Long-Term Variability of the Wind Field over the Indian Ocean Based on ERA-Interim Reanalysis

A detailed study of long-term variability of winds using 30 years of data from the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts global reanalysis (ERA-Interim) over the Indian Ocean has been carried out by partitioning the Indian Ocean into six zones based on local wind extrema. The trend of mean annual wind speed averaged over each zone shows a significant increase in the equatorial region, the Southern Ocean, and the southern part of the trade winds. This indicates that the Southern Ocean winds and the southeast trade winds are becoming stronger. However, the trend for the Bay of Bengal is negative, which might be caused by a weakening of the monsoon winds and northeast trade winds. Maximum interannual variability occurs in the Arabian Sea due to monsoon activity; a minimum is observed in the subtropical region because of the divergence of winds. Wind speed variations in all zones are weakly correlated with the Dipole Mode Index (DMI). However, the equatorial Indian Ocean, the southern part of the trade winds, and subtropical zones show a relatively strong positive correlation with the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), indicating that the SOI has a zonal influence on wind speed in the Indian Ocean. Monsoon winds have a decreasing trend in the northern Indian Ocean, indicating monsoon weakening, and an increasing trend in the equatorial region because of enhancement of the westerlies. The negative trend observed during the non-monsoon period could be a result of weakening of the northeast trade winds over the past few decades. The mean flux of kinetic energy of wind (FKEW) reaches a minimum of about 100?W?m^?2 in the equatorial region and a maximum of about 1500?W?m^?2 in the Southern Ocean. The seasonal variability of FKEW is large, about 1600?W?m^?2, along the coast of Somalia in the northern Indian Ocean. The maximum monthly variability of the FKEW field averaged over each zone occurs during boreal summer. During the onset and withdrawal of monsoon, FKEW is as low as 50?W?m^?2. The Southern Ocean has a large variation of about 1280?W?m^?2 because of strong westerlies throughout the year.     

Anomalous Western Pacific Subtropical High during Late Summer in Weak La Nia Years: Contrast between 1981 and 2013

Both 1981 and 2013 were weak La Niña years with a similar sea surface temperature (SST) anomaly in the tropical Pacific, yet the western Pacific subtropical high (WPSH) during August exhibited an opposite anomaly in the two years. A comparison indicates that, in the absence of a strong SST anomaly in the tropics, the cold advection from Eurasian high latitudes and the convection of the western Pacific warm pool play important roles in influencing the strength and position of the WPSH in August. In August 1981, the spatial pattern of 500 hPa geopotential height was characterized by a meridional circulation with a strong ridge in the Ural Mountains and a deep trough in Siberia, which provided favorable conditions for cold air invading into the lower latitudes. Accordingly, the geopotential height to the north of the WPSH was reduced by the cold advection anomaly from high latitudes, resulting in an eastward retreat of the WPSH. Moreover, an anomalous cyclonic circulation in the subtropical western Pacific, excited by enhanced warm pool convection, also contributed to the eastward retreat of the WPSH. By contrast, the influence from high latitudes was relatively weak in August 2013 due to a zonal circulation pattern over Eurasia, and the anomalous anticyclonic circulation induced by suppressed warm pool convection also facilitated the westward extension of the WPSH. Therefore, the combined effects of the high latitude and tropical circulations may contribute a persistent anomaly of the WPSH in late summer, despite the tropical SST anomaly being weak.     

Down to Earth: Contextualizing the Anthropocene

The ‘Anthropocene’ is now being used as a conceptual frame by different communities and in a variety of contexts to understand the evolving human–environment relationship. However, as we argue in this paper, the notion of an Anthropos, or ‘humanity’, as global, unified ‘geological force’ threatens to mask the diversity and differences in the actual conditions and impacts of humankind, and does not do justice to the diversity of local and regional contexts. For this reason, we interpret in this article the notion of an Anthropocene in a more context-dependent, localized and social understanding. We do this through illustrating examples from four issue domains, selected for their variation in terms of spatial and temporal scale, systems of governance and functional interdependencies: nitrogen cycle distortion (in particular as it relates to food security); ocean acidification; urbanization; and wildfires. Based on this analysis, we systematically address the consequences of the lens of the Anthropocene for the governance of social-ecological systems, focusing on the multi-level, functional and sectoral organization of governance, and possible redefinitions of governance systems and policy domains. We conclude that the notion of the Anthropocene, once seen in light of social inequalities and regional differences, allows for novel analysis of issue-based problems in the context of a global understanding, in both academic and political terms. This makes it a useful concept to help leverage and (re-)focus our efforts in a more innovative and effective way to transition towards sustainability.     

热带印度洋海温海盆一致模的变化规律及其对东亚夏季气候影响的回顾

近十几年,热带印度洋对全球气候的作用越来越受到关注.本文从热带印度洋气候态特征、海温海盆一致模的变化规律以及对东亚夏季气候的影响方面回顾了这些研究工作,并且对这些研究以及存在的不足做了系统的总结.     

中低纬太平洋夏季次表层海温异常年代际变化的时空特征比较

对1955—1998年的夏季次表层(0~400 m)海温进行了EOF分解,对比分析了中低纬太平洋夏季次表层海温的年代际变化特征。结果表明:中纬太平洋夏季次表层海温有2种年代际分布模态:0~160 m表现为PDO型,200~400 m表现为全区一致型;低纬太平洋夏季次表层海温有3种年代际分布模态:0~60 m和300~400 m为全区一致型,80~240 m为东西反向型。太平洋夏季次表层海温异常的年代际变化在中低纬都存在从上而下的时间滞后;而同一层中低纬太平洋夏季次表层海温年代际突变的时间也不一致。     

2012/2013年冬季中国气温异常成因分析

2012/2013年冬季,我国平均气温为-3.8℃,较常年同期(-3.4℃)偏低0.4℃,就空间分布来看,我国东北、华北、黄淮、江淮和新疆北部气温较常年同期偏低。利用1951-2013年国家气候中心整理的全国160站月平均气温资料、英国Hadley中心全球海温资料、NCEP/NCAR再分析大气环流资料、德国不莱梅大学提供的海冰卫星遥感资料,通过EOF分析、回归分析、合成分析、相关分析方法研究了引起2012/2013年冬季我国气温异常的东亚中高纬大气环流异常,并从海洋环境要素异常的角度分析造成这种环流异常的原因。分析结果表明:2012/2013年冬季我国气温异常分布主要是由于北极涛动(AO,Arctic Oscillation)呈负位相,西伯利亚地区高度场异常偏高,东亚大槽明显偏深的环流形式引起的。而太平洋年代际振荡(PDO,Pacific Decadal Oscillation)负位相是引起西伯利亚高压强度偏强和东亚冬季风强度偏强的年代际海洋背景,前期9月海冰范围异常偏小是导致2012/2013年冬季AO呈现负位相及我国东北和新疆北部呈现异常低温的主要原因。     

东昆仑造山带中地壳存在古洋壳俯冲的深反射地震证据

INDEPTH Ⅳ深反射地震测线横跨可可西里-巴颜喀拉地块和东昆仑-柴达木地块,为揭示青藏高原东昆仑造山带深部构造提供了直接地球物理证据。针对地表和地下"双复杂"地质构造条件,地震数据处理中通过剩余折射波静校正技术、异常振幅噪声衰减技术和CRS优化叠加技术,获得了较高信噪比的地震反射叠加剖面。INDEPTH Ⅳ深反射地震剖面揭示,在东昆仑造山带岩石圈上、下地壳之间存在不连续的古洋壳反射同相轴,该反射界面应属古特提斯域松潘-甘孜洋壳向北俯冲遗迹,不连续特征反映中生代东昆仑-柴达木地块南缘属于被动大陆边缘碰撞带。利用INDEPTH Ⅳ深反射地震单炮、速度和叠加剖面等成果,综合解译数据,提出东昆仑造山带隆升过程的另一种模式,以助于深化东昆仑造山模式认识。     

内蒙古巴林左旗九井子蛇绿岩锆石U-Pb定年:对西拉木伦河缝合带形成演化的约束

本文对位于西拉木伦河蛇绿岩带东段的九井子蛇绿岩中辉长岩脉以及蛇绿岩的围岩开展了锆石U-Pb定年。结果表明辉长岩的形成时代为(274.7±1.7)Ma,MSWD=0.079,属于早二叠世晚期;结合前人地层、古生物、岩浆岩等方面的资料,表明内蒙古东南部早二叠世晚期还可能存在大洋盆地。与九井子蛇绿岩呈断层接触的粉砂岩碎屑锆石年龄大致构成4个峰值:2350~2700 Ma、1700~2100 Ma、370~470 Ma和250~290 Ma,通过与区域构造热事件的对比分析,表明其物源主要来自中朝古板块的北缘。粉砂岩中最小的锆石年龄为晚二叠世末—早三叠世初((249±4.7)Ma),该年龄与内蒙古东南部海相地层消失的时代、安加拉植物群和华夏植物群出现混生的时代、西伯利亚和中朝古板块古纬度曲线收敛的时代以及区域上与碰撞相关的岩浆岩形成时代大致相同,据此本文认为九井子蛇绿岩的构造侵位时代应为晚二叠世末—早三叠世初,同时也可能代表古亚洲洋的最终闭合时代。     

Genetic diversity and population structure of the franciscana dolphin,Pontoporia blainvillei,in Southern Buenos Aires,Argentina

The franciscana dolphin, Pontoporia blainvillei, is endemic to the coastal waters of the southwestern Atlantic Ocean and the most endangered dolphin in the area. Four Franciscana Management Areas (FMAs) are currently recognised; however, results of genetic studies suggest the requirement for additional FMAs and highlight the need for more detailed studies in the southern extreme of the species distribution. With this aim, we studied the genetic diversity and population structure of the species analysing an mtDNA control region fragment (434?bp) in 44 individuals collected in four sampling sites located in Southern Buenos Aires. Haplotype diversity (H?=?0.75?±?0.05) was mostly higher than the observed in endangered or near threatened odontocetes. Population structure analyses suggest that three different genetic populations should be recognised within FMA IV: Northern, Eastern and Southern Buenos Aires. Altogether, these results should be taken into account in future conservation plans for the species.     

Limited differences among habitats in deep‐sea macro‐infaunal communities off New Zealand: implications for their vulnerability to anthropogenic disturbance

The spread of human activities into the deep sea may pose a high risk to benthic communities and affect ecosystem integrity. The deep sea is characterized by physical and biological heterogeneity and different habitat types are likely to differ in their vulnerability to anthropogenic impacts. However, across‐habitat comparisons are rare, and no comprehensive ecological risk assessment has yet been developed. To address this gap in our knowledge, we compared macro‐infaunal community structure in four habitats (slope, canyons, seamounts and methane seeps) at depths between 700 and 1500 m in the Hikurangi Margin and Bay of Plenty regions off New Zealand. The most striking contrast in community structure was between the two study regions, due to an order of magnitude difference in macro‐infaunal abundance that we believe was caused by differences in surface productivity and food availability at the sea bed. We found differences in structural and functional attributes of macro‐infaunal communities among some habitats in the Hikurangi Margin (slope, canyon and seep), but not in the Bay of Plenty. We posit that differences between canyon and slope communities on the Hikurangi Margin are due to enhanced food availability inside canyons compared with adjacent slope habitats. Seep communities were characterized by elevated abundance of both symbiont‐bearing and heterotrophic taxa, and were the most distinct, and variable, among the habitats that we considered on the Hikurangi Margin. Communities of seamounts were not distinct from slope or canyon communities on the Hikurangi Margin, probably reflecting similar environmental conditions in these habitats. The communities of deep‐sea canyon and seep habitats on the Hikurangi Margin were sufficiently dissimilar from each other and from slope habitats to warrant separate management consideration. By contrast, the low dissimilarity between communities of canyon and slope habitats in the Bay of Plenty suggests that habitat‐based management is not required in this region, for macro‐infauna at least. Although the two study regions share similar species pools, populations of the Hikurangi Margin region may be less vulnerable than the sparser populations of the Bay of Plenty due to the higher availability of potential colonizers and faster population growth. Thus regions, and habitats in some regions, should be subject to separate ecological risk assessment to help identify the key risks and consequences of human activities, and to inform options for reducing or mitigating impacts.