Longshore drift estimation using fluorescent tracers: New insights from an experiment at Comporta Beach, Portugal

A fluorescent sand-tracer experiment was performed at Comporta Beach (Portugal) with the aim of acquiring longshore sediment transport data on a reflective beach, the optimization of field and laboratory tracer procedures and the improvement of the conceptual model used to support tracer data interpretation.

The field experiment was performed on a mesotidal reflective beach face in low energetic conditions (significant wave height between 0.4 and 0.5 m). Two different colour tracers (orange and blue) were injected at low tide and sampled in the two subsequent low tides using a high resolution 3D grid extending 450 m alongshore and 30 m cross-shore. Marked sand was detected using an automatic digital image processing system developed in the scope of the present experiment.

Results for the two colour tracers show a remarkable coherence, with high recovery rates attesting data validity. Sand tracer displayed a high advection velocity, but with distinct vertical distribution patterns in the two tides: in the first tide there was a clear decrease in tracer advection velocity with depth while in the second tide, the tracer exhibited an almost uniform vertical velocity distribution. This differing behaviour suggests that, in the first tide, the tracer had not reached equilibrium within the transport system, pointing to a considerable time lag between injection and complete mixing. This issue has important implications for the interpretation of tracer data, indicating that short term tracer experiments tend to overestimate transport rates. In this work, therefore, longshore estimates were based on tracer results obtained during the second tide.

The estimated total longshore transport rate at Comporta Beach was 2 × 10^− 3 m³/s, more than four times larger than predicted using standard empirical longshore formulas. This discrepancy, which results from the unusually large active moving layer observed during the experiment, confirms the idea that most common longshore transport equations under-estimate total sediment transport in plunging/surging waves.     

长江口泥沙絮凝静水沉降动力学模式的试验研究

细颗粒泥沙在咸水中的絮凝沉降是河流泥沙向海输送过程中在河口区发生的重要现象，是河口拦门沙形成与发育的主要原因之一。本文根据室内模拟试验研究，提出长江口泥沙絮凝静水沉降的二级动力学模式，通过该式求得不同泥沙含量和盐度情况下絮凝沉降的衰减系数，半衰期和平均沉降速率等动力学参数，定量地分析泥沙含量和盐度对泥沙絮凝沉降过程的影响。     

Primary production in the eastern tropical Pacific: A review

The eastern tropical Pacific includes 28 million km² of ocean between 23.5°N and S and Central/South America and 140°W, and contains the eastern and equatorial branches of the north and South Pacific subtropical gyres plus two equatorial and two coastal countercurrents. Spatial patterns of primary production are in general determined by supply of macronutrients (nitrate, phosphate) from below the thermocline. Where the thermocline is shallow and intersects the lighted euphotic zone, biological production is enhanced. In the eastern tropical Pacific thermocline depth is controlled by three interrelated processes: a basin-scale east/west thermocline tilt, a basin-scale thermocline shoaling at the gyre margins, and local wind-driven upwelling. These processes regulate supply of nutrient-rich subsurface waters to the euphotic zone, and on their basis we have divided the eastern tropical Pacific into seven main regions. Primary production and its physical and chemical controls are described for each.Enhanced rates of macronutrient supply maintains levels of primary production in the eastern tropical Pacific above those of the oligotrophic subtropical gyres to the north and south. On the other hand lack of the micronutrient iron limits phytoplankton growth (and nitrogen fixation) over large portions of the open-ocean eastern tropical Pacific, depressing rates of primary production and resulting in the so-called high nitrate-low chlorophyll condition. Very high rates of primary production can occur in those coastal areas where both macronutrients and iron are supplied in abundance to surface waters. In these eutrophic coastal areas large phytoplankton cells dominate; conversely, in the open-ocean small cells are dominant. In a ‘shadow zone’ between the subtropical gyres with limited subsurface ventilation, enough production sinks and decays to produce anoxic and denitrified waters which spread beneath very large parts of the eastern tropical Pacific.Seasonal cycles are weak over much of the open-ocean eastern tropical Pacific, although several eutrophic coastal areas do exhibit substantial seasonality. The ENSO fluctuation, however, is an exceedingly important source of interannual variability in this region. El Niño in general results in a depressed thermocline and thus reduced rates of macronutrient supply and primary production. The multi-decadal PDO is likely also an important source of variability, with the ‘El Viejo’ phase of the PDO resulting in warmer and lower nutrient and productivity conditions similar to El Niño.On average the eastern tropical Pacific is moderately productive and, relative to Pacific and global means, its productivity and area are roughly equivalent. For example, it occupies about 18% of the Pacific Ocean by area and accounts for 22–23% of its productivity. Similarly, it occupies about 9% of the global ocean and accounts for 10% of its productivity. While representative, these average values obscure very substantial spatial and temporal variability that characterizes the dynamics of this tropical ocean.     

Trends in the solubility of iron,aluminium, manganese and phosphorus in aerosol collected over the Atlantic Ocean

The solubility of iron, aluminium, manganese and phosphorus has been determined in aerosol samples collected between 49°N and 52°S during three cruises conducted in the Atlantic Ocean as part of the European Union funded IRONAGES programme. Solubilities (defined at pH 4.7) determined for Fe and Al in samples of Saharan dust were significantly lower (medians 1.7% and 3.0%, respectively) than the solubilities of these metals in aerosols from other source regions (whole dataset medians 5.2% and 9.0%, respectively). Mn solubility also varied with aerosol source, but the median solubility of Mn in Saharan dust was very similar to the median for the dataset as a whole (55% and 56%, respectively). The observed solubility of aerosol P was ∼ 32%, with P solubility in Saharan aerosol perhaps as low as 10%. Laboratory studies have indicated that aerosol Fe solubility is enhanced by acid processing. No relationship could be found between Fe solubility and the concentrations of acid species (non-seasalt SO₄²⁻, NO₃⁻) nor the net acidity of the aerosol, so we are unable to confirm that this process is significant in the atmosphere. In terms of the supply of soluble Fe to oceanic ecosystems on a global scale, the observed higher solubility for Fe in non-Saharan aerosols is probably not significant because the Sahara is easily the dominant source of Fe to the Atlantic. On a smaller scale however, higher solubility for aerosol Fe may alter our understanding of Fe cycling in regions such as the remote Southern Ocean.     

Study on Key Technology of Using Shell Sand as Backfill for Sea Reclamation

1 .IntroductionEpicontinental sea or land could formfromcontinental shelf because of the decreasing sea levelduring Quaternary.There is a large-area shell sand deposit more than ten meters thick in the neriticzone of China .To use the abundant marine shell sandresource as engineering material for ocean engi-neering and port engineeringis veryimportant .Sand (Gred and Bjorn,1999) ,fine sand (Zhangetal .,2002) , mediumand coarse sand (Qiuet al .,1995) ,highly weathered stone ballast (Zhanetal…     

镇泾地区延长组河流相砂体分布与圈闭形成的关系研究

鄂尔多斯盆地镇泾地区侏罗系地层以三角洲-湖泊沉积体系为主,研究区范围内主要发育主河道和部分分流河道砂体。研究区构造平缓,主要为单斜地层、在东南部存在大型鼻状构造。通过对主要储层段(长6、8油层组)砂体分布及与构造之间关系进行研究,分析砂体走向与构造线方向的关系认为在构造单斜地区,当两者相交时(交角β≠0)是形成圈闭的关键因素之一,在大型鼻状构造地区因构造线的弯曲与河道砂体组合可以形成圈闭。根据研究区砂体分布和构造线组合出4种地层-岩性及岩性圈闭。利用构造图与砂体分布图对主要储层段存在的圈闭确定出长6、8油层组10个层圈闭。     

松辽盆地葡萄花油田北部鞍部地区成藏控制因素分析

在系统描述葡萄花油田北部鞍部地区构造特征和断裂体系的基础上,分析了烃源岩大量排烃期与构造形成时期的匹配关系、砂体分布、地层压力和断层封闭性对研究区成藏的控制作用。研究结果表明:烃源岩大量排烃期和构造形成时期良好匹配,地层压力低势区和在成藏时期断块边界断层侧向开启是成藏的有利条件,构造和砂体分布则是成藏的主要控制因素。研究区成藏条件较好,可作为有利扩边潜力区。     

济宁颜店铁矿地质特征及济宁岩群含矿性研究

伏于济宁滋阳山一带千米盖层之下的古元古代济宁岩群是一套低绿片岩相变质含铁岩系,主要岩石组合为千枚岩、板岩、磁铁石英岩等,其原岩为海相含灰质泥岩、砂岩类中酸性火山岩、硅铁岩等,该套岩系最大控制厚度达580m。其中赋存的条带状磁铁石英岩呈层状、似层状埋深在1612．89～1796．54m之间,共有5层铁矿,总厚度85．53m。估算预测的铁矿资源量（334）9．76亿t,mFe平均品位22．37％;低品位矿体预测的资源量（334）2．64亿t,mFe平均品位16．99％。     

磷处理粉煤灰可作农业土壤磷源

粉煤灰(简称CCP或ash)具有改良土壤,增加植物产量的功能。此外,由于它特殊的多孔结构,也可用作吸纳并承载植物养分的载体。用NaH2PO4配制成含磷0.10mol/L浓度的溶液,对采自加拿大西安大略省Sarnia地区Lambton电厂的底灰(bottomash)进行振荡浸渍处理。结果表明,振荡浸渍66h后的粉煤灰中磷含量可达784×10-6。以磷处理粉煤灰、未进行磷处理的粉煤灰和石英砂按比例混合,作为基本生长介质进行玉米种植实验,其中实验配方设计为生长介质中含磷量分别为标准含磷浓度(50×10-6)的10%、25%、50%、75%和100%。生长26、34和46d后分别与不含磷的空白配方、施加含氮-磷-钾为0-20-0标准磷肥并控制磷含量为标准浓度(50×10-6)配方进行生物产量对比。生长实验结果表明,以磷处理粉煤灰供磷的生长介质,当含磷量为标准浓度的25%至100%时,其植物生长量就比添加标准浓度磷肥的配方好。种植46d后的生物生长量统计结果显示,含磷分别为标准浓度50%、75%和100%的实验介质中,玉米杆的鲜重较施标准磷肥介质中玉米分别增长39.46%、42.73%和46.13%;玉米杆干重依次增加29.71%、13.39%和28.87%;根鲜重平均增加16.62%;根干重平均增加14.03%。上述实验结果启示,粉煤灰可以很好地吸纳承载磷养分,并持续供给植物吸收生长,如果采用吸纳磷(或其他养分)的粉煤灰改良砂质土壤将有重要意义。     

Effects of irrigation on geochemical processes in a paddy soil and in ground waters in Camargue (France)

In waterlogged soils, dynamics of water influence the redox conditions and thus the mobility of elements. Irrigation of rice in Camargue (South eastern France) induces yearly dynamics of water. In order to determine the impact of irrigation on the geochemical properties of ground waters, a continuously in situ record of physico-chemical parameters (pH, Eh, temperature and electric conductivity) is performed during 1 year in an irrigated rice field. Seasonal dynamics show large Eh and pH variations. An annual irrigation cycle generates fast precipitations of Ca–Mg carbonates and Fe oxides between 50 and 110 cm depth when the soil is waterlogged. The dissolution of these minerals is initiated during a year without irrigation.