The Aleutian Low, storm tracks, and winter climate variability in the Bering Sea

Previous studies have found inconsistent results regarding how wintertime conditions in the Bering Sea relate to variations in the North Pacific climate system. This problem is addressed through analysis of data from the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis for the period 1950–2003. Composite patterns of sea-level pressure, 500 hPa geopotential heights, storm tracks and surface air temperature are presented for four situations: periods of strong Aleutian Low, weak Aleutian Low, warm Bering Sea air temperatures, and cold Bering Sea air temperatures. Winter temperatures in the Bering Sea are only marginally related to the strength of the Aleutian Low, and are much more sensitive to the position of the Aleutian Low and to variations in storm tracks. In particular, relatively warm temperatures are associated with either an enhanced storm track off the coast of Siberia, and hence anomalous southerly low-level flow, or an enhanced storm track entering the eastern Bering Sea from the southeast. These latter storms do not systematically affect the mean meridional winds, but rather serve to transport mild air of maritime origin over the Bering Sea. The leading indices for the North Pacific, such as the NP and PNA, are more representative of the patterns of tropospheric circulation and storm track anomalies associated with the strength of the Aleutian Low than patterns associated with warm and cold wintertime conditions in the Bering Sea.     

Correspondence between the distribution of hydrodynamic time parameters and the distribution of biological and chemical variables in a semi-enclosed coral reef lagoon

Hydrodynamic modeling can be used to spatially characterize water renewal rates in coastal ecosystems. Using a hydrodynamic model implemented over the semi-enclosed Southwest coral lagoon of New Caledonia, a recent study computed the flushing lag as the minimum time required for a particle coming from outside the lagoon (open ocean) to reach a specific station [Jouon, A., Douillet, P., Ouillon, S., Fraunié, P., 2006. Calculations of hydrodynamic time parameters in a semi-opened coastal zone using a 3D hydrodynamic model. Continental Shelf Research 26, 1395–1415]. Local e-flushing time was calculated as the time requested to reach a local grid mesh concentration of 1/e from the precedent step. Here we present an attempt to connect physical forcing to biogeochemical functioning of this coastal ecosystem. An array of stations, located in the lagoonal channel as well as in several bays under anthropogenic influence, was sampled during three cruises. We then tested the statistical relationships between the distribution of flushing indices and those of biological and chemical variables. Among the variables tested, silicate, chlorophyll a and bacterial biomass production present the highest correlations with flushing indices. Correlations are higher with local e-flushing times than with flushing lags or the sum of these two indices. In the bays, these variables often deviate from the relationships determined in the main lagoon channel. In the three bays receiving significant riverine inputs, silicate is well above the regression line, whereas data from the bay receiving almost insignificant freshwater inputs generally fit the lagoon channel regressions. Moreover, in the three bays receiving important urban and industrial effluents, chlorophyll a and bacterial production of biomass generally display values exceeding the lagoon channel regression trends whereas in the bay under moderate anthropogenic influence values follow the regressions obtained in the lagoon channel. The South West lagoon of New Caledonia can hence be viewed as a coastal mesotrophic ecosystem that is flushed by oligotrophic oceanic waters which subsequently replace the lagoonal waters with water considerably impoverished in resources for microbial growth. This flushing was high enough during the periods of study to influence the distribution of phytoplankton biomass, bacterial production of biomass and silicate concentrations in the lagoon channel as well as in some of the bay areas.     

西太平洋暖池区气象学特征分析

本文根据ＴＯＧＡ－ＣＯＡＲＥ强化观测资料及卫星资料分析讨论了西太平洋暖池区１１－２月间海面气象要素的平均特征。分析发现海面气压平均日变化似乎同中纬度区明显不同。文中还分析讨论了在西太暖池区西风爆发、赤道浅涡、信风逆温及ＩＴＣＥ和南太平洋辐合带ＳＰＣＺ的变化特征。     

东海海底地形分区特征和成因研究

东海一直以其特殊的大地构造地位受到国内外地学界的关注,但作为主要受构造控制的东海海底地形的研究,以往简单趋势性描述居多,专门深入系统的研究尚不多见。不久前完成的高精度、全覆盖多波束海底地形勘测覆盖了东海部分外陆架、大陆坡全部、冲绳海槽和东部岛坡的一部分,取得了海量的测深数据。据此编绘的勘测多波束水深图和结合测区外的传统资料编绘的海底地形图使我们有机会可以重新审视和系统研究东海的海底地形特征。在定量确定了陆架坡折线、陆坡坡脚线和东部槽坡坡脚线的基础上划分出了大陆架、大陆坡、冲绳海槽平原和东部岛坡4大地形区,继之对各区的海底地形特征进行了研究和描述,并在区内选取了有代表性的5条剖面进行了剖析。另外,从地球内营力和外营力两方面分析了影响东海海底地形发育的因素。调查分析表明:整个东海地形分带明显,地形类型多样:大陆架十分宽阔,总体北宽南窄,从大陆向海平缓倾斜,发育了广泛的NW-SE向沙脊群,自大陆向东南呈扇形发散;大陆坡呈NE-SW向条带展布,海底地形陡峻,呈阶梯状下掉,总体北缓南陡,其上峡谷密布,上穿切外陆架,下直达海槽,同时坡麓上海台沟谷伴生发育;冲绳海槽北浅南深,其内在平坦的背景上发育了众多的海山和海丘,其中心又有槽中槽地形;东槽坡地形复杂,发育了     

Validity of sea surface temperature observed with the TRITON buoy under diurnal heating conditions

In order to investigate the validity of buoy-observed sea surface temperature (SST), we installed special instruments to measure near-surface ocean temperature on the TRITON buoy moored at 2.07°N, 138.06°E from 2 to 13 March 2004, in addition to a standard buoy sensor for the regular SST measurement at 1.5-m depth. Large diurnal SST variations were observed during this period, and the variations of the temperatures at about 0.3-m depth could be approximately simulated by a one-dimensional numerical model. However, there was a notable discrepancy between the buoy-observed 1.5-m-depth SST (SST_1.5m) and the corresponding model-simulated temperature only during the daytime when the diurnal rise was large. The evaluation of the heat balance in the sea surface layer showed that the diurnal rise of the SST_1.5m in these cases could not be accounted for by solar heating alone. We examined the depth of the SST_1.5m sensor and the near-surface temperature observed from a ship near the buoy, and came to the conclusion that the solar heating of the buoy hull and/or a disturbance in the temperature field around the buoy hull would contribute to the excessive diurnal rise of the SST_1.5m observed with the TRITON buoy. However, the temperature around the hull was not sufficiently homogenized, as suggested in a previous paper. For the diurnal rise of the SST_1.5m exceeding 0.5 K, the daytime buoy data became doubtful, through dynamics that remain to be clarified. A simple formula is proposed to correct the unexpected diurnal amplitude of the buoy SST_1.5m.     

Responses of CO2 in surface water in subtropical West Pacific to El Niño event

In order to investigate the relationships between the change of TCO2, △PCO2 and SST, current, upwelling and biological activities during El Nin(～)o event in the subtropical Pacific, the responses of TCO2 and △PCO2 in surface water in the subtropical Pacific during El Nin(～)o and La Nina have been simulated using a three-dimension carbon cycle model with biota pump. The results of numerical simulations show that TCO2 in sea water increases with reducing of SST during mature phase of El Nin(～)o in the subtropical West Pacific . At the same period , the Kuroshio in this region was weakened , the zonal currents were divergence , the upwelling carried the water with high concentrations of CO2 to the sea surface , so both of TCO2 and △PCO2 in surface water were increased . But TCO2 and △pCO2 were decreased during La Nina period. These simulated results confirmed the observations in 1982/1983 , 1986/1987 ,1991/1995 and 1997/1998 El Nin(～)o events .     

Primary productivity in the western tropical Pacific and equatorial warm waters

ＩＮＴＲＯＤＵＣＴＩＯＮＢｙｓｔｕｄｙｉｎｇｃｈｌｏｒｏｐｈｙｌｌａｎｄｐｒｉｍａｒｙｐｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｖｉｔｙｉｎｏｃｅａｎ ,ｅｉｔｈｅｒｉｎｔｈｅｂｉｇ ｓｃａｌｅｏｒｉｎｔｈｅｓｍａｌｌｓｃａｌｅ ,ｔｈｅｐｒｏｄｕｃｔｉｖｉｔｙｄｉｓｔｒｉｂｕｔｉｏｎａｎｄｖａｒｉａｔｉｏｎｏｆｍａｒｉｎｅｏｒｇａｎｉｃｍａｔｅｒｉａｌｉｎｔｈｅｔｅｍｐｏ ｒａｌａｎｄｓｐａｔｉａｌｃａｎｂｅｕｎｄｅｒｓｔｏｏｄ .Ｔｈｅｓｅａａｒｅａｓ ,ｓｉｔｕａｔｉｎｇｉｎｔｈｅｗｅｓｔｅｒｎｔｒｏｐｉｃａｌＰａｃｉｆｉｃ…     

Sedimentary characteristics and the implications of cobalt-rich crusts resources at Caiwei Guyot in the Western Pacific Ocean

Abstract

Cobalt-rich crust has attracted increased attention due to their economic value. Studies have indicated that seamounts in the Western Pacific Ocean are rich in cobalt-rich crust resources. The Caiwei Guyot in Western Pacific Ocean is one of the cobalt-rich crust exploration areas contracted between China and the International Seabed Authority. A large volume of research has been conducted to elucidate the tectonic evolution, basement type, sediment type, gravity and magnetic anomaly characteristics, and geochemical characteristics of shallow surface sediments at Caiwei Guyot. However, a research gap exists on the sedimentary strata below the pelagic deposits and above the volcanic basement of the Caiwei Guyot. This paper summarizes that two main types of sediments existing on the top of Caiwei Guyot. The deposition thickness on the top of Caiwei Guyot is characterized by three sedimentary centers and exposed periphery. Pelagic sediments are difficult to form at the northeastern portion and edge area of Caiwei Guyot due to the strong bottom current environment, which makes these areas suitable for crust growth. This paper delineated three cobalt-rich crust prospective areas at the Caiwei Guyot with of significant implications for exploration and mining-lease-block selections at Caiwei Guyot.     

利用双向缓冲区算法综合海图岛屿

阐述了岛屿综合的内容和原则。介绍了双向缓冲区算法的概念并给出了双向缓冲区算法的定义,研究并证明了双向缓冲区算法的特性。分析了利用双向缓冲区算法综合海图岛屿的原理,并通过实验验证利用双向缓冲区算法综合海图岛屿具有较好的效果。     

Preserved paleo-oceanic plateaus in accretionary complexes: Implications for the contributions of the Pacific superplume to global environmental change

We have reinvestigated the mid-Cretaceous plume pulse in relation to paleo-oceanic plateaus from accretionary prisms in the circum-Pacific region, and we have correlated the Pacific superplume activity with catastrophic environmental changes since the Neoproterozoic. The Paleo-oceanic plateaus are dated at 75–150 Ma; they were generated in the Pacific superplume region and are preserved in accretionary prisms. The volcanic edifice composed of both modern and paleo-oceanic plateaus is up to 10.7 × 10⁶ km² in area and 19.1 × 10⁷ km³ in volume. The degassing rate of CO₂ (0.82 − 1.1 × 10¹⁸ mol/m.y.) suggests a significant impact on Cretaceous global warming. The synchronous occurrence of paleo-oceanic plateaus in accretionary complexes indicates that Pacific superplume pulse activities roughly coincided at the Permo-Triassic boundary and the Vendian–Cambrian boundary interval. The CO₂ expelled by the Pacific superplume probably contributed to environmental catastrophes. The initiation of the Pacific superplume contributed to the snowball Earth event near the Vendian–Cambrian boundary; this was one of the most dramatic events in Earth's history. The scale of the Pacific superplume activity roughly corresponds to the scale of drastic environmental change.