Case Study on Naming Disputes of Undersea Features

Base on sorting out the meeting reports of Sub-Committee on Undersea Feature Names (SCUFN), we exposed the historical disputes on naming of Emperor Seamount Chain, Japanese Guyots and Lucky Star Ridge, and discussed the principles and criterions Which are held by SCUF. We made practical recommendations for Chinese government to cope with naming disputes and maintain marine rights and interests.     

Spatial differences in sand wave dynamics between the Amsterdam and the Rotterdam region in the Southern North Sea

The optimization of the bathymetric resurvey policy of the Netherlands Hydrographic Service requires insight into sea floor dynamics in the Southern North Sea. To study the spatial variations in sea floor dynamics, the bathymetric archives of the Netherlands Hydrographic Service are analyzed using deformation analysis, a statistical and innovative approach for bathymetric data. Based on the uncertainty of the data, our implementation of deformation analysis selects the significant spatial and temporal parameters, and provides estimates and their uncertainties for those parameters. We focus on sand wave areas in the regions of Rotterdam and of Amsterdam. In those areas, dredging takes place to guarantee a minimum depth. The results reveal a difference in sand wave migration between the two regions, over the past two decades. The dominant wavelengths of the sand waves vary within the regions, but we find a similar wavelength distribution for the two regions. We compare our results to earlier studies of the same sand wave areas in the Rotterdam region, showing similar migration rates, but different wavelengths. It is concluded, based on sand wave dynamics alone, that the Amsterdam region should be assigned a higher resurvey frequency than the Rotterdam region.     

Changing maritime scenarios. The geopolitical dimension of the EU Atlantic Strategy

The European Union׳s Integrated Maritime Policy (EU IMP) is being developed in the framework of a process that is reshaping maritime geographical scenarios and world geopolitics. This process is characterised by a change in States׳ territoriality resulting from their jurisdictional expansion. Over 60% of coastal States in the world possess territory with a more extensive maritime component than the terrestrial component which helps to reaffirm the fragmentation of maritime space and stresses the national vision of the oceans. Unlike the process of ocean space fragmentation that results from its nationalisation the EU Integrated Maritime Policy has a global and cooperative vision, which is particularly evident in the Atlantic Strategy. In this context, this article aims to: (i) provide a first estimate of the size and extent of the territorial changes resulting from jurisdictional claims available to date and their mapping; (ii) consider the case of the European Union as one of special significance with its express policy of maritime spatial projection. The conclusions point to a redefinition of the large territorial pieces of the global geopolitics puzzle and the emergence of a new Atlanticism associated with the EU׳s maritime policy.     

The diminishing age gap between polar cruisers and their ships: A new reason to codify the IMO Guidelines for ships operating in polar waters and make them mandatory?

Ice, harsh weather, severe cold, and remoteness increase the risks of navigating the Arctic. Robust ships and shipboard systems to support routine operations and effectively respond to accidents and emergency situations are necessary. In spite of these challenges, the cruise ship industry is reportedly preparing to expand its passenger capacity, destinations, and operating season in the Arctic. An examination of the Arctic cruise ship fleet shows that the most capable ships are approaching the end of their service lives and may be replaced during the next decade. A window of opportunity is open for the international community to act on concerns about the safety of cruise ships in Polar Regions by codifying and making mandatory the International Maritime Organization's Guidelines for ships operating in Polar waters. A mandatory code would provide regulatory guidance to ship-builders at a critical point in the process of procuring new Arctic cruise ships and ensure that suitably constructed and outfitted ships would serve Arctic cruisers.     

晚秋前冬海洋性大陆区域向外长波辐射年际变化及其与云贵高原降水异常的联系

利用美国国家海洋和大气管理局(NOAA)向外长波辐射(OLR)月平均资料、欧洲中期数值预报中心(ECMWF)ERA-interim月平均再分析资料、全球降水气候中心(GPCC)降水资料及中国气象局国家气象信息中心提供的中国756站逐日观测资料,通过定义一个海洋性大陆区域对流强度指数(I_OLR),分析了海洋性大陆区域(Maritime Continent,MC)近35年来11月—次年1月对流活动特征,并揭示了11月—次年1月海洋性大陆区域对流活动强度的年际变化与同期云贵高原降水的联系。结果表明:海洋性大陆区域对流活动除了有逐渐增强的趋势外,还存在3—5 a及8—10 a的振荡周期。当海洋性大陆区域对流活动偏弱(强)时,云贵高原西部降水偏少(多),东部降水偏多(少),高原东西部之间降水分布差异加大(减小)。引起云贵高原降水异常的原因有3个方面:一是在海洋性大陆区域与云贵高原间存在显著的异常垂直环流圈,当下沉(上升)支位于海洋性大陆区域时,上升(下沉)支将位于云贵高原地区。而云贵高原地形可能对云贵高原降水异常在东南部和西北部的差别的产生存在影响;二是海洋性大陆区域在对流层低层的辐散和对流层上层的辐合运动为热带和高原以东地区提供了异常的位涡强迫,直接导致对流层低层南海—孟加拉湾地区异常反气旋和对流层上层位于中国南方的异常气旋性环流的产生;三是由于海洋性大陆区域辐散运动作为位涡制造而激发的位涡扰动的能量从热带地区向云贵高原及其东侧频散并辐合,对云贵高原上空扰动异常的维持起到了重要作用。这些结果有利于深刻理解云贵高原冬季降水异常的形成机理以及为寻找降水异常预测因子提供了有用的线索。     

The European Integrated Maritime Policy: The next five years

At the time of writing, the EU has just finished appointing a new cohort of senior representatives for the period 2014–2019. This includes appointing a Commissioner with a newly defined remit for Environment, Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and the members of the various Committees of the European Parliament with competences related to maritime affairs. These individuals will invariably spend at least part of their first months in office identifying their respective priorities for the coming years. This commentary seeks to contribute to these deliberations by making concrete suggestions for priorities that might be considered as regards the future of the EU’s Integrated Maritime Policy (IMP). Seven years since its launch, the IMP remains very much a work in progress. Drawing on recent academic studies of the EU’s various ocean related policies this commentary argues that two of the greatest weaknesses of the IMP are the sectoral nature of priority-setting and strategy-making as well as the lack of a funding tool to implement its aims. Two concrete proposals are made, specifically aimed at the incoming EU leadership, which seek to address these weaknesses and to realize the aims articulated in the IMP.     

Relationships between glacier and rock glacier in the Maritime Alps, Schiantala Valley, Italy

In the Schiantala Valley of the Maritime Alps, the relationship between a till-like body and a contiguous rock glacier has been analyzed using geomorphologic, geoelectric and ice-petrographic methodologies. DC resistivity tomographies undertaken in the till and in the rock glacier show the presence of buried massive ice and ice-rich sediments, respectively. Ice samples from a massive ice outcrop show spherical gas inclusions and equidimensional ice crystals that are randomly orientated, confirming the typical petrographic characteristics of sedimentary ice. The rock glacier formation began after a phase of glacier expansion about 2550 ± 50 ¹⁴C yr BP. Further ice advance during the Little Ice Age (LIA) overrode the rock glacier root and caused partial shrinkage of the pre-existing permafrost. Finally, during the 19th and 20th centuries, the glacial surface became totally debris covered. Geomorphological and geophysical methods combined with analyses of ice structure and fabric can effectively interpret the genesis of landforms in an environment where glaciers and permafrost interact. Ice petrography proved especially useful for differentiating ice of past glaciers versus ice formed under permafrost conditions. These two mechanisms of ice formation are common in the Maritime Alps where many sites of modern rock glaciers were formerly occupied by LIA glaciers.     

Atmospheric measurements during Polarstern cruise ANT VII/1, 54° N to 32° S: An overview

A comprehensive set of trace gas concentrations and meteorological parameters were measured simultaneously during a cruise of the research vessel Polarstern from Bremerhaven (54° N, 8° E) to Rio Grande (32° S, 52° W) during the period from 15 September to 9 October 1988. This paper describes the general features of the cruise and summarizes the measurements made, the techniques employed, and the placement of the instruments on board the ship. The synoptic data base is used to characterize the nature and possible origins of the air masses encountered during the cruise and to draw some general conclusions from the measurements.     

“丝路”海运网络的脆弱性及风险控制研究

为研究海上丝绸之路集装箱海运网络的脆弱性,对沿线集装箱港口及挂靠航线进行了统计,构建了海上丝绸之路集装箱海运网络,以随机攻击和蓄意攻击两种方式分别对网络的平均度、孤立节点比例、聚类系数、平均路径长度、网络效率和最大连通子图相对大小等反映网络连通性特征值的变化进行了研究。结果表明“丝路”海运网络在受到随机攻击时较为“强壮”,在受到蓄意攻击时相对脆弱。经进一步挖掘,揭示了蓄意攻击下网络开始崩溃和完全崩溃的临界点,并据此指出了需重点保护的枢纽干线港;结合地理特征,分析了“丝路”中主要海上通道通航受阻时网络连通性的变化,发现马六甲海峡、台湾海峡、曼德海峡及苏伊士运河对网络的脆弱性影响最为显著。为进行风险评价,分析了“丝路”网络脆弱性形成因素和抗毁性机制,并提出了相应的抗毁性评价方法,经计算得出南亚为“丝路”网络中抗毁性最薄弱的区域。最后,结合地缘风险分析,提出了相应的对策和建议。本研究对于认清“丝路”海运网络的脆弱性及风险控制方法,保障其互联互通,具有重要的理论意义和应用价值。     

社交媒体在“21世纪海上丝绸之路”沿线国家海洋防灾减灾中的应用及借鉴

以Twitter、Facebook为代表的社交媒体在防灾减灾方面的作用越来越受到关注.中国是世界上海洋灾害最为严重的国家之一,海洋防灾减灾是目前我国面临的十分紧迫的问题.近年来,智能手机和网络的普及让中国的社交媒体进入了人们的日常生活.借鉴国外社交媒体在防灾减灾方面的经验,我们认为中国的社交媒体在海洋防灾减灾中同样拥有巨大潜力.本文首先介绍了"21世纪海上丝绸之路"沿线的几个国家利用社交媒体开展海洋防灾减灾工作的情况,随后总结了当前中国在海洋灾害预警、灾害信息传播及灾害管理等方面的实际情况.最后,借鉴国外先进的经验和做法,为进一步提升中国社交媒体在海洋防灾减灾工作中的作用提出了启示性的对策建议.