Influence of the turbulence closure scheme on the finite-element simulation of the upwelling in the wake of a shallow-water island

A three-dimensional finite-element model is used to investigate the tidal flow around Rattray Island, Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Field measurements and visual observations show both stable eddies developing at rising and falling tide in the wake of the island. The water turbidity suggests intense upwelling able to carry bed sediments upwards. Based on previous numerical studies, it remains unclear at this point whether the most intense upwelling occurs near the centre of the eddies or off the island's tips, closer to the island. All these studies resorted to a very simple turbulence closure, with a zero-equation model whereby the coefficient of vertical viscosity is computed via an algebraic expression. In this work, we aim at studying the influence of the turbulence closure on model results, with emphasis on the prediction of vertical motions. The Mellor and Yamada level 2.5 closure scheme is used and an increase in the intensity of vertical transport is observed. This increase is partly explained by the fact that the Mellor and Yamada model takes into account the hysteresis effect in the time variation of turbulence variables. The influence of the advection of turbulence variables is estimated to be negligible. By a better representation of transient coastal phenomena, the Mellor and Yamada level 2.5 turbulence closure improves the model to a significant degree.     

Numerical investigation of an oceanic resonant regime induced by hurricane winds

The oceanic mixed layer (OML) response to an idealized hurricane with different propagation speeds is investigated using a two-layer reduced gravity ocean model. First, the model performances are examined with respect to available observations relative to Hurricane Frances (2004). Then, 11 idealized simulations are performed with a Holland (Mon Weather Rev 108(8):1212–1218, 1980) symmetric wind profile as surface forcing with storm propagation speeds ranging from 2 to 12 m s⁻¹. By varying this parameter, the phasing between atmospheric and oceanic scales is modified. Consequently, it leads to different momentum exchanges between the hurricane and the OML and to various oceanic responses. The present study determines how OML momentum and heat budgets depend on this parameter. The kinetic energy flux due to surface wind stress is found to strongly depend on the propagation speed and on the cross-track distance from the hurricane center. A resonant regime between surface winds and near-inertial currents is clearly identified. This regime maximizes locally the energy flux into the OML. For fast-moving hurricanes (>6 m s⁻¹), the ratio of kinetic energy converted into turbulence depends only on the wind stress energy input. For slow-moving hurricanes (<6 m s⁻¹), the upwelling induced by current divergence enhances this conversion by shallowing the OML depth. Regarding the thermodynamic response, two regimes are identified with respect to the propagation speed. For slow-moving hurricanes, the upwelling combined with a sharp temperature gradient at the OML base formed in the leading part of the storm maximizes the oceanic heat loss. For fast propagation speeds, the resonance mechanism sets up the cold wake on the right side of the hurricane track. These results suggest that the propagation speed is a parameter as important as the surface wind speed to accurately describe the oceanic response to a moving hurricane.     

Consequences of coastal upwelling events on physical and chemical patterns in the central Gulf of Finland (Baltic Sea)

The consequences of a coastal upwelling event on physical and chemical patterns were studied in the central Gulf of Finland. Weekly mapping of hydrographical and -chemical fields were carried out across the Gulf between Tallinn and Helsinki in July–August 2006. In each survey, vertical profiles of temperature and salinity were recorded at 27 stations and water samples for chemical analyses (PO₄³⁻, NO₂⁻+NO₃⁻) were collected at 14 stations along the transect. An ordinary distribution of hydrophysical and -chemical variables with the seasonal thermocline at the depths of 10–20 m was observed in the beginning of the measurements in July. Nutrient concentrations in the upper mixed layer were below the detection limit and nutriclines were located just below or in the lower part of the thermocline. In the first half of August, a very intense upwelling event occurred near the southern coast of the Gulf when waters with low temperature and high salinity from the intermediate layer surfaced. High nutrient concentrations were measured in the upwelled water – 0.4 μmol l⁻¹ of phosphates and 0.6 μmol l⁻¹ of nitrates+nitrites. We estimated the amount of nutrients transported into the surface layer as 238–290 tons of phosphorus (P)-PO₄³⁻ and 175–255 tons of N-NO_x for a 12 m thick, 20 km wide and 100 km long coastal stretch. Taking into account a characteristic along-shore extension of the upwelling of 200 km, the phosphate-phosphorus amount is approximately equal to the average total monthly riverine load of phosphorus to the Gulf of Finland. It is shown that TS-characteristics of water masses and vertical distribution of nutrients along the study transect experienced drastic changes caused by the upwelling event in the entire studied water column. TS-analysis of profiles obtained before and during the upwelling event suggests that while welled up, the cold intermediate layer water was mixed with the water from the upper mixed layer with a share of 85% and 15%. We suggest that the coastal upwelling events contribute remarkably to the vertical mixing of waters in the Gulf of Finland. Intrusions of nutrient-rich waters along the inclined isopycnal surfaces in the vicinity of upwelling front were revealed. The upwelling event widened the separation of phosphocline and nitracline which in turn prevented surfacing of nitrate+nitrite-nitrogen during the next upwelling event observed a week after the upwelling relaxation. A suggestion is made that such widening of nutricline separation caused by similar upwelling events in early summer could create favourable conditions for late summer cyanobacterial blooms.     

Dissolved manganese and silicic acid in the Columbia River plume: A major source to the California current and coastal waters off Washington and Oregon

The spatial distributions of dissolved manganese and nutrients were examined in the Columbia River plume off Oregon and Washington during the summer of 2004 and 2005 as part of the River Influence on Shelf Ecosystems (RISE) program. Factors influencing the hydrochemical characteristics of the freshly formed and aged Columbia River plume were investigated. Hydrographic data and nutrient concentrations were used to delineate three distinct water sources for the Columbia River Plume: California Current surface water, coastal upwelled water, and Columbia River water. The warm, intermediate salinity, nutrient poor California Current water contains low levels of dissolved manganese (< 5 nM) and silicic acid (< 5 μM), and is depleted in nitrate. The cold, high salinity, nutrient rich, freshly upwelled water is highly variable (2–20 nM) in dissolved manganese and can be as high as  45 μM in silicic acid and  30 μM nitrate. The variable Columbia River has summer temperatures ranging from  13 to 24 °C, high silicic acid concentrations (ranging from  120 to 200 μM), and lower nitrate concentrations (ranging from  2 to 20 μM). During the summer, the concentrations of silicic acid and dissolved manganese can exceed 100 μM and 200 nM, respectively, in near-field Columbia River plumes. These values are markedly greater than those of surface coastal waters (even during upwelling conditions). As the plume advects and mixes, the concentrations of these two constituents remain relatively high within plume waters. The concentrations of dissolved manganese in the near-field plume vary with tidal amplitude, exhibiting much higher concentrations for a given salinity during spring tides than during neap tides. For example, the Columbia River plume at a salinity of 20 has a concentration of dissolved manganese of  240 nM during spring tides, as compared to only  60 nM during low amplitude tides. Silicic acid concentrations in the near-field plume remain relatively constant throughout the tidal month. Calculations indicate there is roughly an equivalent yearly delivery of dissolved manganese and silicic acid to the coastal waters off Oregon and Washington by upwelled waters and by the Columbia River plume.     

长江口上升流海区的生态环境特征

根据 1 985年 8月的调查资料 ,讨论了长江口上升流海区的生态环境特征。研究表明 ,在长江口外 ,大约在 1 2 2°2 0′— 1 2 3°1 0′E、31°0 0′— 32°0 0′N海区存在着明显的下层高盐冷水的抬升现象 ;伴随这种上升运动 ,于 5— 1 0m层 ,在上述高盐冷水区明显地存在一个低溶解氧、高营养盐区。资料表明 ,该低氧、高营养盐海水不是直接来自表层的长江冲淡水 ,而是来自深底层的变性后的台湾暖流水。分析表明 ,长江口外的浮游植物高值区的分布位置与上升流区基本一致 ,两者比较浮游植物高值区略向东南方向偏移约 1 5— 2 0km。作者认为形成这种偏离现象的原因可能与上升流中心区水温偏低有关     

冬季闽浙沿岸上升流的数值研究

采用a坐标下三维斜压非线性的浅海陆架数值模式,研究风、边界力流(台湾暖流、黑潮、长江冲淡水)及地形等因子对上升流形成的影响。结果表明,风、台湾暖流是影响冬季闽浙沿岸上升流形成的最重要因子,其中风对浙江沿岸上升流的形成影响较大;台湾暖流对福建沿岸及其远海域上升流的形成影响较大;长江冲淡水对长江口附近上升流有一定的影响,对闽浙沿岸上升流影响不大;地形对闽浙沿岸上升流的形成作用显著;潮对闽浙沿岸上升流形成的影响也很显著。M2分潮对近海岸区域及台湾东北附近海域上升流的形成影响较大。     

长江口及其邻近海区环流和温、盐结构动力学研究Ⅱ.环流的基本特征

利用POM模型,以研究海区的海面风应力、温度和盐度资料作为海面边界条件,以与外海界面处的温度和盐度资料作为侧向液边界条件,并考虑长江径流、台湾暖流和东海沿岸流的影响,对长江口及其邻近海区各季节的三维斜压环流和温、盐结构进行了数值模拟。环流的数值结果表明,冬季和秋季研究海区的水平环流主要由长江径流、东海沿岸流、台湾暖流、杭州湾环流和沿岸流与台湾暖流之间的气旋和反气旋涡构成;东海沿岸流与长江径流顺岸南下,随着自北往南岸界地形坡度的增大,其流幅变窄,流速增强;台湾暖流沿陡坡及其外缘蜿蜒北上,随着自南往北水深的变浅,其流幅由宽变窄继而又由窄变宽,流速却一直由强变弱。冬季和秋季海区纬度断面垂直环流的总趋势由近岸向外海流动,海底地形变化缓慢区离岸流产生波动,海底地形变化显著的陡坡区离岸流产生剧烈振荡而生成强升降流。春季和夏季研究海区的水平环流主要由长江径流与东海沿岸流汇合流、台湾暖流、杭州湾环流、舟山群岛附近及长江径流和东海沿岸流汇合流与台湾暖流之间的气旋和反气旋涡构成;长江径流和台湾暖流平行北上并在长江口以北产生顺时针偏转。由海区水平环流特征和变化趋势证实,春季长江冲淡水已开始向东北偏转,夏季冲淡水的偏转程度、伸展距离和扩展范围都更甚于春季;春季在长江口近岸存在弱上升流,夏季长江口外的陡坡区出现下降流,而长江口以北和以南的陡坡区出现上升流。     

粤东-闽南沿岸海域上升流区软水母亚纲一新种和一新记录的记述

报道了2009年5月在粤东-闽南上升流区发现软水母亚纲（Leptomedusae Haeckel,1866）一新种,大腺触丝水母（Lovenella macrogonaLin,XuetHuang,sp.nov.）和我国海域一新记录,脆弱似杯水母[Phi-alella fragilis（Uchida,1938）].大腺触丝水母,新种的鉴别特征如下：伞半球形,外伞上有分散刺细胞,4个大的生殖腺,卵圆形,在辐管中部;4条主辐触手,触手球背部有块状黑色素,具有6~8对侧丝;4个大的间辐位缘疣,球形,具排泄乳突,背部有黑色素分布;24个平衡囊,每个平衡囊具1个平衡石.     

Ecological niches and areas of overlap of the squat lobster ‘munida’ (Pleuroncodes monodon) and anchoveta (Engraulis ringens) off Peru

The world’s largest mono-specific fishery, the Peruvian anchovy or anchoveta (Engraulis ringens) fishery, has been the subject of many studies since the 1960s. Details of its relationship with other species have mainly focused on alternations with sardine, Sardinops sagax, and little effort has so far been paid to interactions with other species sharing the same ecosystem. This is the case for Pleuroncodes monodon, the crustacean squat lobster or ’munida’, which has become highly abundant along the Peruvian coast since the mid-1990s. Munida is now an important prey for seabirds, mammals and coastal predatory fish. Knowledge of patterns of distribution and ecological niche of munida is scarce however off Peru. Here we describe and compare spatial patterns of distribution of anchoveta and munida and their ecological niches based on data from 26 acoustic surveys performed along the Peruvian coast between 1998 and 2006. The results indicate that munida and anchoveta share ecological niches but that munida is restricted to the coldest part of the productive cold coastal waters whereas anchoveta do not present any temperature preference over a large range (14–23 °C). The recent increase in munida abundance off Peru is concomitant with colder conditions; with their onset munida extended its range from central Chile northwards. Off Peru the very shallow oxycline keeps munida from its usual bottom habitat and has forced it to adopt pelagic behaviour.     

桂东南富钾岩浆岩岩的Nd同位素组成：华南中生代地幔物质上涌事件

广西东南部罗容杂岩体由辉长岩－闪长岩－二长岩－正长岩组成，马山由碱性辉长岩－正长岩－花岗闪长岩－花岗岩组成。它们富K、富大离子亲石元素（LIL），无Nb、Ta负异常等特征表明它们是形成于板内环境的钾玄质侵入岩。罗容杂岩体的各种岩石和马山的基性岩的εNd(T)稍低，为－0．6，此岩石单元是由幔源岩浆加热地壳使之熔融的壳源岩浆形成的，并伴有幔源岩浆的混合或交换。此二杂岩体形成于拉张构造环境。地幔物质上涌导致了中生代华南地壳张裂以及华南大规模花岗岩和相关矿床的形成。