Tsunami as agents of geomorphic change in mid-ocean reef islands

Low-lying atoll islands appear highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change and extreme natural events. Potentially disastrous effects of future sea-level rise have been inferred in many studies, and the actual impacts of tropical storms on island destruction and formation have been well documented. In contrast, the role of tsunami in the geomorphic development of atoll islands has not been investigated. The Sumatran earthquake of 26 December 2004 generated a tsunami that reached the Maldives 2500 km away, with waves up to 2.5 m high. Observations on the geomorphic changes resulting from the tsunami are detailed here, based on pre-and post-tsunami profile measurements of island, beach and reef topography, and GPS surveys of the planform shape of islands and beaches of 11 uninhabited islands in South Maalhosmadulu atoll, Maldives. Erosional and depositional impacts were observed on all islands and these have been quantified. In general the changes were of a minor nature with a maximum reduction in island area of 9% and average of 3.75%. Rather, the tsunami accentuated predictable seasonal oscillations in shoreline change, including localised erosion reflected in fresh scarps and seepage gullies. Depositional features in the form of sand sheets and sand lobes emplaced on the vegetated island surfaces provide clear evidence that the tsunami waves washed over parts of all the islands. Both erosional scarps and overwash deposits were concentrated at the tsunami-exposed eastern sides of the islands. Impacts on leeward shores were primarily accretionary, in the form of spit and cuspate foreland extension. Whereas the nature and magnitude of intra-and inter-island impacts was variable, an east to west decline in aggregate effects was noted. Detailed consideration of the morphodynamic interaction between the tsunami waves and island morphology, show that this cross-atoll gradient resulted not just from the reduction in tsunami energy as it passed through the atoll, but also from variations in elevation of the encircling island ridge, and the quantity and distribution of sediment in the antecedent beach. A conceptual model identifying the sequence of changes to individual islands supports the observational data and the pattern of geomorphic changes resulting from the tsunami. This model leads to consideration of the longer-term impacts of the tsunami on the future stability of islands. Four scenarios are presented, each of which has a different island-beach sediment budget, and different relaxation time to achieve dynamic equilibrium.     

南沙群岛道明群礁库归沙洲脊槽地貌定量研究

脊槽地貌（Spur and Groove）是现代珊瑚礁礁坪和礁前的典型地貌,其发育特征是揭示珊瑚礁形成与演化过程的重要基础,目前有关环礁各地貌带脊槽地貌形态及成因的研究仍较为薄弱。南海南沙群岛岛礁脊槽地貌发育,是进行相关研究的理想区域。本文以南沙群岛北部道明群礁东北库归沙洲的典型脊槽地貌为研究对象,基于多波束测深数据,借助小波分析和过零点分析等方法,对环礁脊槽地貌形态参数进行定量研究。结果表明：库归沙洲各地貌带脊槽发育平均起始水深为15~16 m,主要为深水脊槽,最大起始水深相差较大（达8 m）,而终止水深相似（平均为16 m左右）。脊槽高差在礁前斜坡和内礁坪为2.15 m左右,在潟湖坡为1.24 m;平均槽宽在礁前斜坡为47.30 m,在潟湖坡达54.92 m。因此,在礁前斜坡脊槽发育相对密集且高差大,潟湖坡脊槽发育相对稀疏且高差小。从礁前斜坡至潟湖坡,脊槽边坡坡度逐渐增大,由“V”型脊槽向“U”型脊槽过渡,槽谷由左倾逐渐转化为右倾。同时,在内礁坪和潟湖坡多发育次一级脊槽,“V”型和“U”型共存。与全球代表性珊瑚礁脊槽形态的对比分析表明：南海地区各环礁多发育深水脊槽,其槽宽和延伸长度的关系部分符合波浪侵蚀作用主控的“V”型脊槽的拟合直线,部分符合生物建造作用主控的“U”型脊槽的拟合直线,表明其可能受上述两个作用共同控制,不同地貌带两者相对强弱不同。同时,频繁的热带风暴的破坏作用可能也是一个要因。     

Amount and type of derelict gear from the declining black pearl oyster aquaculture in Ahe atoll lagoon,French Polynesia

Pearl oyster aquaculture is a major activity in French Polynesia atoll lagoons. After the economic decline that characterized the last decade, concerns recently rose about discarded installations and materials that supported aquaculture practices and by facilities abandoned after they had to close their activities. In May 2013, a first inventory of the type and amount of pearl farms derelict gear (PFDG) was achieved on 47 sites in Ahe lagoon. Surveys were conducted within and outside the boundaries of aquaculture concessions. Twenty types of PFDG littered the lagoon floor and the water column. The most impacted areas were near abandoned grafting houses with up to nine types of PFDG. Forty-five percent of the sites were impacted, including outside concessions. While management authorities are fully aware of the problem, this first assessment is a wake-up call to stimulate the cleaning of lagoons, enhance awareness among farmers, and identify potential ecological consequences on lagoon ecosystems.     

中沙海域的广角与多道地震探测

由于浅滩和暗礁广布,中沙海域(环礁区)长期以来处在南海地震探测的空白区域.为了揭示该区域的地壳结构及地层-构造特征,进而全面刻画南海陆缘新生代伸展过程,我们首次在中沙及其邻近海域完成了1条广角地震测线OBS2017-2和4条多道地震测线的数据采集.对得到的海底地震仪(OBS)数据进行了格式转换、位置校正等初步处理,识别了来自地壳深部的震相并对中沙环礁地壳结构进行了正演模拟;对穿过中沙环礁的多道地震剖面进行了地层-构造解释,共划分出6套地层.OBS2017-2测线处理结果显示,其数据质量良好,深部震相清晰,且位于环礁内的台站震相延伸较长,可达100km以上.中沙环礁地壳性质为轻微减薄的坚硬大陆块体,厚度约为25km左右.多道地震剖面显示,环礁之上沉积层厚度较薄,除环礁西南部存在一条基底断裂——"排洪-美溪断裂"外,基本不存在其他构造-岩浆活动.而在环礁坡脚周缘,有广泛的岩浆侵入和喷出体的存在.中沙环礁上较薄的上地壳厚度和沉积特征指示了该区域可能在古新世时期经历的强烈暴露剥蚀作用.中沙海域最新开展的广角和多道地震探测填补了南海地质地球物理研究的空白,为解读该区的构造-沉积演化提供了数据基础...