The effect of wave-induced turbulence on intertidal mudflats: Impact of boat traffic and wind

Semi-diurnal and fortnightly surveys were carried out to quantify the effects of wind- and navigation-induced high-energy events on bed sediments above intertidal mudflats. The mudflats are located in the upper fluvial part (Oissel mudflat) and at the mouth (Vasière Nord mudflat) of the macrotidal Seine estuary. Instantaneous flow velocities and mudflat bed elevation were measured at a high frequency and high resolution with an acoustic doppler velocimeter (ADV) and an ALTUS altimeter, respectively. Suspended particulate matter concentrations were estimated by calibrating the ADV acoustic backscattered intensity with bed sediments collected at the study sites. Turbulent bed shear stress values were estimated by the turbulent kinetic energy method, using velocity variances filtered from the wave contribution. Wave shear stress and maximum wave–current shear stress values were calculated with the wave–current interaction (WCI) model, which is based on the bed roughness length, wave orbital velocities and the wave period (T_S). In the fluvial part of the estuary, boat passages occurred unevenly during the surveys and were characterized by long waves (T_S>50 s) induced by the drawdown effect and by short boat-waves (T_S<10 s). Boat waves generated large bottom shear stress values of 0.5 N m⁻² for 2–5 min periods and, in burst of several seconds, larger bottom shear stress values up to 1 N m⁻². At the mouth of the estuary, west south-west wind events generated short waves (T_S<10 s) of H_S values ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 m. In shallow-water environment (water depth <1.5 m), these waves produced bottom shear stress values between 1 and 2 N m⁻². Wave–current shear stress values are one order of magnitude larger than the current-induced shear stress and indicate that navigation and wind are the dominant hydrodynamic forcing parameters above the two mudflats. Bed elevation and SPM concentration time series showed that these high energy events induced erosion processes of up to several centimetres. Critical erosion shear stress (τ_ce) values were determined from the SPM concentration and bed elevation measurements. Rough τ_ce values were found above 0.2 N m⁻² for the Oissel mudflat and about 1 N m⁻² for the Vasière Nord mudflat.     

Pulse propagation in turbidity currents

Submarine turbidity currents are a key mechanism in the transportation of clastic sediments to deep seas. Such currents may initiate with a complex longitudinal flow structure comprising flow pulses (for example, by being sourced from retrogressive sea floor slope failures) or acquire such structure during run‐out (for example, following flow combination downstream of confluences). A key question is how far along channel pathway complex flow structure is preserved within turbidity currents as they run out and thus if flow initiation mechanism and proximity to source may be inferred from the vertical structure of their deposits. To address this question, physical modelling of saline flows has been conducted to investigate the dynamics of single‐pulsed versus multi‐pulsed density driven currents. The data suggest that, under most circumstances, individual pulses within a multi‐pulsed flow must merge. Therefore, initiation signatures will only be preserved in deposits upstream of the merging point and may be distorted approaching it; downstream of the merging point, all initiation signals will be lost. This new understanding of merging phenomenon within multi‐pulsed gravity currents broadens our ability to interpret multi‐pulsed turbidites.     

南极乔治王岛与象岛邻近海域表层沉积硅藻组成及分布特征

本文对“第33次南极科考—海洋六号航次”在乔治王岛南侧、象岛西侧海域内通过箱式取样获得的表层沉积物样品进行了硅藻组成和分布特征的研究。主要统计了硅藻丰度、简单分异度、属种组成等, 并结合沉积物粒度数据进行分析, 结果表明乔治王岛南侧站位丰度和分异度高于象岛西侧站位, 最高丰度达到1.96×106壳/g。丰度的差异分布可能主要与洋流有关, 别林斯高晋海表层洋流带入充足营养盐导致乔治王岛南侧站位硅藻繁盛, 而威德尔海涡流底层水影响下的象岛西侧站位则难以沉降保存包括硅藻壳体在内的细小沉积颗粒。各站位硅藻组成的差异主要体现在海冰相关种分布不均和半咸水种类繁盛情况等, 前者可能与漂浮海冰控制的时间长短有关, 而后者与淡水输入等综合环境因素有关。     

主动源海底地震仪横波模型的自动搜索与非唯一性分析*

主动源海底地震仪探测在海底结构的研究中发挥着重要作用, 其中转换横波数据模拟为研究海底构造和物质属性提供了精确依据。本文针对现行转换横波模拟技术存在的步骤繁琐、难以确保最优解和无法进行非唯一性分析等问题进行研究, 提出了基于模型解空间和目标函数的模拟技术, 形成了主动源转换横波数据模拟的新方法, 该方法可借助计算机程序实现结构模拟的自动化。在南海西北陆缘的西沙地块OBS2013-3测线上对该方法进行验证, 分别利用单台PPS震相和全体台站的PSS震相走时数据进行模拟试验。结果表明, 本文的方法能够提供对于最优模型的快速、准确搜索和非唯一性范围的估计。这一方法有助于提高主动源海底地震仪转换横波数据模拟的效率, 并为结果的可靠性和稳定性提供更好的保障。     

基于间断有限元方法的三维近岸波生流数值模型建立

在三维水动力模型中引入三维辐射应力,水滚影响以及波浪附加紊动效应,并基于间断有限元方法建立了非结构化网格三维波生流数值模型。采用实验室内斜坡地形条件下正向入射波在破波带附近产生的近底回流和斜向入射波产生的沿岸流对模型进行了验证。结果表明,计算值与实测值吻合程度较好,该模型可以较好地描述三维近岸波生流。     

Nearshore sticky waters

Wind- and current-driven flotsam, oil spills, pollutants, and nutrients, approaching the nearshore will frequently appear to slow down/park just beyond the break zone, where waves break. Moreover, the portion of these tracers that beach will do so only after a long time. Explaining why these tracers park and at what rate they reach the shore has important implications on a variety of different nearshore environmental issues, including the determination of what subscale processes are essential in computer models for the simulation of pollutant transport in the nearshore. Using a simple model we provide an explanation for the underlying mechanism responsible for the parking of tracers, not subject to inertial effects, the role played by the bottom topography, and the non-uniform dispersion which leads, in some circumstances, to the eventual landing of all or a portion of the tracers. We refer to the parking phenomenon in this environment as nearshore sticky waters.     

沙埕港湾口断面潮流及余流特征分析

基于对沙埕港湾口断面的连续走航观测资料,成功构建了沿走航断面的10个站点的连续海流序列,并分析了潮流、余流、潮通量等水文要素。分析结果表明,沙埕港湾口水道潮流类型为正规半日潮流,涨潮最先出现在中下层而落潮最先出现在上层,涨(落)潮转流相差约为30min。水道内潮流为往复流,M2和S2分潮流流速较大,倾角基本沿水道主轴方向。沙埕港湾口断面余流呈2层结构,10m以浅基本为东南向余流流出湾口,核心位于湾口断面南侧。10m以深多为西北向流入湾内,入流核心位于湾口断面中部的底层区域。对潮通量的计算表明,通过湾口进入沙埕港的潮通量约为1.63×108m3。     

Understanding flow dynamics and density currents in a river-reservoir system under upstream reservoir releases

ABSTRACT

A three-dimensional flow and temperature model was applied for a 124 km river-reservoir system from Lewis Smith Dam tailrace to Bankhead Lock & Dam, Alabama. The model was calibrated against measured water levels, temperatures, velocities and flow rates from 4 May to 3 September 2011 under small constant release (2.83 m³/s) and large intermittent releases (~140 m³/s) from an upstream reservoir. Distributions of simulated flow and temperatures and particle tracking at various locations were analyzed which revealed the complex interactions of density currents, dynamic surface waves and solar heating. Flows in the surface and bottom layers moved in both upstream and downstream directions. If there was small constant release only from Smith Dam, simulated bottom temperatures at Cordova were on average 4.8°C higher than temperatures under actual releases. The momentum generated from large releases pushed bottom density currents downstream, but the released water took several days to reach Cordova.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor B. Dewals     

Flow of grounded abyssal ocean currents along zonally-varying topography on a rotating sphere

A steady nonlinear planetary–geostrophic model in spherical coordinates is presented describing the hemispheric-scale meridional flow of grounded abyssal currents on a zonally-sloping bottom. The model, which corresponds mathematically to a quasi-linear hyperbolic partial differential equation, can be solved explicitly for a cross-slope isopycnal field that is grounded (i.e. intersects the bottom on the up slope and down slope sides). As a consequence of the conservation of potential vorticity, the abyssal currents possess decreasing thickness in the equatorward direction while maintaining constant meridional volume transport. There is a small westward zonal transport in the interior of these currents that results in westward intensification as they flow toward the equator. Conditions for the possible formation of a shock to develop on the up slope flank of the current are derived.     

Large‐scale connectivity of Grapsus grapsus (Decapoda) in the Southwestern Atlantic oceanic islands: integrating genetic and morphometric data

The degree of connectivity among island populations can influence their demography and affect their level of genetic differentiation. In this study we investigated genetic and morphometric differences among four populations of Grapsus grapsus (Linnaeus 1758), in Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago (0°55′ N, 29°20′ W), Fernando de Noronha Archipelago (3°50′ S, 32°24′ W), Rocas Atoll (3°50′ S, 33°49′ W) and Trindade Island (20°30′ S, 29°20′ W) from 2003 to 2011. Morphometric results indicated the existence of two distinct groups based on the morphology of their chelae (Trindade Island/Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago versus Fernando de Noronha/Rocas Atoll). In addition, genetic variation in a fragment of the mitochondrial control region revealed substantial differentiation between Trindade and the other islands, with Trindade Island showing only exclusive haplotypes. The congruence of the genetic and morphologic analyses suggests the occurrence of a divergent population in Trindade Island as well as high connectivity among the three remaining equatorial islands. This is the first study to assess the level of morphologic differentiation and genetic connectivity of a species among all four Southwestern Atlantic oceanic islands. Our results provide valuable insight into understanding connectivity through surface ocean currents and suggest that the unstable current system of this area could be responsible for different dispersal patterns. We also suggest that the design of Brazilian marine protected areas should be adjusted to provide stronger protection for Trindade Island as it harbors unique genetic and morphologic variation in G. grapsus.