Macrobenthic composition of the southeast continental shelf of India

Macrobenthic faunal composition was studied at six different depth ranges (30–50, 51–75, 76–100, 101–150, 151–175 and >176 m) in five transects (off Karaikkal, Parangipettai, Cuddalore‐SIPCOT, Cheyyur and Chennai) in the continental shelf of southeast coast of India. Eleven diverse taxa were found, comprising 113 species of polychaetes, 14 species of bivalves, 10 species of amphipods and ‘others’ (five tanaids, five crabs, four isopods, three echinoderms, two shrimps, two cnidarians, two fishes and one cephalochordate). Polychaetes were the dominant taxa, constituting 88.5% of the total abundance and 30.7% of the total biomass. The number of species (seven per 0.2 m² at >176 m depth range in Chennai to 46 per 0.2 m² at 30–50 m in Cheyyur), abundance (216 per 0.2 m² at >176 m in Karaikkal to 353 per 0.2 m² at 30–50 m in Cheyyur) and biomass (0.09 g per 0.2 m² at 151–175 m in Karaikkal and 4.6 g per 0.2 m² at 30–50 m in Cheyyur) of macrobenthos decreased with increase in depth. DO decreased gradually from 30 m depth; beyond 150 m, the decrease was pronounced due to the presence of the oxygen minimum zone. Using the distance based linear model (DISTLM), it was found that the environmental variables explained about 73.3% of the total variability in macrofaunal distribution. The heavy metals cobalt and mercury, as well as water pressure (proxy for depth), showed a significant relationship with macrofauna, explaining respectively 9, 7.3 and 7% of the total variability. The contribution of other variables was smaller.     

粤西沿海一次赤潮事件的三维观测

From November 24 to 26, 2014, a red tide event occurred in the offshore water off the Hailing Island located at the western Guangdong coast. The red tide appeared as pink strips distributed within 3 km in the offshore water and extended for about 10 km along the shoreline. During the flood tide, the pink seawater rushed to the beach with breaking waves, forming foam strips on the beach. Guangdong Province Key Laboratory for Coastal Ocean Variation and Disaster Prediction Technologies, Guangdong Ocean University, emergently responded to the event and organized three-dimensional observations from the air, onboard and on beach. The preliminary analyses of the cruise data and water samples indicate that the event was induced by nontoxic Noctiluca scintillans, of which the concentration reaches as high as 4 200 cells/L near the surface and 2 600 cells/L at the bottom.     

吕宋海峡M2内潮的三维数值模拟

A three-dimensional isopycnic-coordinate internal tidal model is employed to investigate the generation,propagation, vertical structure and energy conversion of M2 internal tides in the Luzon Strait(LS) with mooring observations. Simulated results, especially the tidal current amplitudes, agree well with observations,demonstrating the reasonability and accuracy of the model. Results indicate that M2 internal tides mainly propagate into three directions horizontally, i.e., eastward towards the western Pacific Ocean, westward towards the Dongsha Island and southwestward towards the South China Sea Basin. In the horizontal direction, tidal current amplitudes decrease as distance increases away from the LS; in the vertical direction, they show an obvious decreasing tendency with depth. Between the double ridges of the LS, a clockwise gyre of M2 baroclinic energy flux appears, which is caused by reflections of M2 internal tides at supercritical topographies, and resonance of M2 internal tides happens along 19.5° and 21.5°N due to the heights and separation distance of the double ridges. The total energy conversion in the LS is about 14.20 GW.     

数字滤波技术在潮汐观测中的应用研究

潮汐是重要的海洋物理要素。瞬时变化的海面高度信息除了包含潮汐信息外,还包括波浪等高频干扰信息,因此需要对干扰信息进行滤除。如何从获取到的海面瞬时高度变化中提取出潮汐信息就成为一个关键问题。海洋学中通常是通过低通滤波来获取低频的潮汐信息。通过分析常用的3种低通数字滤波的方法,即滑动平均法、快速傅里叶变换法和小波变换法,对3种低通滤波方法应用于潮汐数据处理的效果进行了比较分析,得出滑动平均法在潮汐信息提取中具有较高应用价值的结论。     

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。     

Application of the relativistic precession model to the accreting milisecond X‐ray pulsar IGR J17511–3057

The observation of a pair of simultaneous twin kHz QPOs in the power density spectrum of a neutron star or a black hole allows its mass‐angular‐momentum relation to be constrained. Situations in which the observed simultaneous pairs are more than one allow the different models of the kHz QPOs to be falsified. Discrepancy between the estimates coming from the different pairs would call the used model into question. In the current paper, the relativistic precession model is applied to the twin kHz QPOs that appear in the light curves of three groups of observations of the accreting millisecond X‐ray pulsar IGR J17511–3057. It was found that the predictions of one of the groups are practically in conflict with the other two. Another interesting result is that the region in which the kHz QPOs have been born is rather broad and extends quite far from the ISCO. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Chemical spots on the surface of the strongly magnetic Herbig Ae star HD 101412

Due to the knowledge of the rotation period and the presence of a rather strong surface magnetic field, the sharp‐lined young Herbig Ae star HD 101412 with a rotation period of 42 d has become one of the most well‐studied targets among the Herbig Ae stars. High‐resolution HARPS polarimetric spectra of HD 101412 were recently obtained on seven different epochs. Our study of the spectral variability over the part of the rotation cycle covered by HARPS observations reveals that the line profiles of the elements Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, and Sr are clearly variable while He exhibits variability that is opposite to the behaviour of the other elements studied. Since classical Ap stars usually show a relationship between the magnetic field geometry and the distribution of element spots, we used in our magnetic field measurements different line samples belonging to the three elements with the most numerous spectral lines, Ti, Cr, and Fe. Over the time interval covered by the available spectra, the longitudinal magnetic field changes sign from negative to positive polarity. The distribution of field values obtained using Ti, Cr, and Fe lines is, however, completely different compared to the magnetic field values determined in previous low‐resolution FORS 2 measurements, where hydrogen Balmer lines are the main contributors to the magnetic field measurements, indicating the presence of concentration of the studied iron‐peak elements in the region of the magnetic equator. Further, we discuss the potential role of contamination by the surrounding warm circumstellar matter in the appearance of Zeeman features obtained using Ti lines. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Critical conditions for natural gas charging and delineation of effective gas source rocks for tight sandstone reservoirs

Although it has been shown that the potential of tight‐sand gas resources is large, the research into the mechanisms of hydrocarbon charging of tight sandstone reservoirs has been relatively sparse. Researchers have found that there is a force balance during hydrocarbon charging, but discriminant models still have not been established. Based on the force balance conditions observed during gas migration from source rocks to tight sandstone reservoirs, a calculation formula was established. A formula for identifying effective source rocks was developed with the gas expulsion intensity as the discrimination parameter. The critical gas expulsion intensity under conditions of various burial depths, temperatures, and pressures can be obtained using the calculation formula. This method was applied in the Jurassic tight sandstone reservoirs of the eastern Kuqa Depression, Tarim Basin, and it was calculated that the critical expulsion intensity range from 6.05 × 10⁸ m³/km² to 10.07 × 10⁸ m³/km². The critical gas charging force first increases with depth and later decreases with greater depths. The distribution range of effective gas source rocks and total expelled gas volume can be determined based on this threshold. This method provides new insight into and method for predicting favourable tight‐sand gas‐bearing regions and estimating their resource potentials. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distribution of Palaeozoic tectonic superimposed unconformities in the Tarim Basin,NW China: significance for the evolution of palaeogeomorphology and sedimentary response

Seismic and drilling well data were used to examine the occurrence of multiple stratigraphic unconformities in the Tarim Basin, NW China. The Early Cambrian, the Late Ordovician and the late Middle Devonian unconformities constitute three important tectonic sequence boundaries within the Palaeozoic succession. In the Tazhong, Tabei, Tadong uplifts and the southwestern Tarim palaeo‐uplift, unconformities obviously belong to superimposed unconformities. A superimposed unconformity is formed by superimposition of unconformities of multiple periods. Areas where superimposed unconformities develop are shown as composite belts of multiple tectonic unconformities, and as higher uplift areas of palaeo‐uplifts in palaeogeomorphologic units. The contact relationship of unconformities in the lower uplift areas is indicative of truncation‐overlap. A slope belt is located below the uplift areas, and the main and secondary unconformities are characterized by local onlap reflection on seismic profiles. The regional dynamics controlled the palaeotectonic setting of the Palaeozoic rocks in the Tarim Basin and the origin and evolution of the basin constrained deposition. From the Sinian to the Cambrian, the Tarim landmass and its surrounding areas belonged to an extensional tectonic setting. Since the Late Ordovician, the neighbouring north Kunlun Ocean and Altyn Ocean was transformed from a spreading ocean basin to a closed compressional setting. The maximum compression was attained in the Late Ordovician. The formation of a tectonic palaeogeomorphologic evolution succession from a cratonic margin aulacogen depression to a peripheral foreland basin in the Early Caledonian cycle controlled the deposition of platform, platform margin, and deep‐water basin. Tectonic uplift during the Late Ordovician resulted in a shallower basin which was followed by substantial erosion. Subsequently, a cratonic depression and peripheral or back‐arc foreland basin began their development in the Silurian to Early–Middle Devonian interval. In this period, the Tabei Uplift, the Northern Depression and the southern Tarim palaeo‐uplift showed obvious control on depositional systems, including onshore slope, shelf and deep‐water basin. The southern Tarim Plate was in a continuous continental compressional setting after collision, whereas the southern Tianshan Ocean began to close in the Early Ordovician and was completely closed by the Middle Devonian. At the same time, further compression from peripheral tectonic units in the eastern and southern parts of the Tarim Basin led to the expansion of palaeo‐uplift in the Late Devonian–Early Carboniferous interval, and the connection of the Tabei Uplift and Tadong Uplift, thus controlling onshore, fluvial delta, clastic coast, lagoon‐bay and shallow marine deposition. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geochemical characterization of Archaean amphibolites from the eastern part of Anshan–Benxi iron producing area,northeastern China: implication for tectonic setting of BIFs

The Anshan–Benxi iron producing area, which is located at the northeastern margin of the North China Craton, is the main distribution area of Archaean BIFs in China. In their eastern part, including the Gongchangling and Waitoushan deposits, BIFs mainly are hosted in the Archaean middle Anshan Group. Amphibolites are widely distributed in the iron‐bearing rock series, reflecting the tectonic setting of BIFs. Amphibolites not only have MORB‐like compositional characteristics, but also have island arc‐like ones, and they are consistent with back‐arc basin basalts (BABB). In the study area, the protolith of amphibolites belongs to Okinawa‐type BABB; it indicates that tectonic setting of BIFs is the intra‐continental back‐arc basin. In the study area, the formation of sedimentary basins for BIFs had been associated with oceanic plate subduction. Amphibolites from Gongchangling deposit are characterized by relative enrichments in LILE and LREE, and depletions in HFSE. This indicates that they had a relatively large influence of subduction in their formation. Amphibolites from Waitoushan deposit are characterized by relative enrichments in LILE without conspicuous depletions in HFSE, indicating relatively low subduction rates. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.