this paper, three approaches to the problem of finding the added mass of semi-circular sections are explored. Although there is no known exact solution to this problem, the relationships given by the three methods are compared and the approximate nature of the solutions is examined. The first method is a series solution, which is taken here to include more terms than are normally given in the existing literature. The other two solutions are considered to be new, and so are given in some mathematical detail.     

汶川抗震救灾的基础地理信息综合应急服务

在5．12汶川特大地震抗震救灾中,国家测绘部门设计和组织实施了以数据成果服务、专用系统服务和专题制图服务为核心的基础地理信息综合应急服务。其是针对汶川震区地形特点和抗震救灾主体工作需求,快速整合和提供震区已有的基础测绘成果和最新遥感影像资料;快速搭建集震区海量数据集成管理为一体并具备3维影像浏览、对比分析等功能的专用地理信息系统,为灾情评估分析和重建规划研究提供地理空间数据集成展示和分析平台;应需地制作反映受灾范围、受灾程度、救灾响应、规划思路等的各类专题地图和地图集,有效地表达地震灾害的时空分布、重建规划布局等。