Variations of Kuroshio geostrophic transport south of Japan estimated from long-term IES observations

Two inverted echo sounders were maintained on coastal and offshore sides of the Kuroshio south of Japan from October 1993 to July 2004. Applying the gravest empirical mode method, we obtained a time series of geostrophic transport. Estimated transports generally agree well with geostrophic transports estimated from hydrography. Their agreement with the hydrographic transports is better than that of transports estimated from satellite altimetry data. The geostrophic transport is expressed as the surface transport per unit depth multiplied by the equivalent depth. The geostrophic transport varies mostly with the surface transport and fractionally with the equivalent depth. Seasonal variation of the geostrophic transport has a minimum in March and a maximum in September, with a range of about one fifth of the total transport.     

沙质海岸强浪作用下沿岸输沙问题研究

在沙质海岸上修建导流堤、丁坝等会引起局部海域水沙动力条件的改变和海床冲淤调整,因此准确预测沿岸输沙率是海岸工程建设前进行优化设计的基础条件之一.首先构建了刻画高强度推移质输沙过程中固-液混合体运动的理论模型,通过寻求模型的特解并推导成1D沿岸输沙率公式.该公式适宜计算强浪作用下的推移质输沙率,已得到了大型波浪水槽、往复流水道和海滩现场实测输沙率资料的良好验证.通过与物理模型试验实测输沙量结果的比较,进一步表明该公式能够较好地预测沙质海岸在寒潮大风浪(或台风浪)作用下的高强度输沙量(骤淤量).     

东海内陆架表层沉积物粒度及其净输运模式

根据对东海内陆架海底沉积物的粒度测试,运用Gao-Collins"粒度趋势分析"方法,探讨了东海内陆架海底表层沉积物的粒度分布特征和净输运趋势。结果表明,研究区表层沉积物可以分为两类:细颗粒(>5Φ)和粗颗粒(<5Φ);细颗粒分布于研究区的大部分区域,而粗颗粒主要分布在闽江、瓯江等入海河流口门以及马祖等海岛附近;表层沉积物的平均粒径、分选系数、偏态等粒度参数对应性较好,总体特征为粒径越粗,分选越差,偏态更正偏,而粒径越细,分选越好,偏态也较低;粒径趋势分析显示东海陆架表层沉积物的运移模式总体为NE—WS方向运移,而研究区边缘在运移过程中发生向左右两侧的偏移,南部闽江河口区沉积物由近岸向海方向辐射运移,研究区表层沉积物的净输运模式主要受控于流系和地形等多种因素。     

Effects of wind waves of the Pacific westerly on the eastern Pacific wave transport

There exists a tongueshaped swelldominance pool known as Swell Pool (SP) in the Eastern Pacific region. The monthlymean wave transports (WT) for each month of 2000 is computed using the wave products of ECMWF reanalysis data. By comparing the 2000 monthlymean WT and monthlymean wind field from QUICKSCAT, large differences are found between the wave transport direction and the wind direction over the Eastern Pacific. This may serve as an evidence for the existence of the SP in this region. The work done in this study indicates that the sources of swell in the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP) are in the westerly regions of the Southern and Northern Pacific.     

Two-dimensional,two-phase granular sediment transport model with applications to scouring downstream of an apron

We present a two-dimensional, two-phase model for non-cohesive sediment transport. This model solves concentration-weighted averaged equations of motion for both fluid and sediment phases. The model accounts for the interphase momentum transfer by considering drag forces. A collisional theory is used to compute the sediment stresses, while a two-equation (k–ε) fluid turbulence closure is implemented. A benchmark sediment transport problem concerning the scouring downstream of an apron is carried out as an example and numerical results agree with existing experimental data.     

Fundamental study for morphodynamic modelling: Sand mounds in oscillatory flows

Experiments on sand mounds in oscillatory flow, undertaken in controlled, large-scale laboratory conditions, have produced well-defined data sets for model comparison. Three bathymetries with different levels of submergence, including a surface-piercing case, were tested. The maximum slope was about 1:5.5. Sediment transport is due to bed load with ripple formation. The principal time-dependent bulk parameters are the vertical distance of the centre of gravity above the base and the volume of the mound. A semi-implicit finite-volume depth-averaged hydrodynamic model is used to drive morphodynamics, using van Rijn's sediment flux model generalized to take account of bed slope, and some justification is given for depth-averaged modeling in these conditions. Starting the model runs with the conditions at the end of the first cycle avoided initial atypical physical behaviour. In general good predictions were obtained with an angle of repose reduced from the standard value of about 30° for stationary beds to 15°. For these situations, morphodynamics was largely unaffected by a hydrodynamic roughness height in the range 2.5D₅₀ to 51D₅₀, with larger values accounting for ripple roughness. The reduced angle of repose may be physically expected with mobile beds but this specific value is only expected to be suited to this form of bed motion. In one case an exaggerated ripple formed near the top of the mound reducing agreement with experiment. For the submerged case with normal ripple structure excellent predictions were obtained. For the initially surface-piercing mound, the time of submergence was better predicted with a 30° angle of repose, presumably due to the prominent influence of the near stationary bed near the wet/dry interface, although long term predictions were better predicted with 15°. The occurrence of vortex shedding in the first cycle modeled was in agreement with experimental observation.     

Formula for predicting bedload transport rate in oscillatory sheet flows

The method of Wang [Wang, Y.-H., 2007. Formula for predicting bedload transport rate in oscillatory sheet flow. Coastal Engineering 54, 594–601] to predict the wave friction factor is discussed. At the threshold of sediment entrainment the proposed equation produces a wide scatter of data points when plotted against an equation based on the Shields parameter. It is shown that a better correlation coefficient can be obtained by calculating the critical wave friction factor directly from the wave period, as well as the sediment and water properties.     

Seasonal variation of horizontal material transport through the eastern channel of the Tsushima Straits

We conducted hydrographic observations ten times in the Tsushima Strait to reveal seasonal variations of horizontal material transports such as of heat, freshwater, chlorophyll a, and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and phosphorus (DIP) through the eastern channel of the Tsushima Strait (ECTS). The volume, freshwater, and heat transport results are of nearly the same order as results reported in previous studies. The annual mean DIN and DIP transports of 3.59 kmol/s and 0.29 kmol/s are large relative to those of the Changjiang and the Taiwan Strait and are horizontally transported through the ECTS. Nutrient transports are high in July–August and October and low in April and November. Increased nutrient transports in July–August and October are due to the appearance of a cold saline water mass in the bottom layer of the ECTS. Changes in DIN transports in summer and autumn, which account for two-thirds of the total annual DIN transport, would have a large effect on the nitrogen budget and biological productivity in the Tsushima Warm Current region.     

Short-term temperature and salinity variations in the Tsushima Strait in 2004: Behavior of the surface low-salinity water in the strait

Temporal variations in temperature and salinity observed in 2004 were investigated on a short time scale in the Tsushima Strait. The data were obtained by long-term in situ measurements at Mitsushima and Futaoi Island using an instrument equipped with a piston-type wiper to avoid biofouling. In addition, the temperature and salinity values of the surface layer obtained by a commercial ferryboat between Hakata and Busan were used to investigate their spatiotemporal variations. Temperature and salinity variations with a time scale of several days had a negative correlation in the summer. This evidence suggests that a warm and less saline water mass, which is considered to be mainly the Changjiang Diluted Water (CDW), flowed intermittently through the Tsushima Strait in summer. In late July 2004, a large low-salinity water mass was detected in the Tsushima Strait. At that time, the freshwater transport through the Tsushima Strait transiently reached about 12 × 10⁴ m³s⁻¹, which is estimated from observed acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) data along a ferryboat line and inferred salinity profiles. This estimated value is more than double the maximum of the climatological monthly mean of the Changjiang discharge. Furthermore, salinity and surface current data obtained by high frequency ocean radar (HF radar) indicate that water properties at Mitsushima may occasionally represent part of the water flowing through the western channel via a countercurrent, although Mitsushima is geographically located in the eastern channel.