Seasonal and annual variations of marine sinking particulate flux during 1993~1996 in the central South China Sea

A total of 67 samples from the upper and lower sediment traps in the central South China Sea were analyzed, which were collected during 1993~1996. It is indicated that the distribution of stable isotope values, surface primary productivity, fluxes of total particulate matter, carbonate, biogenic opal, organic carbon, planktonic foraminiferal species and their total amount exhibit obviously seasonal and annual fluctuations. High values of the fluxes occurred in the prevailing periods of the northeastern and southwestern monsoons, and the low values occurred during the periods between the two monsoons. The fluxes of some planktonic foraminiferal species (Globigerinoides sacculifer, G. ruber, Globigerinita glutinata, Neogloboquadrina dutertrei) and their percentages also exhibit two prominent peaks during the prevailing periods of the northeastern and southwestern monsoons respectively, while those of Globigerina bulloides, Globorotalia menardii and Pulleniatina obliquiloculata only exhibit one peak in the prevailing periods of the northeastern monsoon. In addition, fluxes and percentages of Globigerinoides sacculifer and Globorotalia menardii as well as the fluxes of carbonate and total amount of planktonic foraminifera decrease gradually from 1993 to 1996, and those of Globigerina bulloides, Globigerinita glutinata and biogenic opal increase gradually from 1993 to 1996. The fluxes of carbonate and organic carbon in the upper trap are higher than those in the lower one. The study indicates that the seasonal and annual variations of the sediment fluxes and planktonic foraminiferal species are mainly controlled by the changes of surface primary productivity and hydrological conditions related to the East Asian monsoon. The lower carbonate and organic carbon fluxes in the lower trap are related to the dissolution.     

南大洋普里兹湾基于234Th/238U不平衡法的POC输出通量研究

中国第22次南极科学考察(2005年11月至2006年3月)期间,测定了南极普里兹湾海域5个站位的从表层至150 m水深的不同层位水样中溶解态和颗粒态234Th,238U的放射性比活度以及颗粒有机碳.利用234Th/238U在上层水体中的不平衡,计算了南极普里兹湾上层水体中234Th的平均停留时间和输出通量.结果显示,随着纬度的增加,上层水体中颗粒态和溶解态234Th的平均停留时间总体趋向减小,并在中纬度站位出现了最低值,分别为1~8和29~48 d,而颗粒态和溶解态234Th的输出通量则在中纬度站位出现了最大值,分别为21~38和26~39 dpm/(m3·d).运用箱型清除模式,利用两种不同的方法估算了各水柱中从真光层底部输出的POC通量,平均值分别达到104.7 mmol/(m2·d)(E法)和120.6 mmol/(m2·d)(B法),表明南极普里兹湾夏季存在很高的新生产力,它将会对该海域碳的生物泵过程产生重要作用.     

Cycladophora davisiana (Radiolaria) in the Okhotsk Sea: A key for reconstructing glacial ocean conditions

Cycladophora davisiana, a radiolarian species dwelling at mesopelagic depths, is known as a representative glacial fauna due to its unique distribution during glacial periods. In the present ocean, abundant production of C. davisiana is only observed in the Okhotsk Sea, indicating an adaptation of C. davisiana for seasonal sea-ice covered conditions. We found pronounced abundant production of C. davisiana during the early to middle Holocene in the Okhotsk Sea, suggesting more favorable conditions for C. davisiana than the present Okhotsk Sea. In order to clarify the reason, oceanographic conditions during the Holocene were reconstructed based on biomarkers, lithogenic grains including ice-rafted debris (IRD), biogenic opal, and total organic carbon (TOC) in two sediment cores from the Okhotsk Sea. These indicators suggest that the pronounced C. davisiana production may be attributed to: 1) a supply to mesopelagic depths under intensified stratification of fine organic particles derived from coccolithophorids, bacteria, and detrital materials; and 2) cold, well-ventilated intermediate water formation.     

Hydrothermal Vent Geology and Biology at Earth’s Fastest Spreading Rates

Earth’s fastest present seafloor spreading occurs along the East Pacific Rise near 31°–32° S. Two of the major hydrothermal plume areas discovered during a 1998 multidisciplinary geophysical/hydrothermal investigation of these mid-ocean ridge axes were explored during a 1999 Alvin expedition. Both occur in recently eruptive areas where shallow collapse structures mark the neovolcanic axis. The 31° S vent area occurs in a broad linear zone of collapses and fractures coalescing into an axial summit trough. The 32° S vent area has been volcanically repaved by a more recent eruption, with non-linear collapses that have not yet coalesced. Both sites occur in highly inflated areas, near local inflation peaks, which is the best segment-scale predictor of hydrothermal activity at these superfast spreading rates (150 mm/yr).     

Sensitivity of a global ocean model to increased run-off from Greenland

We study the reaction of a global ocean–sea ice model to an increase of fresh water input into the northern North Atlantic under different surface boundary conditions, ranging from simple restoring of surface salinity to the use of an energy balance model (EBM) for the atmosphere. The anomalous fresh water flux is distributed around Greenland, reflecting increased melting of the Greenland ice sheet and increasing fresh water export from the Arctic Ocean. Depending on the type of surface boundary condition, the large circulation reacts with a slow-down of overturning and gyre circulations. Restoring of the total or mean surface salinity prevents a large scale redistribution of the salinity field that is apparent under mixed boundary conditions and with the EBM. The control run under mixed boundary conditions exhibits large and unrealistic oscillations of the meridional overturning. Although the reaction to the fresh water flux anomaly is similar to the response with the EBM, mixed boundary conditions must thus be considered unreliable. With the EBM, the waters in the deep western boundary current initially become saltier and a new fresh water mass forms in the north-eastern North Atlantic in response to the fresh water flux anomaly around Greenland. After an accumulation period of several decades duration, this new North East Atlantic Intermediate Water spreads towards the western boundary and opens a new southward pathway at intermediate depths along the western boundary for the fresh waters of high northern latitudes.     

Spatial and temporal variability of microplankton and detritus, and their export to the shelf sediments in the upwelling area off Concepción, Chile (∼36°S), during 2002-2005

Seasonal variations in diversity and biomass of diatoms, tintinnids, and dinoflagellates and the contribution of microplankton and faecal material to the vertical flux of particulates were investigated at one time series station T (station 18) between 2002 and 2005 and at a grid of stations during November 2004 in the coastal and oceanic area off Concepción (36°S), Chile. The variations were analysed in relation to water column temperature, dissolved oxygen, nutrient concentration, offshore Ekman transport, and chlorophyll-a concentration. Abundance was estimated as cell numbers per litre and biomass in terms of biovolume and carbon units.A sharp decrease with depth was observed in the abundance of both phytoplankton and microzooplankton during the whole annual cycle; over 70% of their abundance was concentrated in the upper 10 m of the water column. Also, a clear seasonality in microplankton distribution was observed at station T, with maxima for diatoms, tintinnids, and dinoflagellates every summer (centred on January) from 2002 to 2005.On the grid of stations, the maximum integrated (0-50 m) micro-phytoplankton abundances (>1 × 10⁹ cells m⁻²) occurred at the coastal stations, an area directly influenced by upwelling. A similar spatial distribution was observed for the integrated (0-200 m) faecal carbon (with values up to 632 mg C m⁻²). Tintinnids were distributed in all the first 300 miles from the coast and dinoflagellates were more abundant in oceanic waters.At station T, the average POC export production (below 50 m depth) was 16.6% (SD = 17%; range 2-67%; n = 16). The biological-mediated fluxes of carbon between the upper productive layer and the sediments of the continental shelf off Concepción depend upon key groups of phytoplankton (Thalassiosira spp., Chaetoceros spp.) and zooplankton (euphausiids) through the export of either cells or faecal material, respectively.     

西太平洋暖池区海—气通量计算分析

用J.Launiaimen和T.Vihma提出的近地面层湍流通量计算方法,对我国在1992年11月至1993年2月TOGA—COARE—IOP实验中所获资料计算处理。得出所在站位的海一气间显效、潜热及动量通量。指出西大平洋暖池海区游热通量与显效通量之比为10.14:1;风速大于8m/s后各通量随风速的变化率明显增加;动量与热量的块体通量系数Cd和Ce,h随风速变化有相似的规律;Monin—Obukhov大气稳定度参数Z/L与△T/U_(10)之间有较好的统计关系。     

南黄海夏季海水pCO2研究Ⅱ--下层海水涌升和长江冲淡水对海-气界面CO2通量的贡献

根据2001年7月对南黄海的大面积调查,研究了南黄海夏季pCO2的分布机制,着重讨论下层海水涌升和长江冲淡水对海-气界面CO2通量的贡献,并给出了南黄海海-气界面CO2通量。研究结果表明:夏季南黄海总体上是CO2的1个弱源,大约向大气中释放45.05×104t C。夏季南黄海表层海水pCO2分布表现出了极大的不均性,其汇区主要由长江冲淡水造成,影响区域占汇区吸收CO2的99.9%;而在源区,下层海水涌升虽然面积较小却占源区释放CO2的35.2%。可见陆架边缘海区源/汇格局的地域差异非常之特别。     

长江中下游6月份降水的一个预报指标

根据１９６３－１９９２年嵊山海洋站２月海气感热输送和２２ａ太阳磁周期与降水的关系，提出了一个长江中下游６月降水的综合预报指标，用此指标，对１９９３年６月长江中下游降水进行回报，结果与实况一致。     

台湾海峡海流结构及海水通量

主要根据台湾海峡的实测海流资料，以夏、冬为代表季节，分析了台湾海峡２—３个纬向断面的海流结构，计算出各断面的海水通量。结果表明：夏季，台湾海峡中、北部海域各层的海流一般偏Ｎ向流动，Ｎ向的海水净通量为３．３２×１０６ｍ３·ｓ－１；冬季，高温高盐的黑潮水和南海水由南向北经南部断面进入台湾海峡，其海水通量分别为１．６９×１０６ｍ３·ｓ－１和０．５９×１０６ｍ３·ｓ－１；而东海水由北向南通过北部断面进入台湾海峡，其海水通量为１．０２×１０６ｍ３·ｓ－１，其中，有０．４０×１０６ｍ３·ｓ－１的海水沿着福建和广东近岸流进南海，其余０．６２×１０６ｍ３·ｓ－１的海水在台湾海峡北部混合后随同黑潮水和南海水流入东海。总之，流经台湾海峡的Ｎ向海水净通量为１．７４×１０６ｍ３·ｓ－１。