Biogeochemical patterns in the Atlantic Inflow through the Strait of Gibraltar

The effects of tidal forcing on the biogeochemical patterns of surface water masses flowing through the Strait of Gibraltar are studied by monitoring the Atlantic Inflow (AI) during both spring and neap tides. Three main phenomena are defined depending on the strength of the outflowing phase predicted over the Camarinal Sill: non-wave events (a very frequent phenomenon during the whole year); type I Internal wave events (a very energetic event, occurring during spring tides); and type II Internal wave events (less intense, occurring during neap tides).During neap tides, a non-wave event comprising oligotrophic open-ocean water from the Gulf of Cádiz is the most frequent and clearly dominant flow through the Strait. In this tidal condition, the inflow of North Atlantic Central Water (NACW) provides the main nutrient input to the surface layer of the Alboran Sea, supplying almost 70% of total annual nitrate transport to the Mediterranean basin. A low percentage of active and large phytoplankton cells and low average concentrations of chlorophyll (0.3–0.4 mg m⁻³) are found in this tidal phase. Around 50% of total annual phytoplankton biomass transport into the Mediterranean Sea through the Strait presents these oligotrophic characteristics.In contrast, during spring tides, patches of water with high chlorophyll levels (0.7–1 mg m⁻³) arrive intermittently, and these are recorded concurrently with the passage of internal waves coming from the Camarinal Sill (type I internal wave events). When large internal waves are arrested over the Camarinal Sill this implies strong interfacial mixing and the probable concurrent injection of coastal waters into the main channel of the Strait. These processes result in a mixed water column in the AI and can account for around 30% of total annual nitrate transport into the Mediterranean basin. Associated with type I internal wave events there is a regular inflow of large and active phytoplankton cells, transported in waters with relatively high nutrient concentrations, which constitutes a significant supply of planktonic resources to the pelagic ecosystem of the Alboran Sea (almost 30% of total annual phytoplankton biomass transport).     

The East Greenland Spill Jet as an important component of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation

The recently discovered East Greenland Spill Jet is a bottom-intensified current on the upper continental slope south of Denmark Strait, transporting intermediate density water equatorward. Until now the Spill Jet has only been observed with limited summertime measurements from ships. Here we present the first year-round mooring observations demonstrating that the current is a ubiquitous feature with a volume transport similar to the well-known plume of Denmark Strait overflow water farther downslope. Using reverse particle tracking in a high-resolution numerical model, we investigate the upstream sources feeding the Spill Jet. Three main pathways are identified: particles flowing directly into the Spill Jet from the Denmark Strait sill; particles progressing southward on the East Greenland shelf that subsequently spill over the shelfbreak into the current; and ambient water from the Irminger Sea that gets entrained into the flow. The two Spill Jet pathways emanating from Denmark Strait are newly resolved, and long-term hydrographic data from the strait verifies that dense water is present far onto the Greenland shelf. Additional measurements near the southern tip of Greenland suggest that the Spill Jet ultimately merges with the deep portion of the shelfbreak current, originally thought to be a lateral circulation associated with the sub-polar gyre. Our study thus reveals a previously unrecognized significant component of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation that needs to be considered to understand fully the ocean׳s role in climate.     

Southwestward intrusion of korea strait bottom cold water observed in 2003 and 2004

Hydrographic surveys were carried out four times in the western channel of the Korea Strait in March and August 2003 and in June and November 2004. The bottom cold water, which was lower than 10°C, appeared in the channel trough except in March 2003. It flowed southwestward along the shelf of Korean coasts in August 2003 and in November 2004. The width and the maximum speed of the intrusion current were about 20 km and approximately 25 cm s^-1, respectively, off Ulsan, Korea. The volume transport of the bottom cold water was estimated 0.019 Sv (Sv≡10⁶ m³ s^-1) in August 2003 and 0.026 Sv in November 2004.     

Atmospherically-promoted photosynthetic activity in a well-mixed ecosystem: Significance of wet deposition events of nitrogen compounds

Wet atmospheric deposition of dissolved N, P and Si species is studied in well-mixed coastal ecosystem to evaluate its potential to stimulate photosynthetic activities in nutrient-depleted conditions. Our results show that, during spring, seawater is greatly depleted in major nutrients: Dissolved Inorganic Nitrogen (DIN), Dissolved Inorganic Phosphorus (DIP) and Silicic acid (Si), in parallel with an increase of phytoplanktonic biomass. In spring (March–May) and summer (June–September), wet atmospheric deposition is the predominant source (>60%, relative to riverine contribution) for nitrates and ammonium inputs to this N-limited coastal ecosystem. During winter (October–February), riverine inputs of DIN predominate (>80%) and are annually the most important source of DIP (>90%). This situation allows us to calculate the possibility for a significant contribution to primary production in May 2003, from atmospheric deposition (total input for DIN ≈300 kg km⁻² month⁻¹). Based on usual Redfield ratios and assuming that all of the atmospheric-derived N (AD-N) in rainwater is bioavailable for phytoplankton growth, we can estimate new production due to AD-N of 950 mg C m⁻² month⁻¹, during this period of depletion in the water column. During the same episode (May 2003), photosynthetic activity rate, considered as gross primary production, was estimated to approximately 30 300 mg C m⁻² month⁻¹. Calculation indicates that new photosynthetic activity due to wet atmospheric inputs of nitrogen could be up to 3%.     

极地低压对费拉姆海峡大西洋入流水天气尺度变化的影响

The Atlantic inflow in the Fram Strait(78°50′N) has synoptic scale variability based on an array of moorings over the period of 1998–2010. The synoptic scale variability of Atlantic inflow, whose significant cycle is 3–16 d, occurs mainly in winter and spring(from January to April) and is related with polar lows in the Barents Sea. On the synoptic scale, the enhancement(weakening) of Atlantic inflow in the Fram Strait is accompanied by less(more)polar lows in the Barents Sea. Wind stress curl induced by polar lows in the Barents Sea causes Ekman-transport,leads to decrease of sea surface height in the Barents Sea, due to geostrophic adjustment, further induces a cyclonic circulation anomaly around the Barents Sea, and causes the weakening of the Atlantic inflow in the Fram Strait. Our results highlight the importance of polar lows in forcing the Atlantic inflow in the Fram Strait and can help us to further understand the effect of Atlantic warm water on the change of the Arctic Ocean.     

台湾西南部海域风应力旋度偶极子的季节和年际变化分析

利用1995~2013年间NCEP风场资料,分析研究了台湾西南部海域风应力旋度偶极子的季节和年际变化特征,及其受ENSO事件的影响,结果表明:台湾西南部海域风应力旋度偶极子的分布存在明显季节变化,其分布期主要集中于每年10月至次年4月,夏季台湾海峡不存在风应力旋度偶极子的分布;风应力旋度偶极子的强度异常要滞后ENSO 1个月,当厄尔尼诺事件发生时,风应力旋度偶极子的分布强度较正常年份要弱,而当拉尼娜事件发生时,风应力旋度偶极子的分布强度较正常年份要强;风应力旋度偶极子的分布还存在准16.0个月和准45.3个月的显著年际变化周期,其变化同ENSO循环密切相关.     

台风“海马”对吕宋海峡附近暖涡的影响及其动力机制

台风和海洋涡旋相互作用,对台风路径和强度的预报和预警具有重要的意义。本文根据2016年第22号超强台风"海马"登陆前后在吕宋海峡附近海域的水文要素现场观测,结合卫星遥感资料,分析了台风过境前后位于吕宋海峡北部的中尺度暖涡内海洋物理要素的分布及其对台风的响应特征。结果表明,处于台风边缘的暖涡并没有因为台风过境产生的强冷抽吸作用而被削弱;反而因台风边缘产生的较强的负风应力旋度异常,导致此区域上层暖海水辐聚下沉、混合层厚度增加,从而增强了该暖涡。台风过境前后,暖涡内热含量的变化也证实了该涡旋的增强。而离台风中心较近的暖涡,则受到强的正风应力旋度产生的冷抽吸作用而被削弱。此次观测研究丰富了台风和涡旋的相互作用物理机制探索,为台风预测预警提供了现场观测数据支持。     

Seasonal variation of suspended-sediment transport through the southern Bohai Strait

Based on field observations made in winter 2006 and summer 2007 and on multiscene MODerate resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) imagery, the seasonal variation of suspended-sediment transport in the southern Bohai Strait and its possible mechanisms are examined. The field observations in two different seasons allow an exponential empirical model to be used to retrieve suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) from MODIS imagery. Both the field-survey data and the MODIS-derived SSC show that the sediment transport in the southern Bohai Strait has a significant seasonal variation due to the seasonally varying thermohaline structure of the water column and the hydrodynamics resulting from the seasonally alternating monsoons. The SSC in winter is approximately 3–10 times higher than in summer. Considering the seasonal variation of water flux (WF) and SSC, the annual sediment flux (SSF) through the southern Bohai Strait is estimated to be approximately 40.0 Mt yr⁻¹, about 4–8 times previous estimates, which did not take into account seasonal variation. Although the Huanghe (Yellow River) discharges a large amount of sediment in the summer, the SSF through the southern Bohai Strait in the winter (∼32.0 Mt) is about 4 times greater than it is in the summer. The strong seasonal variability of SSF through the southern Bohai Strait indicates that strong resuspension along the coast of the Huanghe delta in winter and enhanced longshore transport by coastal currents due to winter monsoon activity might be the major mechanisms of cross-strait transport of sediment in winter.     

吕宋海峡输送年际变异数值研究

利用MITgcm数值模式1980—2001年的常规模拟输出数据,研究了吕宋海峡22年平均的体积、热量和盐量输送随深度的变化,并利用小波变换分别分析了吕宋海峡3个层次(0—145、145—915、915—1 837m)体积和热量输送的年际变化,主要结果如下。(1)在吕宋海峡1 837m层以下,仍有一定数量的西北太平洋海水(体积和盐)西向输送到南海;(2)915—1 615m层的年际体积输送的变化趋势与上两个层次(0—145m、145—915m)类似,但是在某些ENSO时期(如1985、1987、1991—1995年),其年际变化与145—915m层年际变化的位相相反;(3)吕宋海峡年际体积(热量)输送的小波谱图较明显地反映出ENSO现象对吕宋海峡不同层次的输送均产生一定影响。145—915m层次的吕宋海峡年际体积输送与ENSO现象相关性显著。     

海坛海峡二维潮流场数值模拟

海坛海峡为南北狭长型海峡，海峡内潮波属于前进波．本文建立了平面二维浅水波数学方程，利用欧拉-拉格朗日差分方法得到数值解，模型采用随时间变化的动边界技术，成功地模拟了海坛海峡的前进波特征，并根据实测数据进行了验证．同时计算了同潮时线和等振幅线，不同时刻的潮流场和潮流平均流速分布．计算结果表明，北部湾口M2分潮高潮时间比南部湾口早约5～6min，等振幅线范围约为2．12～2．15m．海峡内流速分布呈南北强、中间弱的特点，最大流速1m／s左右．