Upwelling and ocean structures off Algoa Bay and the south-east coast of South Africa

As the Agulhas Current flows along the south-east coast of South Africa, a number of processes operate that bring cold, deep water up onto the narrow shelf. As a consequence, upwelling along the coastline is enhanced farther southward and downstream. This situation is investigated off Algoa Bay and along the south-east coast to Port Alfred, where measurements demonstrate that marked temperature variability occurs at the coastline, particularly in summer when temperature structures are more intense and easterly-component winds more common. There is no indication that upwelling is more prevalent at Port Alfred; increasing variability farther south is evident at Woody Cape/Cape Padrone, where the coastline veers westwards, forming the eastern boundary of Algoa Bay. Here it is found that, after a wind change to north-easterly, cold water is upwelled along the shoreline between 19 hours and 2.5 days later. Such upwelling progresses north-eastwards with the movement of the wind and weather systems, although colder water also moves south-westwards into Algoa Bay. Winds, currents, sea level and sea temperatures are highly correlated, with fluctuations in sea level measuring >50 cm being associated with coastal trapped waves (CTWs). Such barotropic wind-driven CTWs are frequently active during upwelling, although it is unclear whether there is any interaction between the two phenomena.     

On the sensitivity of tidal residuals off the west coast of Britain to mesh resolution

An irregular mesh model of the west coast of Britain is used to examine the sensitivity of tidal residuals to mesh resolution in the region. Computed residuals are compared with earlier published results determined with a high resolution (1 km grid) finite difference model of the eastern Irish Sea. Initial calculations show that tidal residuals are largest in nearshore regions particularly in the vicinity of headlands. Local refinement of the mesh in these regions leads to a more detailed picture of the flow field, particularly adjacent to the coast. Although large scale offshore features of the flow can be resolved using the high resolution finite difference model, such an approach leads to a “stair case” representation of the coastal boundary with an adjacent near coastal region of spurious tidal residuals. By using an irregular mesh that follows the coast, this effect is removed. In the Mersey river region the tidal residual is resolved with a mesh resolution of 120 m, although calculations show that its distribution is particularly sensitive to small scale features of the topography. A variable mesh that can accurately represent the lateral variations in river width and details of topography in both the nearshore and estuarine environment appears essential in modelling the coastal spread of freshwater plumes from rivers and pollutants discharged into the near coastal environment.     

藏南白垩系泥、页岩微量、稀土元素特征及氧化-还原环境分析

为了解藏南定日-岗巴盆地和江孜盆地白垩纪沉积时底层水体的氧化一还原环境,采用ICP-MS方法进行微量元素及稀土元素测试分析.结果表明:研究区微量元素在时空上均发生了变化,这与各元素对沉积水体的氧化一还原敏感程度有关.元素Al标准化后变化趋势也不尽相同,其垂向上的变化反映了沉积物底层水体氧化-还原状况、生物产率等沉积环境,与海平面升降、陆源碎屑输入、成岩作用再活化及沉积后氧化作用等多因素有关.V/(V+Ni)、U/Th、V/Cr、Ni/Co、Re/Mo、Uau及δU比值表明早白垩世及晚白垩世中、晚期藏南地区盆地内底层水体环境总体上为中等分层的含氧环境,但定日一岗巴盆地内晚白垩世早期Cenomanian-Turonian界线附近微量元素发生突变,显示为强烈的还原环境.稀土元素球粒陨石标准化后均表现为轻稀土富集的右倾型,LREE/HREE介于7.42～14.80之间,LaN/YbN变化范围为7.93～18.54,δEu负异常,δCe异常不明显,表明为含氧环境.因此微量、稀土元素微观分析与野外宏观露头观察相结合,不但可以作为地层划分对比的直接依据,且能更准确、有效地判断地层沉积时底层水体的环境状况.     

杭州湾北岸高潮滩沉积与沿岸物质输运趋势

根据对杭州湾北岸高潮滩上采集的沉积物样品的粒度分析,该处沉积物类型以粉砂为主,分选性、偏态和峰态分别属较差、正偏和宽峰,呈现明显的强潮高能潮滩特征。用Gao-Collins模型进行了粒径趋势分析,结果表明:海盐附近和芦潮港以东附近均向西输运,乍浦和拓林之间向东输运。对比近岸余流方向后发现,沉积物沿岸输运趋势与近岸的余流方向较为一致,这是由于作为高潮滩堆积细颗粒沉积物的主要来源的近岸水体中,悬浮沉积物的净输运是受余流控制的。