Surface currents and winds at the Delaware Bay mouth

Knowledge of the circulation of estuaries and adjacent shelf waters has relied on hydrographic measurements, moorings, and local wind observations usually removed from the region of interest. Although these observations are certainly sufficient to identify major characteristics, they lack both spatial resolution and temporal coverage. High-resolution synoptic observations are required to identify important coastal processes at smaller scales. Long observation periods are needed to properly sample low-frequency processes that may also be important. The introduction of high-frequency (HF) radar measurements and regional wind models for coastal studies is changing this situation. Here we analyze synoptic, high-resolution surface winds and currents in the Delaware Bay mouth over an 8-month period (October 2007 through May 2008). The surface currents were measured by two HF radars while the surface winds were extracted from a data-assimilating regional wind model. To illustrate the utility of these monitoring tools we focus on two 45-day periods which previously were shown to present contrasting pictures of the circulation. One, the low-outflow period is from 1 October through 14 November 2007; the other is the high-outflow period from 3 March through 16 April 2008. The large-scale characteristics noted by previous workers are clearly corroborated. Specifically the M2 tide dominates the surface currents, and the Delaware Bay outflow plume is clearly evident in the low frequency currents. Several new aspects of the surface circulation were also identified. These include a map of the spatial variability of the M2 tide (validating an earlier model study), persistent low-frequency cross-mouth flow, and a rapid response of the surface currents to a changing wind field. However, strong wind episodes did not persist long enough to set up a sustained Ekman response.     

地磁Z分量日变"低点位移"异常成因分析

本文基于对地磁Z分量日变"低点位移"异常和太阳静日变化内外源场等效涡旋电流体系时空演化特征的分析,提出了"电磁炉效应"假说,以解释地磁Z分量日变"低点位移"异常的成因.本文认为,起源于地球内部和外部涡旋电流体系所产生的太阳静日变化Sq,作为一个持续的交变磁场,切割地壳深部的高导低速层,形成涡旋电流并产生热能,致使高导低...     

多年冻土区矿山开采研究现状及展望

多年冻土区蕴藏着丰富的矿产资源,矿业开发已成为多年冻土区经济发展的主要产业之一.但是,在其开采过程将不可避免地受到冻土的影响,也造成多年冻土区生态环境恶化的影响.在西部大开发的进程中,能源需求量逐渐增加,而多年冻土区矿山露天开采量逐渐减少,开展多年冻土区矿山地下开采相关的研究工作显得尤为迫切.在分析和总结前人研究成果的...     

地震后陇南特大地质灾害成因分析

由于2008年"5.12"特大地震对陇南地质环境和气候环境的影响,2008年和2009年两次特大暴雨引发了滑坡和泥石流特大地质灾害.本文从地质环境变化和引发特大暴雨的高空气流,分析了特大地质灾害的成因,提出了地质灾害的应对策略和措施.     

Numerical simulation of a partially buried pipeline in a permeable seabed subject to combined oscillatory flow and steady current

Hydrodynamic forces exerting on a pipeline partially buried in a permeable seabed subjected to combined oscillatory flow and steady current are investigated numerically. Two-dimensional Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations with a k−ω turbulent model closure are solved to simulate the flow around the pipeline. The Laplace equation is solved to calculate the pore pressure below the seabed with the simulated seabed hydrodynamic pressure as boundary conditions. The numerical model is validated against the experimental data of a fully exposed pipeline resting on a plane boundary under various flow conditions. Then the flow with different embedment depths, steady current ratios and KC numbers is simulated. The amplitude of seepage velocity is much smaller than the amplitude of free stream velocity as expected. The normalized Morison inertia, drag and lift coefficients based on the corresponding force coefficients of a fully exposed pipeline are investigated. The normalized Morison force coefficients reduce almost linearly with the increase of embedment depth and that the KC only has minor effect on the normalized Morison coefficients. It is also found that the permeable seabed condition causes a slight increase on the inline force and has a little effect on the lift force, compared with corresponding conditions in an impermeable bed.     

A possible generation mechanism of the strong current over the northwestern shelf of the South China Sea

Continuous observation in late April 2005 on the northwestern shelf of the South China Sea reveals vigorous strong currents, the maximum velocity of which exceeds 3.8 m/s. The strong currents occurred around spring tide period, when the internal tide waves were also expected to be vigorous. Analysis shows that the major peaks of the current power spectrum are in low frequency band. Using a numerical method applied to the actual ocean stratification, we find that the amplitude profiles of the strong current are similar to that of the currents induced by some low-mode internal waves (at diurnal or semi-diurnal frequency). It indicates that the temporal and spatial features of strong currents were possibly induced by low frequency internal waves.     

Analysis of thermohaline and current distribution characteristics of Zhejiang and Fujian waters in summer

This paper analyzed the distribution of thermohaline and circulation characteristics of Zhejiang and Fujian waters, based on the cross-sectional thermohaline data and on current data (up to 30 d duration) at fixed-point moorings, collected in the summer of 2006. We also performed low-pass filtering and spectrum analysis on the mooring submersible buoy data. Based on that analysis, we discussed the characteristics of low frequency currents and time-variations in these waters. The main conclusions are as follows. (1) There is a low salinity pinnate area near the Hangzhou Bay in summer, and outside the low salinity area, an obvious salinity front is present from surface to bottom near 123°E. There is also a temperature front below the surface at a corresponding position. (2) Bottom water of the Taiwan Warm Current comes from the subsurface of Kuroshio. (3) The direction of low frequency current at fixed anchor stations is N-NE or S, which mainly depends on the interaction of control currents in this waters. (4) Significant spectral peaks at all mooring stations are typically semidiurnal and diurnal tides. Semidiurnal tidal waves are the main ones in these waters, and have more energy closer to the shore. (5) Significant energy spectral peaks of middle period (3 to 8 d) of currents are responses to weather frequency. (6) Significant energy spectral peaks of long periods at the surface or bottom are probably responses to seasonal wind or bottom friction, while, the long period peaks of other depths can reflect cyclical changes of interactions between currents. We conclude that the pulsation period of the Taiwan Warm Current in these waters is 10-17 d.     

Stratigraphic evolution of a submarine channel-lobe complex system in a narrow fairway within the Magallanes foreland basin, Cerro Toro Formation, southern Chile

This study integrates newly acquired stratigraphic data, geologic mapping, and paleocurrent data to constrain the stratigraphic evolution of the oldest channel-lobe complex in the Upper Cretaceous Cerro Toro Formation in the Silla Syncline area of the Magallanes Basin, termed the Pehoe member. The Pehoe member ranges in thickness from 60 m in the north to at least 410 m farther down system and comprises three separate divisions (A, B, and C). A lower conglomerate unit and an upper one, termed Pehoe A and C divisions respectively, represent the fill of major incised submarine channels or channel complexes. These are separated by stratified sandstone of the Pehoe B division, representing a weakly confined lobe complex, either transient or terminal.The integration of new data with observations from previous studies reveal that the three main coarse-grained conglomerate and sandstone members in the Cerro Toro Formation in the Silla Syncline include at least seven distinct submarine channels or channel complexes and two major lobe complexes. The thinning and disappearance of these units along the eastern limb of the syncline reflect confinement of the flows to a narrow trough or mini-basin bounded to the east by a topographic high. This confinement resulted in unidirectional paleocurrents to the south and southeast in all deposits. Changes in depositional geometries are interpreted as reflecting changes in sediment supply and relative confinement. Submarine channels were from 700 m to 3.5 km wide and occupied a fairway that was 4-5 km wide. Flows moving south and southeast in this mini-basin probably crossed the eastern topographic high south of the present exposures and joined those moving southward along the axis of the foreland basin at least 16 km to the east.     

Hydrodynamics and associated sediment transport over coastal wetlands in Quanzhou Bay,China

Coastal salt marshes represent an important coastal wetland system.In order to understand the differences between boundary layer parameters of vegetated and unvegetated areas,as well as the mechanisms of sediment transport,several electromagnetic current meters (AEM HR,products of Alec Electronics Co.Ltd.) were deployed in coastal wetlands in Quanzhou Bay,China,to measure current velocity.During the low tide phase,the surficial sediment was collected at 10 m intervals.In situ measurements show that the current velocities on the bare flat were much higher than those in the Spartina alterniflora marsh.Current velocity also varied with distance from marsh edge and plant canopy height and diameter.Around 63% of the velocity profiles in the tidal creek can be described by a logarithmic equation.Over the bare flat and Spartina alterniflora marsh,a logarithmic profile almost occurs during the flood tide phase.Sediment analysis shows that mean grain size was 6.7 Φ along the marsh edge,and surface sediments were transported from bare flat to marsh;the tidal creeks may change this sediment transport pattern.The hydrodynamics at early flood tide and late ebb tide phases determined the net transport direction within the study area.     

Wave refraction–diffraction effect in the wind wave model WWM

Based on the extended mild-slope equation, the wind wave model (WWM; Hsu et al., 2005) is modified to account for wave refraction, diffraction and reflection for wind waves propagating over a rapidly varying seabed in the presence of current. The combined effect of the higher-order bottom effect terms is incorporated into the wave action balance equation through the correction of the wavenumber and propagation velocities using a refraction–diffraction correction parameter. The relative importance of additional terms including higher-order bottom components, the wave–bottom interaction source term and wave–current interaction that influence the refraction–diffraction correction parameter is discussed. The applicability of the proposed model to calculate a wave transformation over an elliptic shoal, a series of parallel submerged breakwater induced Bragg scattering and wave–current interaction is evaluated. Numerical results show that the present model provides better predictions of the wave amplitude as compared with the phase-decoupled model of Holthuijsen et al. (2003).