Holocene reef growth in Torres Strait

The platform and fringing reefs of Torres Strait are morphologically similar to reefs of the northern Great Barrier Reef to the south, except that several are elongated in the direction of the strong tidal currents between the Coral Sea and the Gulf of Carpentaria. Surface and subsurface investigations and radiocarbon dating on Yam, Warraber and Hammond Islands reveal that the initiation and mode of Holocene reef growth reflect antecedent topography and sea-level history. On the granitic Yam Island, fringing reefs have established in some places over a Pleistocene limestone at about 6 m depth around 7000 years BP. Emergent Holocene microatolls of Porites sp. indicate that the reefs have prograded seawards while sea level has fallen gradually from at least 0.8 m above present about 5800 years BP. On the Warraber Island reef platform drilling near the centre indicated a Pleistocene limestone foundation at a depth of about 6 m over which reefs established around 6700 years BP. Reef growth lagged behind that on Yam Island. Microatolls on the mature reef flat indicate that the reef reached sea level around 5300 years BP when the sea was around 0.8–1.0 m above present. On the reef flat on the western side of Hammond Island bedrock was encountered at 7–8 m depth, overlain by terrigenous mud. A progradational reef sequence of only 1–2 m thickness has built seaward over these muds, as sea level has fallen over the past 5800 years. Reef-flat progradation on these reefs is interpreted to have occurred by a series of stepwise buildouts marked by lines of microatolls parallel to the reef crest, marking individual coalescing coral heads. Detrital infill has occurred between these. This pattern of reef progradation is consistent with the radiocarbon dating results from these reefs, and with seismic investigations on the Torres Reefs.     

近岸海域光合色素的生物标志作用研究Ⅰ.台湾海峡特征光合色素的分布及其对浮游植物类群结构的指示

１引言 由于高效液相色谱法（ＨＰＬＣ）的建立,利用光合色素,尤其是类胡萝卜素作为区分浮游植物类群的指示物,成为更方便和有效的化学分类法［１,２］．原因是色素能够很好地进行定量,可涵盖浮游植物的全部粒级范围;而且,适用于大批量样品的分析,甚至可实现现场的船上测定．海洋浮游植物光合色素的研究,比较多地集中在开放大洋,多为利用类胡萝卜素表征浮游植物的类群结构［３－５］;或以光合色素及其降解产物作为浮游植物参与的生物地球化学过程的生物标志物［６－８］．相比较而言,在近岸、陆架海域开展的此类研究较少,且多…     

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).     

台湾海峡及其邻区现今构造应力场数值模拟

本文将台湾海峡及其邻区划分为多个具有不同弹性参数的等厚区块,并利用基于弹性理论的有限元数值模型,以GPS观测速度和由震源机制解(FMS)得到的主应力轴方向为约束条件,计算了该研究区的现今构造应力场.结果表明:(1)最大主应力轴在台湾海峡中部和台湾岛弧中部大致为NW-SE向,在东北部呈顺时针旋转,而在南部呈逆时针旋转;(2)研究区水平位移场大致以23°N为界,南强北弱,且在北部呈顺时针旋转,南部呈逆时针旋转;(3)东沙-澎湖-北港隆起因强度大于周边盆地区而成为"阻挡带",导致在其南北出现两个反向的构造逃逸区,并且隆起东南区形变特别强烈,而其西北区则相对较弱.     

Variations in silicate concentration affecting photosynthetic carbon fixation by spring phytoplankton assemblages in surface water of the Strait of Malacca

The Strait of Malacca (SoM), the world’s busiest sea-route, is increasingly polluted as the rapid development of world trades, affecting phytoplankton primary productivity therein. The variations of surface phytoplankton biomass, size-structure and carbon fixation were investigated across the SoM during the spring period (May 4 to 9, 2011). Chlorophyll a concentration increased from 0.12 μg/L at the northwest entrance of the SoM to a maximal 0.63 μg/L at narrowest section, and decreased to 0.10 μg/L at the southeast entrance. Photosynthetic carbon fixation by phytoplankton coincided well with Chl a biomass, and increased from 10.8 to 22.3 μg C/(L d), then decreased to 9.21 μg C/(L d); while the carbon fixation rate showed an inverse pattern to the changes of Chl a, and decreased from 87.1 to 35.5 μg C/(μg Chl a d) and increased thereafter to 95.3 μg C/(μg Chla·d). Picophytoplankton cells (<3 μm) contributed to more than 60% and 50% of the total Chl a and carbon fixation at both the entry waters; while the contributions of pico-cells decreased sharply to the minimum of 18.3% and 27.5% at the narrowest part of the SoM. In particular, our results showed that the silicate concentration positively regulated Chl a biomass and carbon fixation, reflecting that the higher silicate favoured the growth of phytoplankton and thus led to higher primary production in this strait.     

Inter-basin movements of Mediterranean sperm whales provide insight into their population structure and conservation

The sperm whale is one of the very few deep diving mammal species in the Mediterranean Sea. Following a rare mass stranding of male sperm whales in the Adriatic Sea in December 2009, photo-identification methods were used in order to investigate previous sightings of the stranded whales in the region. Fluke photos of the stranded whales were compared with those of 153 and 128 free-ranging individuals photographed in the western and eastern Mediterranean basins, respectively. Three out of the seven stranded whales had been previously photo-identified and some of them more than once. To reach the stranding place, two of these re-identified whales performed long-range inter-basin movements of about 1600-2100 km (in a straight line) either through the Strait of Sicily or the Strait of Messina. In addition, comparisons among all whales photographed in the two Mediterranean basins revealed that one more individual first photographed in the western basin (1991) was re-identified 13 years later in the eastern basin (2004). These three cases provide the first conclusive evidence of inter-basin movement of sperm whales in the Mediterranean Sea. Inter-basin gene flow is important for the survival of the small and endangered Mediterranean sperm whale population. Mitigating the disturbance created by human activities in the straits area is crucial for its conservation.     

基于拉格朗日拟序结构的吕宋海峡表层水交换研究

黑潮通过吕宋海峡入侵南海呈现明显的瞬态特征。以往的研究通常将黑潮在吕宋海峡附近的流态分为几种不同类型。本文基于表层地转流计算得到的有限时间李雅普诺夫指数场（FTLE）,展示了拉格朗日视角下的吕宋海峡上层水交换特征。从FTLE场提取的拉格朗日拟序结构（LCSs）很好地识别了吕宋海峡附近的典型流态和旋涡活动。此外,这些LCSs还揭示了吕宋海峡周围复杂的输运路径和流体域,这些特征得到了卫星跟踪浮标轨迹的验证,且从流速场中是无法直接识别的。FTLE场显示,吕宋海峡附近表层水体的输运形态主要可分为四类。其中,黑潮直接向北流动的“跨越”形态和顺时针旋转的“流套”形态的发生频次明显高于直接进入南海的黑潮分支“渗入”形态和南海水流出至太平洋的“外流”形态。本文还进一步分析了黑潮在吕宋海峡处的涡旋脱落事件,突出强调了LCSs在评估涡旋输运方面的重要性。反气旋涡旋的脱落个例表明,这些涡旋主要源自黑潮“流套”,涡旋脱落之前可有效地俘获黑潮水。LCS所指示的输运通道信息有助于预测最终被反气旋涡所挟卷水体在上游的位置。而在气旋涡的形成过程中,LCS的分布特征表明,大部分气旋涡并未与黑潮水的输运路径相连通。因此,气旋涡对从太平洋到南海的上层水交换的贡献较小。     

潮汐和风对马六甲海峡海流的影响

基于非结构有限体积法海洋模型FVCOM(Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model), 建立了马六甲海峡及其毗邻海域高分辨率水动力数值模型, 研究了风和潮流作用下的余环流结构以及水体输运特征。结果表明, 马六甲海峡航道中央潮流运动以往复流为主, 边缘存在旋转流; 主要研究区域内落潮流速略大于涨潮流速, 东南窄道处流速最大; 因峡道束窄变浅, 在涨落潮过程中潮流发生汇聚与分离; 主要研究区域东南段存在3个显著的潮致余环流; 东北季风驱动时模型响应为海峡海流整体向西北方向流动, 西南季风时反之; 季风期间潮致表层余环流结构被破坏, 但底层余流仍存在水平环流结构, 且随着风速增加, 底层余环流的数目、大小、形状、位置均会产生变化; 季风过渡期余环流结构也会发生部分改变, 尤其是小潮期间风场影响效果显著。     

The Hormuz Strait Dam Macroproject—21st Century Electricity Development Infrastructure Node (EDIN)?

ABSTRACT

Ocean gulfs offer a means of artificially creating a depression, which can be used for a regionally significant hydroelectric macroproject. We examine here the case for a dam at the Strait of Hormuz that blocks a large gulf situated in an arid region. A 35 m evaporation of this concentration basin will reduce its watery surface area by ～53% and allow generation of ～2.050 MW (or possibly ～2.500 MW) of electricity. Our conclusion is that the proposed Electricity Development Infrastructure Node (EDIN) is a feasible and desirable macroproject. If the macroproject starts in the near-term future, it would require a significant change in the logistics of oil and gas transport from this region. Alternatively, it can be considered as an attractive future solution for the energy requirements of the region after exhaustion of its oil and gas reserves.