Paleobiogeography of Cretaceous larger Foraminifera of Pakistan and the Caribbean region and their bearing on continental drift

The Cretaceous larger Foraminifera of Pakistan are restricted to the Upper Cretaceous belonging to the species of Orbitoides Lepidorbitoides, Omphalocyclus, and Siderolites. The species of these genera are quite distinct in comparison to other assemblages of the Tethys region. None of these species are identical in the Mediterranean or Caribbean regions, with the exception of few concordant species of Orbitoides recorded in the deep-sea cores of Bahama Island. The paleo-ecological factor is the most important consideration in paleogeographic distribution of the Upper Cretaceous larger Foraminifera.     

Post-breakup basaltic magmatism along the East Greenland Tertiary rifted margin

Mafic and ultramafic intrusions in East Greenland adjacent to the offshore Greenland–Iceland ridge were emplaced 5–9 My after continental breakup at 55 Ma [1]. Rare earth element (REE) concentrations determined by secondary ion mass spectrometry are reported for cumulus clinopyroxene from these intrusions, and the data are used to estimate REE abundance in equilibrium melts using available partitioning data. Estimated equilibrium melts from intrusions have strongly fractionated REE patterns with Nd/Dy(N) in the range 2 to 5.6 and Yb/Dy(N) 0.55 to 0.92, similar to values for coeval basalts. These melts have markedly higher Nd/Dy(N) than earlier breakup related flood basalts. The moderately low Yb/Dy(N) for the post-breakup volcanism is indicative of residual garnet in the source, while their high Nd/Dy(N) ratios can best be explained by aggregating low degree melts from a light-REE-enriched garnet- and spinel-bearing mantle source. We also report He, Sr, and Nd isotopic data for the intrusions. The highest ³He/⁴He ratios (>10 R/R_a) are found in the samples whose REE data reflect the largest proportion of melts from a garnet-bearing source, and having Sr and Nd isotopic compositions identical with the radiogenic Sr and unradiogenic Nd isotope end of the Iceland compositional field. There is no indication of a MORB-type mantle in the source of the intrusions. We postulate that post-breakup volcanism along the East Greenland coastline reflects the increasing proximity of the mantle plume to the East Greenland continental margin. The low degree of melting at high mean pressure inferred for the parental melts for the intrusions may reflect re-thickening of the lithosphere, which in turn was caused by the vigorous volcanism during breakup, with accompanying depletion of upper mantle and underplating of the crust at the continental margin.     

基于主成分分析的相对重力观测零漂和固体潮提取

利用主成分分析PCA提取2014-08-15~23CG-5相对重力仪静态相对观测的零点漂移和固体潮。结果显示,PCA提取的零点漂移值与最小二乘线性拟合结果非常一致,其差仅在10-2μGal/d量级;PCA估算的固体潮值与CG-5重力仪内部软件提供的固体潮模型计算值统计结果基本一致,两者之差均小于8μGal,均方根均小于5μGal。     

Sheath effects on DEMETER ion drift measurements

The “Instrument d’Analyse du Plasma” on DEMETER includes an ion drift meter used to measure the direction of the incoming ram plasma ( [Berthelier et al., 2006a] and [Berthelier et al., 2006b]). Given the velocity of the satellite, and expected flow velocities of plasma along DEMETER's orbit, it is estimated that at mid latitudes, the direction of incident plasma as measured by IAP should be within approximately 2° of the ram direction. Yet, significantly larger angular deviations are measured routinely. An important assumption made in the interpretation of onboard instruments, such as IAP, is that neither the spacecraft nor the instrument significantly perturb the plasma that is being measured. In view of the large observed angular deviations, this paper examines the possible effect of the electrostatic sheath surrounding IAP. This is done with the 3D PIC simulation code PTetra. The model uses a full 3D particle in cell code with unstructured tetrahedral mesh capable of accurately representing the satellite geometry. The mesh is also adaptive so as to provide a fine spatial resolution in the vicinity of the particle sensor where it is needed, and a coarse resolution in regions where plasma parameters vary over a longer scale length. Calculation results show that while particle deflection associated with the electrostatic sheath near IAP can account for appreciable angular deflections for representative ionospheric plasmas, they are typically smaller than the ones observed. Additionally, the model is unable to reproduce the latitudinal dependence of the observed large deflection angles. It is concluded that sheath effects may cause appreciable distortions on the IAP type of ion flow meter instruments, and on other particle sensors in general. The larger observed deviations and their latitudinal dependence, however, must be attributable to other physical processes not accounted for in the model.     

Weed preference and growth of young grass carp in New Zealand

In each of eight 5‐day pond experiments carried out at intervals over a year, 0+ to 1 +‐year‐old grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella Val., were offered a choice of at least 10 species of water weeds from the Rotorua area. Water temperature was measured each day. Food selectivity decreased with increasing temperature and size of fish, but preference for the weeds did not change. At summer temperatures the fish ate much weed and grew at about 4g/fish/day, but in winter little food was taken and growth was slow.     

Diel patterns of mysid drift (Crustacea: Mysidacea) in the Taieri River estuary,New Zealand

Drifting mysids were sampled to determine diel activity, and whether mysid numbers vary with respect to inflowing and outflowing tides. Samples of drifting mysids were collected at the mouth of the Taieri River, New Zealand, over one 24‐h cycle using five replicate conical drift nets in January 1999. One‐night and 1‐day ebb and flood tide were each sampled. Four species of mysid Tenagomysis macropsis, T. novae‐zealandiae, T. robusta, and an apparently undescribed species of Gastrosaccus sp., were collected over the sampling period. One species, T. robusta, has not previously been collected from estuarine or riverine systems. The undescribed Gastrosaccus sp. was the most abundant of the four species. All four species were more abundant at night, with T. robusta and Gastrosaccus sp. being considerably more abundant in the drift on outflowing tides. In contrast, roughly equal numbers of T. macropsis and T. novae‐zealandiae were observed drifting in and out of the estuary at night.     

Perched lobe formation in the Gulf of Cadiz: Interactions between gravity processes and contour currents (Algarve Margin, Southern Portugal)

The Gulf of Cadiz is swept by the strong saline Mediterranean Outflow Water (MOW). On the Algarve Margin (South Portugal), this current has constructed fine-grained contourite drifts. This margin is dissected by the Portimao Canyon and three short channels that only incise the upper slope, and are absent on a terrace located at mid-slope depths along the Algarve Margin. High-resolution seismic profiles and sediment cores highlight the original architecture of the sedimentary deposits on this terrace. Coarse-grained lenticular chaotic bodies formed during major relative sea-level lowstands are intercalated within the drift. The lobate shape and sandy nature of the lenticular chaotic bodies and their location at the mouths of the three short channels suggest they are gravity-generated deposits that are perched on the middle continental slope.In the Gulf of Cadiz, the interaction between contour current and gravity processes is strongly controlled by climatic variations and relative sea-level changes during the late Quaternary. During cold periods when sea-level was low, erosion intensified on the continental shelf and the deepest part of MOW was active. Sediment was transported downslope through the channels and deposited on sedimentary lobes perched on the mid-slope terrace. During warm periods when relative sea-level was high, the supply of sediment from the shelf was shut off and the shallowest part of MOW was more active. Contourite drifts fill the channels and bury the sandy lobes.     

海洋重力仪稳定性测试与零点漂移问题

稳定性指标是海洋重力仪最重要的技术特性之一。针对国内对海洋重力仪稳定性测试与评估重视不够、数据处理过程欠规范、技术指标要求欠细化等现实问题,研究探讨了海洋重力仪稳定性测评的技术流程和数据处理方法,重点分析了环境因素和重力固体潮效应对测试结果的影响,提出了重力仪零点趋势性漂移、有色观测噪声与随机误差的分离方法,建立了比较完善的海洋重力仪稳定性评估指标体系,分析论证并进一步明确了重力仪零点漂移非线性变化的限定指标要求,为修订现行海洋重力测量作业标准提供了可靠的理论依据。     

高频表面波对定常Ekman流解的影响

基于Jenkins(1989)建立的包含Stokes漂流、风输入和波耗散影响的修正Ekman模型,采用Paskyabi等(2012)使用的推广的Donelan等(1987)中的谱和波耗散函数,并利用Paskyabi等(2012)中修正方法给出的包含高频波的风输入函数,在粘性不依赖于水深及粘性随深度线性变化的条件下,研究了包含高频毛细重力波的随机表面波对Stokes漂流和Song(2009)导出的波浪修正定常Ekman流解的影响。结果表明高频表面波使Stokes漂流在海表面剪切加强,对定常Ekamn流解的影响通常不能忽略,但对Ekman流场的角度偏转影响很小。最后,将考虑高频表面波尾谱影响所估算的定常Ekman流解与已有观测结果以及经典Ekman解进行了比对分析。     

表面波浪对海洋上层混合的作用

A new three-dimensional numerical model is derived through a wave average on the primitive N-S equations, in which both the＂Coriolis-Stokes forcing＂ and the＂Stokes-Vortex force＂ are considered. Three ideal experiments are run using the new model applied to the Princeton ocean model （POM）. Numerical results show that surface waves play an important role on the mixing of the upper ocean. The mixed layer is enhanced when wave effect is considered in conjunction with small Langmuir numbers. Both surface wave breaking and Stokes production can strengthen the turbulent mixing near the surface. However, the influence of wave breaking is limited to a thin layer, but Stokes drift can affect the whole mixed layer. Furthermore, the vertical mixing coefficients clearly rise in the mixed layer, and the upper ocean mixed layer is deepened especially in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current when the model is applied to global simulations. It indicates that the surface gravity waves are indispensable in enhancing the mixing in the upper ocean, and should be accounted for in ocean general circulation models.