中国低纬地区地磁变化与赤道电射流

根据资料分析了中国低纬地区地磁场Ｈ分量的静日变化规律。结果表明，Ｈ分量日变幅在中午１２点左右达到最大值，在夜间达到最小值，而且，这种受赤道电射流影响的现象还随着季节和太阳活动变化而变化。     

Geomagnetically induced currents in the Finnish high-voltage power system

We consider geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) in power systems from the viewpoint of a geophysicist. Special attention is paid to the Finnish high-voltage power system, in which exact theoretical model calculations together with recordings have been performed for several years. We present several examples of theoretically computed GICs using different geophysical models for estimating the geoelectric field driving GICs. Statistical prediction of GICs is outlined referring to studies made in Finland. We show that a combination of GIC recordings at few sites with theoretical modelling of ionospheric currents and the earth's conductivity, and data of geomagnetic activity makes it possible to derive GIC statistics of the entire power system. Finally, we discuss requirements for a long-range prediction of GICs, which will obviously be a widely-studied topic in future.     

Simulation of the movement and dispersion of oil slicks in the Arabian Gulf

The extensive oil drilling and transportation activities in the Arabian Gulf increased the possibility of oil spills and the consequent threat of oil pollution to the regional ecology. The available literature concerning the main aspects of the physical oceanographic characteristics affecting the movement and spreading of oil spill in the Gulf are reviewed. It is concluded that evaporation, wind-driven currents, and sandfall are important as weathering processes, while tidal currents cause lateral spreading of the slick. Oil spill modelling has shown some usefulness in estimating the trajectories of few major spills illustrated by reference to three models developed for the Gulf. The performance of these models, their capabilities and limitations are reviewed. Recommendations are made to gather more data on the behavior of oil spills in this particular environment.     

Sub-surface temperature oscillations and associated flow in the western Bay of Bengal

Unusual temperature variations at subsurface depths were noticed while making continuous observations (for 13 h) on temperature, salinity and currents at a point in the vicinity of river Krishna in the western Bay of Bengal. Sharp temperature oscillations recorded at four different levels between 14 and 20·1 m had an average periodicity of about 1·6 h. Similar periodicities were also observed in the case of flow components. Computed Brunt-Vaisälä frequency, vertical shear and Richardson number showed remote possibilities of vertical mixing occurring in this area. These oscillations showed features of internal waves propagating with a speed of about 13·3 cm s⁻¹ and wavelengths between 0·8 and 1·3 km and apparently generated as a result of flood current passing over a submarine obstacle in the presence of stratification.     

Columbia Bay, Alaska: an ‘upside down’ estuary

Circulation and water properties within Columbia Bay, Alaska, are dominated by the effects of Columbia Glacier at the head of the Bay. The basin between the glacier terminus and the terminal moraine (sill depth of about 22 m) responds as an ‘upside down’ estuary with the subglacial discharge of freshwater entering at the bottom of the basin. The intense vertical mixing caused by the bouyant plume of freshwater creates a homogeneous water mass that exchanges with the far-field water through either a two- or a three-layer flow. In general, the glacier acts as a large heat sink and creates a water mass which is cooler than that in fjords without tidewater glaciers. The predicted retreat of Columbia Glacier would create a 40 km long fjord that has characteristics in common with other fjords in Prince William Sound.     

Analysis of body supercavitation in shallow water

Motion of a cavitating body in shallow waters undergoes a blockage effect. There are influences of the rigid boundary (the sea bottom) and the free boundary (sea surface) in shallow waters. As shown by computation carried out with the ideal fluid theory, the combination of these influences leads to an increase of cavitation number for a cavity of a fixed length and to 3D deformations of the cavity cross-sections, with a swelling of the down cavity part.     

Long-term dispersion in unsteady skewed free surface flow

An analysis of two-dimensional horizontal plane shear dispersion in steady, periodic, almost-periodic and randomly forced skewed free surface flow is presented. A two-time scale perturbation analysis of the advection-diffusion equation is used to derive the two-dimensional advection-dispersion equation and the horizontal dispersion coefficient tensor. For combinations of steady, periodic and almost-periodic flow, the time dependent dispersion coefficient tensor contains steady terms and periodic terms at frequencies associated with the forcing frequencies and their sums and differences. For combinations of steady, periodic, almost-periodic and stationary random forcings, the expected value dispersion coefficient tensor contains terms associated with the steady forcings and terms associated with the unsteady forcings represented by the spectral density functions of the unsteady forcings. Estimates of the magnitude of the expected value dispersion coefficient tensor are presented for representative estuarine and continental shelf conditions.     

Modelling surface drifting of buoys during a rapidly-moving weather front in the Gulf of Finland, Baltic Sea

The Gulf of Finland is an elongated estuary located in the north-eastern extremity of the Baltic Sea. This semi-enclosed sea-area is subject to heavy sea traffic, and is one of the main risk areas for oil accidents in the Baltic. The continuous development and validation of operational particle drift and oil-spill forecasting systems is thus seen to be essential for this sea-area.Here, the results of a three-day drift experiment in May 2003 are discussed. The field studies were performed using GPS-positioned surface floating buoys. The aim of this paper is to evaluate how well models can reproduce the drift of these buoys. Model simulations, both in forecast and hindcast modes, were carried out by three different 3D hydrodynamic models, the results of which are evaluated by comparing the calculated drifts with observations. These models were forced by HIRLAM (High Resolution Limited Area Model) and ECMWF (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) meteorological forecast fields.The simulated drift of the buoys showed a good agreement with observations even when, during the study period, a rapidly-changing wind situation was observed to affect the investigation area; in this situation the winds turned about 100 degrees in half an hour. In such a case it is a very complicated task to forecast the drifters' routes: there is a need to regularly update the meteorological forcing fields and to use these regularly-updated fields throughout the simulations. It is furthermore recommended that forecasts should be made using several circulation models and several meteorological forecasts, in order to get an overview of the accuracy of the forecasted drifts and related differences in between the forecasts.     

New Development of Eastern Mediterranean Circulation based on Hydrological Observations and Current Measurements

Abstract. A number of recent studies based on hydrographic observations and modelling simulations have dealt with the major climatic shift that occurred in the deep circulation of the Eastern Mediterranean. This work presents hydrographic observations and current measurements conducted from 1997 to 1999, which reveal strong modifications in the dynamics of the upper, intermediate and deep layers, as well as an evolution of the thermohaline characteristics of the deep Aegean outflow since 1995. The reversal of the circulation in the upper layer of the north/central Ionian is worthy of note. The observations indicate a reduction of Atlantic Water in the northern Ionian with an increase on the eastern side of the basin. In the intermediate layer, the dispersal path of the Levantine Intermediate Water (LIW) is altered. Highly saline (>39.0) and well-oxygenated intermediate waters were found near the Western Cretan Arc Straits. They flow out from the Aegean, thus interrupting the traditional path of the LIW, and spread prevalently northwards into the Adriatic Sea. In the deep layer, dense waters, exiting from the Adriatic (σ_ø−29.18 kg · m⁻³), flow against the western continental margin in the Ionian Sea at a depth of between 1000–1500 m. Dense waters of Aegean origin (> 29.20 kg · m⁻³), discharged into the central region of the Eastern Mediterranean during the early stages of the transient, propagate prevalently to the east in the Levantine basin and to the west in the northern Ionian Sea. Near-bottom current measurements conducted in the Ionian Sea reveal unforeseen aspects of deep dynamics, suggesting a new configuration of the internal thermohaline conveyor belt of the Eastern Mediterranean.