南海南部晚中新世的放射虫及其环境探讨

南海是东亚古季风产物的主要沉积盆地，保存着比陆地更加完整和连续的沉积记录。详细分析了ODP1143号钻井晚中新世的放射虫化石群，主要根据标志种Diartus petterssoni,D.hughesi和Stichocorys delmontensis等的分布特征，分别建立了南海南部晚中新世的RN6，RN7和RN8等3个放射虫化石带，并讨论了其地层年龄。探讨了以地层中放射虫的丰度变化特征等在南海南部作为东亚古夏季风活动替代性指标的可能性，初步说明东亚古夏季风可能早于8．7Ma B.P．出现，约在8．24Ma B.P.强化达到高峰，认为与印度季风的出现几乎同步或略早。     

东亚冬夏季风对热带印度洋秋季海温异常的响应

利用多年的Reynolds月平均海表温度资料和NCEP/NCAR全球大气再分析资料,分析了热带印度洋秋季海表温度距平(SSTA)与后期东亚冬夏季风强度变化的关系。结果表明,热带印度洋秋季SSTA的主要模态是全区一致(USB)型和偶极子(IOD)型,USB型模态主要代表热带印度洋秋季SSTA的长期变化趋势,而IOD型模态主要反映热带印度洋秋季SSTA的年际变化。热带印度洋秋季海温气候变率中既存在着明显的ENSO信号,也有独立于ENSO的变率特征,独立于ENSO的热带印度洋秋季SSTA变化的主要模态仍是USB型和IOD型。前期秋季USB模态与东亚冬季风及东亚副热带夏季风之间为负相关关系;与前期正(负)IOD模态相对应,南海夏季风强度偏弱(强),而东亚副热带夏季风强度偏强(弱)。USB型和IOD型模态对后期东亚冬、夏季风强度变化的影响是独立于ENSO的,但ENSO起到了调节二者相关显著程度的作用。     

The distribution of chlorophyll-a and dominant planktonic components in the coastal transition zone off Concepción, central Chile, during different oceanographic conditions

The oceanographic setting and the planktonic distribution in the coastal transition zone off Concepción (∼35-38°S, ∼73-77°W), an area characterized by its high biological production, were assessed during two different seasons: austral spring with equatorward upwelling favorable winds and austral winter with predominately northerly winds. Oceanographic and biological data (total chlorophyll-a, particulate organic carbon, microplankton, large mesozooplankton >500 μm as potential consumers of microplankton) were obtained during two cruises (October 1998, July 1999) together with satellite imagery for wind stress, geostrophic flow, surface temperature, and chlorophyll-a data. The physical environment during the spring sampling was typical of the upwelling period in this region, with a well-defined density front in the shelf-break area and high concentrations of surface chlorophyll-a (>5 mg m⁻³) on the shelf over the Itata terrace. During the winter sampling, highly variable though weakly upwelling-favorable winds were observed along with lower surface chlorophyll-a values (<2 mg m⁻³) on the shelf. In the oceanic area (>100 km from the coast), cyclonic and anti-cyclonic eddies were evident in the flow field during both periods, the former coinciding with higher chlorophyll-a contents (∼1 mg m⁻³) than in the surrounding waters. Also, a cold, chlorophyll-a rich filament was well defined during the spring sampling, extending from the shelf out to 350-400 km offshore. Along a cross-shelf transect, the micro- and meso-planktonic assemblages displayed higher coastal abundances during the spring cruise but secondary peaks appeared in the oceanic area during the winter cruise, coinciding with the distribution of the eddies. These results suggest that the mesoscale features in this region, in combination with upwelling, play a role in potentially increasing the biological productivity of the coastal transition zone off Concepción.     

Subsurface Water Masses in the Central North Pacific Transition Region: The Repeat Section along the 18° Meridian

A repeat hydrographic section has been maintained over two decades along the 180° meridian across the subarctic-subtropical transition region. The section is naturally divided into at least three distinct zones. In the Subarctic Zone north of 46°N, the permanent halocline dominates the density stratification, supporting a subsurface temperature minimum (STM). The Subarctic Frontal Zone (SFZ) between 42°–46°N is the region where the subarctic halocline outcrops. To the south is the Subtropical Zone, where the permanent thermocline dominates the density stratification, containing a pycnostad of North Pacific Central Mode Water (CMW). The STM water colder than 4°C in the Subarctic Zone is originated in the winter mixed layer of the Bering Sea. The temporal variation of its core temperature lags 12–16 months behind the variations of both the winter sea surface temperature (SST) and the summer STM temperature in the Bering Sea, suggesting that the thermal anomalies imposed on the STM water by wintertime air-sea interaction in the Bering Sea spread over the western subarctic gyre, reaching the 180° meridian within a year or so. The CMW in this section originates in the winter mixed layer near the northern edge of the Subtropical Zone between 160°E and 180°. The CMW properties changed abruptly from 1988 to 1989; its temperature and salinity increased and its potential density decreased. It is argued that these changes were caused by the climate regime shift in 1988/1989 characterized by weakening of the Aleutian Low and the westerlies and increase in the SST in the subarctic-subtropical transition region. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Sea surface temperature variations in the southwestern South China Sea over the past 160 ka

Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the southwestern South China Sea have been reconstructed for the past 160 ka using the Uk37 paleothermometer from the core MD01-2392. The temperature differences between glacial times (MISs 6 and 2) and interglacial times (MISs 5.5 and 1) are 2.2~2.5 ℃. Younger Dryas event during the last deglaciation was documented in both the planktonic foraminiferal δ18O and SST records. After MIS 5.5, SSTs displayed a progressive cooling from 28.6 to 24.5 ℃, culminating at the LGM. During this gradual cooling period, warm events such as MISs 5.3, 5.1 and 3 were also clearly documented. By comparison of SST between the study core and Core 17954, a pattern of low or no meridional SST gradients during the interglacial periods and high meridional SST gradients during the glacial periods was exhibited. This pattern indicates the much stronger East Asian winter monsoon at the glacial than at the interglacial periods. Spectral analysis gives two prominent cycles: 41 and 23 ka, with the former more pronounced, suggesting that SSTs in the southern SCS varied in concert with high-latitude processes through the connection of East Asian winter monsoon.     

North Pacific Subtropical Mode Waters Observed in Long XBT Cross Sections along 32.5°N Line

The S/V Shoyo, of the Hydrographic Department, Japan Coast Guard, has conducted high-density expendable bathythermograph (XBT) measurements along the 32.5°N line in the North Pacific every year from 1990 to 1993 as a part of the Japanese-World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE). These XBT data are analyzed here, focusing on year-to-year variations of the inventory and core layer temperature (CLT) of the North Pacific subtropical mode water (NPSTMW). Large year-to-year changes are found in the NPSTMW CLTs estimated in longitudes between 140°E and 160°E. CLT values were found of 17.4°C in 1990, 17.1°C in 1991, 17.3°C in 1992 and 17.6°C in 1993. Inspection of the wintertime westerlies over the formation area and sea surface temperature distribution revealed that this change in CLT can be qualitatively attributed to the strength of atmospheric cooling in the formation area in the previous winter. Although a large year-to-year variation of NPSTMW inventory was also found, it is hard to state any relationship between CLT and atmospheric forcing. There is a possibility that different observational seasons may affect the inventory. It has also been found that the thermocline depth in 1991 was shallower in the sea area east of 180° than in 1992 and 1993. Associated with this change, the North Pacific central mode water (NPCMW), characterized by thermostad with temperatures ranging from 14°C to 11°C, appears in the sea area east of 180° in the 1992 and 1993 cross sections. The 1993 cross section, which ranged from the Japanese coast to the west coast of North America, possessed another thermostad in the surface layer, with a temperature of about 17°C in the eastern part of the cross section, off California. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Chemical Fluxes of Asian Rivers into Oceans and their Controlling Factors

Chemical fluxes of Asian rivers into oceans bear different regional variations. Three zones are characteristic of distinct dissolved sediment loads and yields and ionic concentration.Rivers into oceans in China play an important role in Asia because of their different chemical fluxes, among which those draining the Loess Plateau have high ionic concentration, low water discharges and dissolved sediment loads and yields.Climate, vegetation, soil and strata lithology, chemical weathering intensity and tectonic activity dominate chemical fluxes of Asian rivers into oceans, and different factors have different effects on the chemical fluxes of separate regional rivers. Rising of the Tibet Plateau also exerts an important influence on chemical compositions of rivers originating from it.     

The contribution of nano- and micro-planktonic assemblages in the surface layer (0-30 m) under different hydrographic conditions in the upwelling area off Concepción, central Chile

In the highly productive region off central Chile, the structure and temporal and spatial variability of planktonic assemblages, and the factors that determine changes in this structure are poorly understood. In the region, wind-driven upwelling, heating by solar radiation and freshwater inputs are highly seasonal processes, which, together with higher frequency events, can promote changes in the planktonic communities, especially in the upper layer. This study focuses on the structure of nano- through to micro-planktonic assemblages (2-200 μm) of unicellular organisms (protists) in surface waters (0-30 m) during different hydrographic conditions. Samples were taken from a fixed shelf station off Concepción (COPAS time series Station 18) on eight occasions between September 2003 and August 2004. The nano-plankton flagellate-dominated fraction was numerically important during the whole period. Maxima in flagellate abundance and biomass occurred during the upwelling period (November-April samplings) but these maxima appear to be unrelated to the degree of water column stratification. The micro-plankton diatom-dominated fraction was usually the largest component in terms of biomass during the study period and the diatoms made important numerical contributions during the upwelling period, with maxima in abundance and biomass when water column stability was lowest. The dominant genera and morphotypes in each functional group were found throughout the study period, with maxima in abundance and biomass co-occurring under similar environmental upwelling conditions. The mean macro-nutrient concentrations (nitrate and silicate) were relatively high in the top 30 m during both upwelling and non-upwelling periods, and did not explain the maxima in plankton or functional group replacements. The persistence of the dominant taxa in the planktonic assemblages suggests a high degree of flexibility, though probably not at the specific level, to withstand the highly variable environmental conditions in this upwelling area.     

Native aluminium (spherules and particles) in the Central Indian Basin sediments: Implications on the occurrence of hydrothermal events

We have sampled particles of native aluminium (Al°) in two sediment cores from the Central Indian Basin (CIB). The cores are geographically separated but are located at the base of two seamounts. The native Al° particles occurring as grains and spherules, have an average Al content of  95% and are associated with volcanogenic–hydrothermal material. Morphologically and compositionally, the specimens are similar to those reported from the East Pacific Rise. After ruling out several processes for the presence of the native Al°, we hypothesize that during progressive melting of magma, a basaltic magma is produced which has high contents of reductants such as methane and hydrogen, and a low oxygen fugacity. During the upward migration of such magma, reduction to metallic aluminium and the formation of native Al° particles takes place.     

Nanoplanktonic assemblages in the upwelling area off Concepción (∼36°S), central Chile: Abundance, biomass, and grazing potential during the annual cycle

The structure and functioning of nanoplanktonic assemblages in coastal upwelling areas have usually been overlooked in explorations of the productivity of these areas. As part of a multidisciplinary, time-series station in the coastal area off Concepción, seasonal variations (upwelling and non-upwelling) in the abundance and biomass of these assemblages were investigated. Hydrographic measurements and biological samples were taken monthly over a 2-year period (18 August 2004-28 July 2006). Nanoflagellates dominated the total integrated abundance (3-317 × 10⁹ cells m⁻²; 0-80 m). Diatoms and dinoflagellates usually contributed to a lesser degree (<20%) but sporadically made important contributions to the total integrated nanoplankton biomass (0.02-10.6 g C m⁻²). Most of the nanoplankton was concentrated in surface waters (<30 m) during all the samplings and no seasonal differences in abundance or biomass were found in this layer, although the mean values and dispersions around them were highest during the upwelling period along with maximum integrated (0-80 m) chlorophyll-a values, as total or in the <20 μm fraction. Changes in nanoplankton abundance were significantly but weakly (r < 0.4) correlated with changes in the hydrographic variables; the highest correlation values were positive for temperature and oxygen, factors that varied with depth and date. The potential grazing rates of heterotrophic nano-predators (flagellates and dinoflagellates) on prokaryotic prey, estimated with a generic model, ranged from 3 to 242 bacterioplankton predator⁻¹ h⁻¹ and from 0.1 to 14 cyanobacteria predator⁻¹ h⁻¹. Our results imply a small impact of seasonal hydrographic variability on the abundance and biomass of nanoplanktonic assemblages and suggest that grazing by nanoheterotrophs might control the prokaryotic picoplankton populations in the upwelling area off Concepción.