The effects of wastewater discharges on the functioning of a small temporarily open/closed estuary

Wastewater discharges affect the functioning of small temporarily open/closed estuaries (TOCEs) through two main mechanisms: (1) they can significantly change the water balance by altering the quantity of water inflows, and (2) they can significantly change the nutrient balance and hence the water quality. This study investigated the bio-physical responses of a typical, small TOCE on the east coast of South Africa, the Mhlanga Estuary. This estuary receives significant inflows of treated effluent from upstream wastewater treatment works. Water and nutrient budgets were used together with biological sampling to investigate changes in the functioning of the system. The increase in inflows due to the effluent discharges has significantly increased the mouth breaching frequency. Furthermore, when the mouth closes, the accumulation of nutrients leads to eutrophication and algal blooms. A grey water index, namely the proportion of effluent in the estuary and an indicator of the additional nutrient inputs into the estuary, reached high values (?50%) during low flow regimes and when the mouth was closed. In these hyper-eutrophic conditions (DIN and DIP concentrations up to 457 μM and 100 μM respectively), field measurements showed that algal blooms occurred within about 14 days following closure of the mouth (chlorophyll-a concentrations up to 375 mg chl-a m⁻³). Water and nutrient balance simulations for alternative scenarios suggest that further increases in wastewater discharges would result in more frequent breaching events and longer open mouth conditions, but the occurrence of hyper-eutrophic conditions would initially intensify despite more frequent openings. The study indicates how water and nutrient balance simulations can be used in the planning and impact assessment of wastewater treatment facilities.     

Private rights,public benefits: Industry-driven seabed protection

New Zealand has a large exclusive economic zone (EEZ) that contains a variety of marine habitats and commercially-important species. The commercial fishing industry operating within New Zealand's EEZ is of significant value to the economy and fisheries resources are managed through the extensive use of Individual Transferable Quotas (ITQs). One of the benefits of ITQs has been to better align some of the private incentives of quota owners with the public interest. These incentives contributed to an initiative proposed by the fishing industry to close large areas of New Zealand's EEZ to protect the seabed from trawling. These closed areas are termed benthic protection areas (BPAs) and protect the benthic biodiversity of about 1.1 million square kilometres of seabed—approximately 30% of New Zealand's EEZ. A significant proportion of New Zealand's known seamounts and active hydrothermal vents are protected by these closed areas. We describe and discuss the criteria used to select BPAs and some of the criticism of this marine protection initiative. We argue that the assignment of strong property rights in fishing resources was an important precondition to an industry initiative that has a significant public benefit. Where private and public interests are well aligned, government can adopt an enabling and facilitation role, ceding direct control of processes in order to get the results the align with the public interest.     

广东流沙湾4个测站2个周日潮流观测的准调和分析

采用短期资料的潮流准调和分析方法,对水深为4.4～17.0 m的流沙湾4个测站2个周日潮流观测获得的表、中、底层的潮流资料进行了分析,分别计算了4个测站O1、K1、M2、S2、M4、MS4共6个主要分潮的潮流调和常数,并给出了各观测站位在各层的潮流椭圆要素.计算结果表明：流沙湾主要为日潮流海区,其中湾外为规则日潮流,湾内为不规则日潮流;湾外主要分潮流的北分量一般大于东分量,而湾内主要分潮流的北分量一般小于东分量.观测期间余流的流向主要呈西北向,最大余流流速出现在湾内地形突然收窄处,且在湾内中层余流流速要大于表、底层余流流速.整个海区潮流的可能最大流速表层在57～107 cm/s之间,中层在53～106 cm/s之间,底层在34～98 cm/s之间.流沙湾湾外潮流主要为顺时针的旋转流运动,湾内为带有旋转流的往复流运动.     

南黄海中部泥质沉积成因和物源研究综述

当前南黄海沉积学研究的核心问题是泥质沉积的形成过程和动力机制及其物质来源。许多学者对南黄海中部泥区的成因和物源进行了大量研究,但比较局限,缺少系统性。现有研究认为南黄海泥质沉积的形成受黄海冷水团和上升流的影响,但黄海冷水团并不是其形成的必要条件。对泥区物源的研究,主要考虑现代黄河物质、老黄河物质以及长江物质对其的影响,并且仅是定性的研究。对于朝鲜半岛物质对南黄海中部泥区的影响,国内的研究更是寥寥无几。海水对海底基岩的侵蚀沉积以及黄海暖流对海底沉积物的改造和再悬浮作用对南黄海中部泥区沉积的贡献仅是个别学者的观点。     

双循环新格局下重庆市城镇化发展动力与实现路径

源于时代之变而构筑的双循环新发展格局是市场经济条件下多尺度空间输出理论与劳动地域大分工的“叠加”,为新型城镇化发展带来新的动力源泉。为了揭示这种影响,首先将科技创新和制度改革这2个城镇化发展动力外生变量内生化,构建基于“四维驱动力模型+创新力+制度力”的城镇化动力因子分析框架,结合主成分回归模型对2000年以来重庆市城镇化发展动力进行分析,并据此引入波特的“钻石模型”对其城镇化发展路径进行系统思考。结果表明：1）纳入动力因子体系的创新力和制度力对重庆市城镇化发展产生显著的正向驱动效应,其中创新力表现最为明显。2）重庆市城镇化发展是“六维力”共同作用的结果,但市场力和行政力依然是最主要的驱动力;其次是创新力、内源力和外向力,其中创新力对城镇化发展的驱动效应已在阶段2(2010—2018年)超越行政力的作用效应;最后是制度力;间接反映重庆市城镇化本身是一个内生作用的过程,构筑“以国内大循环为主体、国内国际双循环相互促进”新发展格局具有客观必然性和前瞻性。3）基于波特“钻石模型”分析指出：重庆市存在增长极体量小、市场购买力不足、产品低端化、同质化现象严重等问题,并据此从发展高级生产要素、创造...     

DRY-SEASON VARIABILITY IN SUSPENDED SEDIMENT CONCENTRATIONS IN THE SOUTH PASSAGE OF THE CHANGJIANG ESTUARY

This paper reports the results of continuous monitoring of turbidity, water depth, salinity (using an Optical Backscatter Sensor (OBS)), and current velocity (using a Current meter (SLC9-2)) in the South Passage of the Changjiang Estuary over a spring–neap period in February 2003 (dry season). The turbidity measured via OBS was closely correlated with the suspended sediment concentration (SSC), which was highly variable. Over the study period, the SSC in the middle layer ranged from 110 to 1400 mg/l. The minimum SSC occurred during a late ebb tide, and the maximum SSC occurred during a late flood tide. On average, the SSC was 1.5 times higher during flood tide than during ebb tide. Vertically within the water column, SSC increased downward, with the ratio of SSC measured near the bed to that measured at the surface ranging from 1.90 to 18.3. The temporal variability in SSC is jointly governed by tides and wind-induced waves, whereas the vertical variability in SSC is attributed to the effect of gravity and vertical water circulation.     

One‐dimensional dynamics of saturated incompressible porous media: analytical solutions and influence of inertia terms

The complexity of formulations for the hydromechanical coupled mechanics of porous media is typically minimised by simplifying assumptions such as neglecting the effect of inertia terms. For example, three formulations commonly employed to model practical problems are classified as fully dynamic, simplified dynamic and quasi‐static. Thus, depending on the porous media conditions, each formulation will have advantages and limitations. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of these limitations when solving one‐dimensional fully saturated porous media problems in addition to a new solution that considers a more general loading situation. A phase diagram is developed to assist on the selection of which formulation is more appropriate and convenient regarding particular cases of porosity and hydraulic conductivity values. Non‐dimensional formulations are proposed to achieve this goal. Results using the analytical solutions are compared against numerical values obtained with the finite element method, and the effect of porosity is investigated. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Particle manifold method (PMM): A new continuum‐discontinuum numerical model for geomechanics

Particle manifold method (PMM) is a new extension of the numerical manifold method (NMM). PMM uses a mathematical cover system to describe the motion and deformation of a particle‐based physical domain. By introducing the concept of particle into NMM, PMM takes the advantages of easy topological and contact operations with particles. In this article, the methodology, formulations and implementation of the method are presented, together with modelling examples for validation. It is found that good solutions for both continuous and discontinuous problems are obtained by the new developed PMM. Due to the underlying coupled continuum‐discontinuum property of PMM, it has great potential for modelling of geomechanical problems. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The interaction of two asymmetric quasi-geostrophic vortex patches

ABSTRACT

Herein we study the general interaction of two vortex patches in a single-layer quasi-geostrophic shallow-water flow. Steadily-rotating equilibrium states are found over a wide parameter space spanning the Rossby deformation length, vortex area ratio, potential vorticity ratio, and gap between their innermost edges. A linear stability analysis is then used to identify the critical gap separating stable and unstable solutions, over the entire range of area and potential vorticity ratios, and for selected values of the Rossby deformation length. A representative set of marginally unstable equilibrium states are then slightly perturbed and evolved by an accurate contour dynamics numerical algorithm to understand the long-term fate of the instabilities. Not all instabilities lead to vortex merger; many in fact are characterised by weak filamentation and a small adjustment of the vortex shapes, without merger. Stronger instabilities lead to material being torn from one vortex and either wrapped around the other or reduced to ever thinning filamentary debris. A portion of the vortex may survive, or it may be completely strained out by the other.