Ocean acidification: Separating evidence from judgment – A reply to Dupont et al.

Recently ocean acidification as a major threat for marine species has moved from a consensus statement into a much discussed and even challenged conception. A simple meta-analysis of Hendriks et al. (2010) showed that based on results of pooled experimental evidence, marine biota may turn out to be more resistant than hitherto believed. Dupont et al. (in press) indicate the importance of evaluating the most vulnerable stages in the life cycle of organisms instead of only adult stages. Here we evaluate additional material, composed of experimental evidence of the effect of ocean acidification on marine organisms during adult, larval, and juvenile stages, and show that the observed effects are within the range predicted by Hendriks et al. (2010). Species-specific differences and a wide variance in the reaction of organisms might obscure patterns of differences between life stages. Future research should be aimed to clarify underlying mechanisms to define the effect ocean acidification will have on marine biodiversity. Conveying scientific evidence along with an open acknowledgment of uncertainties to help separate evidence from judgment should not harm the need to act to mitigate ocean acidification and should pave the road for robust progress in our understanding of how ocean acidification impacts biota of the ocean.     

Scientific advice in integrated ocean management: The process towards the Barents Sea plan

It is widely held that integrated management of ocean areas needs to be based on integrated scientific advice. Such advice crosses disciplinary and traditional sector boundaries. This paper aims to provide insight into the role of science and scientific knowledge in a process towards integrated ocean management. It does so by exploring the organization of the process towards the integrated management plan for the Barents Sea-Lofoten area in Norway. It sheds light on the complexity of management questions in a context characterized by uncertainty and political controversy, largely concerning petroleum activity. Scientists were asked to provide a dynamic view on these issues and have delivered important material that furthers the task of policy development. However, there is a persisting lack of understanding about the consequences of human impact on the ecosystem. The paper finishes by pointing at the need for a larger societal discussion on what activities we consider appropriate, considering the limits of science to provide the knowledge base for questions that transcend the environmental domain.     

人海关系地域系统视角下海洋本体的解构与研究重点

在揭示人海辩证关系与海洋社会属性的基础上,从人海关系地域系统的视角,解析了海洋的构成。第一海洋（自然海洋）是人海关系地域系统中自然存在而非人为构筑的海洋部分,其核心要素是地理位置、物质构成和空间形态。第二海洋（人工海洋）是人类海洋实践中所建造的设施及相应的物质、能量及信息流动,包括基地设施、人类主体之间的物质信息交流和人类与海洋之间的采集排放活动。第三海洋（关系海洋）是不同人类主体在海洋实践中形成的互动关系,核心内容是主体构成、内容组成以及表现形式。第四海洋（观念海洋）是人类对海洋及海洋实践活动的认知,核心是在处理人类与海洋、陆地与海洋和人类主体之间关系时所秉持的理念。现实中,自然海洋、实践性的人工海洋和关系海洋与构想性的观念海洋相互作用,形成了丰富多样的海洋世界。随着人类海洋实践的深化,关系海洋和观念海洋与自然海洋和人工海洋一并成为了研究与实践的重点。     

全球海潮模型最新进展及在中国沿海精度评估

介绍TPXO、FES、Chinatide、MIKE Global Tide、Utide等典型海潮模型,总结归纳其同化潮汐数据来源和最新的海洋地形数据,利用我国沿岸长期验潮站以外的26个中短期潮位观测站评估TPXO等海潮模型预报精度。结果表明,全球海潮模型对我国沿海M2分潮的预报精度普遍较低,且主导了几种海潮模型在中国海域的整体预报精度;相比MIKE Global Tide和TPXO7.2,TPXO8、TPXO_Yellow Sea 2010和TPXO_China&Ind模型在我国沿海的预报精度更高。     

太平洋赤道潜流起源的模式研究

基于一个高分辨率准全球海洋模式HYCOM(HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model),研究了热带西太平洋海域赤道潜流的起源。结果表明:赤道潜流在大约130°E处开始,流核位于225 m、2°N附近,最大流速超过15 cm/s,体积输运约1.6×106 m3/s,其水源来自棉兰老海流;在东部140°E断面,赤道潜流的北部主要是由棉兰老海流提供(9.7×106 m3/s),其南部主要是来自新几内亚沿岸潜流(9.1×106 m3/s)。     

Radar cross section analysis of marine targets using a combining method of physical optics/geometric optics and a Monte-Carlo simulation

In this paper, the radar cross section of flat plates on ocean surfaces is statistically investigated. A combining method of physical optics and geometric optics is applied to establish an effective backscattering analysis procedure. This method is a high-frequency analysis method originally derived from a simplified Stratton-Chu integral equation, assuming that the radar is far away from the target so that Kirchhoff approximation is valid. A Monte-Carlo simulation method is adopted to statistically analyze the effects of undulated ocean surfaces. The ocean surfaces are randomly generated by Pierson-Moskowitz ocean wave spectrum and a directional distribution function. Numerical investigations are carried out for flat plates, with the same height and width but with different inclined angles, on ocean surfaces of various significant wave heights.     

The application of hyperspectral remote sensing to coast environment investigation

Requirements for monitoring the coastal zone environment are first summarized. Then the application of hyperspectral remote sensing to coast environment investigation is introduced, such as the classification of coast beaches and bottom matter, target recognition, mine detection, oil spill identification and ocean color remote sensing. Finally, what is needed to follow on in application of hyperspectral remote sensing to coast environment is recommended.     

Reevaluation of historical ocean heat content variations with time-varying XBT and MBT depth bias corrections

As reported in former studies, temperature observations obtained by expendable bathythermographs (XBTs) and mechanical bathythermographs (MBTs) appear to have positive biases as much as they affect major climate signals. These biases have not been fully taken into account in previous ocean temperature analyses, which have been widely used to detect global warming signals in the oceans. This report proposes a methodology for directly eliminating the biases from the XBT and MBT observations. In the case of XBT observation, assuming that the positive temperature biases mainly originate from greater depths given by conventional XBT fall-rate equations than the truth, a depth bias equation is constructed by fitting depth differences between XBT data and more accurate oceanographic observations to a linear equation of elapsed time. Such depth bias equations are introduced separately for each year and for each probe type. Uncertainty in the gradient of the linear equation is evaluated using a non-parametric test. The typical depth bias is +10 m at 700 m depth on average, which is probably caused by various indeterminable sources of error in the XBT observations as well as a lack of representativeness in the fall-rate equations adopted so far. Depth biases in MBT are fitted to quadratic equations of depth in a similar manner to the XBT method. Correcting the historical XBT and MBT depth biases by these equations allows a historical ocean temperature analysis to be conducted. In comparison with the previous temperature analysis, large differences are found in the present analysis as follows: the duration of large ocean heat content in the 1970s shortens dramatically, and recent ocean cooling becomes insignificant. The result is also in better agreement with tide gauge observations. On leave from the Meteorological Research Institute of the Japan Meteorological Agency.     

海洋表层气泡运动规律的研究

建立了海洋表层气泡运动和半径变化的数学模型,通过计算发现一定深度的气泡存在一个临界半径;在一定初始深度气泡的半径小于临界半径时不能到达水面,随着时间的增长,气泡半径逐渐变小,直至最终溶解;气泡的半径大于临界半径时,气泡随着时间的增长,半径逐渐增大,直至达到水面破碎;气泡的初始深度不同,其临界半径也不同;半径在临界点附近的气泡的存活时间最长.对海洋表层气泡运动规律的研究对了解海洋表层气泡的分布规律有重要意义.     

基于X波段雷达的表层流估计算法初步研究

对X渡段雷达记录的连续雷达图像进行分析,能够获取海浪和表层流信息.不存在海洋表层流情况下,雷达图像的谱能量分布在静水频散关系确定的平面上,而雷达相时海浪场的运动(比如表层流)使雷达图像的谱能量分布产生多普勒频移,对此频移进行最小二秉拟合.可以确定表层流的大小和方向.