Evidence for a mid‐Pleistocene shift of ice‐drift pattern in the Nordic seas

Sediment proxy records from a continuous, 1.5 million year long deep‐sea sediment core from a site in the western Norwegian Sea were used to obtain new insights into the nature of palaeoceanographic change in the northern North Atlantic (Nordic seas) during the climatic shift of the Mid‐Pleistocene Revolution (MPR). Red‐green sediment colour and magnetic susceptibility records both reveal significant differences in their mean values when comparing the intervals older than 700 000 yr (700 ka) with those from the past 500 kyr. The timing and duration of these changes indicates that the MPR in the Nordic seas is characterised by a gradual transition lasting about 200 kyr. Together with further sedimentological evidence this suggests that the mid‐Pleistocene climate shift was accompanied by a general change in ice‐drift pattern. It is further proposed that prior to the onset of the major late Pleistocene glaciations in the Northern Hemisphere a significant proportion of the ice in the eastern Nordic seas originated from a southern provenance, whereas later it dominantly came from the surrounding landmasses. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lateral tidal mixing in the Antarctic marginal seas

Tidal mixing plays an important role in the modification of dense water masses around the Antarctic continent. In addition to the vertical (diapycnal) mixing in the near-bottom layers, lateral mixing can also be of relevance in some areas. A numerical tide simulation shows that lateral tidal mixing is not uniformly distributed along the shelf break. In particular, strong mixing occurs all along the Ross Sea and Southern Weddell Sea shelf breaks, while other regions (e.g., the western Weddell Sea) are relatively quiet. The latter regions correspond surprisingly well to areas where indications for cross-shelf exchange of dense water masses have been found. The results suggest that lateral tidal mixing may account for the relatively small contribution of Ross Sea dense water masses to Antarctic Bottom Water.     

The mapping methods and division of tectonic units of the regional tectonic map in the eastern China seas and adjacent regions

The geological-geophysical map series of the eastern China seas and adjacent region (1:1 000 000) will be published in the late half year of 2009. The regional tectonic map is one of the main professional maps. The Mapping methods, the division method of geological tectonic units and the main geological tectonic units are mainly discussed. The strata from Pliocene to Holocene are peeled off so as to display the Pre-Pliocene structures. In basins, isopaches are drawn for the Cenozoic deposits. The plate tectonic theory and present tectonic pattern are adopted as the priorities in tectonic division. As to the division of intraplate tectonic units, it is a revision, complement and improvement of previous dividing systems, and the nomenclature for each tectonic unit follows the current system in China. The first-order tectonic unit is plate (Pacific Plate, Eurasian Plate and Philippine Sea Plate). The second-order tectonic unit is tectonic domain (East Asian continental tectonic domain,East Asian continental margin tectonic domain and west Pacific tectonic domain). The Philippine Sea Plate and the west part of the Pacific Plate are called the West Pacific tectonic domain. The part of the Eurasian Plate involved in this study area can be further divided into East Asian continental tectonic domain and East Asian continental margin tectonic domain. The East Asian continental margin domain is composed of the Ryukyu island arc, the Okinawa Trough back-arc basin and the back-arc basin of Sea of Japan. The East Asian continental tectonic domain in this study area is composed of the Sino-Korea Massif, the Changjiang River (Yangtze) Massif and South China Massif. In turn, these massifs consist of basins, folded belts or uplift zones. The basins,the folded belts or the uplift zones are further divided into uplifts and depressions made up of sags and swells.     

中国近海海洋要素最大跃层强度及其对应深度的分布规律研究

利用海洋模态重构方法对LEVITUS数据库数据进行了分析,获得了中国近海的温度、密度和声速的最大跃层强度及其深度的月平均变化规律.海洋要素的最大跃层强度在7、8月份达到最大,而且分布均匀,最大跃层强度对应的深度为全年最浅.12月至次年3月的最大跃层强度最小,分布杂乱,最大跃层强度对应的深度为全年最深.其他月份的分布介于二者之间.     

北欧海的锋面分布特征及其季节变化

利用多年月平均格点数据分析了北欧海主要锋面的分布特征和季节变化规律,并讨论了月平均数据分析锋面适合使用的方法。月平均数据显示的锋面出现间断或多重的现象是锋面侧向摆动造成的,这是月平均数据的一大特点。北欧海各锋面主要水文和季节变化特征差异很大。东格陵兰极地锋在夏季锋面强度大,锋面较连续完整,而冬季强度小,锋面结构零散。9月由于东格陵兰寒流势力最强,可观察到温度梯度较大且连续的东格陵兰锋。北极锋的季节变化在水平方向呈＂哑铃型＂分布,中段摆动较南北两端小。由于挪威海流在冬季出现的最大流量引起挪威海流的流幅在该处加宽,莫恩海脊锋冬季向西北移动,对前人文章中基本上没有季节性移动的说法进行了修正和补充。冰岛—法罗群岛锋随深度增加向南移动,锋面强度增强,这是溢流造成的。     

中国海域的天然气水合物资源

天然气水合物是甲烷等天然气在高压、低温条件下形成的冰状固体物质。据估算,全球天然气水合物中碳的含量等于石油、煤等化石能源中碳含量的2倍。在人类面临化石能源即将枯竭的时候,各国科学家和政府都把目光投向这一未来能替代化石能源的新能源。新生代构造演化历史、沉积条件、沉积环境等显示,南海具有生成和蕴藏巨大天然气水合物资源的条件;南海海域的地震反射剖面多处显示存在BSR反射波;2007年已钻探见到水合物样品。东海冲绳海槽在第四纪的沉积速率高(10~40cm/ka),槽坡存在泥底辟构造和断裂活动,从上新世以来发生过两次构造运动,这些对天然气水合物的形成是十分有利的;因此,中国海域的天然水合物资源是十分丰富的,在不远的将来它可能成为新的替代能源。     

Atlas of Japan (East) Sea hydrographic properties in summer, 1999

Hydrographic properties from CTD and discrete bottle sample profiles covering the Japan (East) Sea in summer, 1999, are presented in vertical sections, maps at standard depths, maps on isopycnal surfaces, and as property–property distributions. This data set covers most of the Sea with the exception of the western boundary region and northern Tatar Strait, and includes nutrients, pH, alkalinity, and chlorofluorocarbons, as well as the usual temperature, salinity, and oxygen observations.     

沉积物捕获器在海岸与陆架沉积动力研究中的应用:以罗源湾和台湾海峡为例

运用时间序列的沉积物捕获器对海岸与陆架海域沉降颗粒物进行采集,估算沉降通量,并运用多学科综合研究手段分析沉降颗粒物的来源、组成、时空变化及控制因素,可以为海岸与陆架沉积动力过程的研究提供新的研究手段。福建罗源湾的实验表明,夏季罗源湾潮下带小潮至中潮期间的沉降通量为133.20~256.18g/(m2·t);由中潮向大潮变化期间单个潮周期的沉降通量明显增大,台风过后的大潮期间的沉降通量为373.99~590.51g/(m2·t);台风显著影响期间的沉降通量为746.34g/(m2·t);粒度分析及水动力观测结果显示,观测期间罗源湾潮下带沉降颗粒物主要来源于海底沉积物的再悬浮。台湾海峡西北部内陆架海域的实验研究表明,该海域近底部悬浮颗粒物沉降通量最大值为13.34g/(m2·d),由小潮向中潮沉降通量逐渐增大,这主要是由于近底部温盐跃层层位上移,近底部垂向混合作用增强,致使底部再悬浮沉积物向上扩散,并最终被沉积物捕获器捕获。沉积物捕获器可以接收到再悬浮沉积物,结合底部边界层过程的观测研究,可以深入认识海底沉积物的侵蚀、沉降及埋藏过程,在研究海岸与陆架区沉积动力学、泥质区沉积记录的形成过程与保存潜力中扮演着十分重要的角色。     

南海蜑螺科一新记录属和一新记录种记述 (软体动物门:腹足纲:珍珠蜑螺目)

作者在整理中国科学院海洋生物标本馆馆藏蜑螺科Neritidae标本时,鉴定出产自海南三亚的一新记录属饰纹蜑螺属Vittina Baker,1924和一新记录种：裂蜑螺Vittina pennata（von Born,1778）。文中详细描述了本种的贝壳形态特征,查明了其生活习性和地理分布特点,并与相似种进行了比较和总结。     

1992—2007全球海平面变化

引起全球海平面变化的因素是复杂多样的，大气压、风、大洋环流以及海水密度的变化，都会引起海平面在时间、空间上的变化，而海水温度的变化是海平面变化的主要原因。该文利用法国Archiving, Validation and Interpretation of Satellite Oceanographic data（AVISO）的海表面高度异常数据，计算了1992年10月至2007年1月间，全球海平面的平均上升速度，同时详细解算海平面上升速度的全球空间分布，分析全球海平面的变化趋势并将海平面变化同美国国家海洋大气署（NOAA）的Optimum Interpolation Sea Surface Temperature （OISST）海表面温度数据进行了比对和相关分析。