North Pacific Synthesis of the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study: Overview

This special issue is comprised of 13 papers, including this overview, and focuses on the synthesis of the Joint Global Ocean Flux Study (JGOFS) in the North Pacific which took place from 1997 through 2003. The effort was led by the JGOFS North Pacific Synthesis Group, with the aim of quantifying CO₂ drawdown by physical and biological pumps in the North Pacific by identifying and studying the regional, seasonal to inter-annual variations in the key processes, and understanding their regulating mechanisms. Emphasis was placed on the similarities and differences of the biogeochemical regimes in the eastern and western subarctic Pacific. Effort was also made to address the future research directions which arose from the scientific findings during the North Pacific JGOFS process study. A brief overview of the papers from view points of CO₂ drawdown by physical and biological pumps, spatial variability, and temporal variability from seasonal to decadal scales is made, followed by suggestions for the directions of future research. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Relationships Between Community Structure of the Intertidal Macroinfauna and Sandy Beach Characteristics Along the Chilean Coast

Abstract. Eight sandy beaches were seasonally sampled along the coast of Chile, from ca. 21 to 42° S (about 3000 km) to study the relationship between community structure of the intertidal macroinfauna and beach characteristics. Sediment samples (0.1 m², 30 cm deep) were collected (July – September 1998 and December 1998 – January 1999) with plastic cylinders at 15 equally spaced levels along three replicated transects extending from above the drift line to the swash zone. The sediment was sieved through a 1 mm mesh and the organisms collected stored in 5 % formalin. To define beach types, Dean's parameter (Ω) was calculated from wave heights and periods, and fall velocity of sand particles from the swash zone. Crustaceans (mainly peracarids) were the most diverse group with 14 species, followed by polychaetes with 5 species. The talitrid amphipod Orchestoidea tuberculata , the cirolanid isopods Excirolana braziliensis and E. hirsuticauda and the anomuran decapod Emerita analoga were the most widely distributed and common species. Regression analyses between species richness, abundance and biomass of the whole macroinfauna versus sediment characteristics, beach face slopes and morphodynamic beach states showed no significant relationships. Thus, macroinfaunal community characteristics did not increase linearly from lower intermediate to higher intermediate or dissipative beach states as had been found before in Chile or in other coasts. A comparative analysis with data from sandy beaches of other world regions showed that the number of species inhabiting Chilean sandy beaches was generally lower, whereas total population abundances were generally higher compared with values reported elsewhere.     

A Compact Explicit Difference Scheme of High Accuracy for Extended Boussinesq Equations

Presented here is a compact explicit difference scheme of high accuracy for solving the extended Boussinesq equations.For time discretization,a three-stage explicit Runge-Kutta method with TVD property is used at predicting stage,a cubic spline function is adopted at correcting stage,which made the time discretization accuracy up to fourth order;For spatial discretization,a three-point explicit compact difference scheme with arbitrary order accuracy is employed.The extended Boussinesq equations derived by Beji and Nadaoka are solved by the proposed scheme.The numerical results agree well with the experimental data.At the same time,the comparisons of the two numerical results between the present scheme and low accuracy difference method are made,which further show the necessity of using high accuracy scheme to solve the extended Boussinesq equations.As a valid sample,the wave propagation on the rectangular step is formulated by the present scheme,the modelled results are in better agreement with the experimental data than those of Kittitanasuan.     

Swath mapping of the seafloor and its application to deep-bottom fisheries in New Caledonia

A bottom longline fishery operated in the EEZ of New Caledonia from 1988 to 1991. Fishing focused on five seamounts with summits at depths ranging from 500 to 750 m. The target species was alfonsino, Beryx splendens. As the soundings available from marine charts were not detailed enough, the fishing masters had to make their own charts in order to set the gear in the right location. A series of 11 scientific cruises devoted to a research program on alfonsino was launched in late 1991. During the first scientific cruises, several days were spent mapping the seabed to improve the existing knowledge of the topography of three seamounts by coupling the EDO echosounder depth measurements to the GPS positions. As this procedure is slow, it is applicable to limited areas or, if a wider grid is used, to large zones to locate major structures such as ridges and seamounts. The emergence of the multibeam echosounder has greatly improved seabed mapping performance. This tool seems to fit the requirement of exploratory deep-bottom fishing particularly well, as it covers large areas while providing details of the bottom. The EM 12 was used to obtain bathymetry and imagery of the SE portion of the EEZ of New Caledonia, covering an approximate area of 70,000 km² in two weeks. For depths ranging from 500 to 4,500 m, the results were impressive. They confirmed the known major features and provided greater topographical detail, revealing fine unknown structures. They also provided information on the type of substratum, information which might influence the fishing strategy. Finally, they made it possible to obtain an accurate estimate of the exploitable area which in turn led to new stock estimates.     

Seasonal variations in river discharge and nutrient export to a Northeastern Pacific estuary

Seasonal variations in dissolved nitrogen and silica loadings were related to seasonal variability in river discharge. Dissolved nutrient concentrations measured weekly at three stations in the Yaquina River, Oregon from 1999 through 2001, and then monthly in 2002 were used as the basis for developing a nutrient loading regression as part of a larger agency program for evaluating nutrient processes. Because realistic models of nutrient transport require dense data sets to capture both long and short term fluctuations in nutrient concentrations, data at one freshwater station also were collected hourly for the same years using an in-stream monitor.The effects of storm events on dissolved nutrient transport were examined during three storms, including one in a high rainfall-discharge year, and two in average years, one of which followed a drought year. During the drought year (WY2001), total dissolved nitrate input was considerably less than in wetter years. Dissolved nitrate concentrations, however, were unusually high in the first winter storm runoff after the drought. The freshwater dissolved nitrate nitrogen loads varied from 40,380 kg day⁻¹ during a high-flow storm event to 0.11 kg day⁻¹ during late summer, low flow conditions. Dissolved silica dynamics differed from those of nitrate because during storm events, silica concentrations in the Yaquina River decreased to near zero at the storm height, probably due to dilution by near surface or overland flow, and later recovered.During the time interval studied, over 94% of the dissolved nitrate and silica were transported from the watershed during the winter months of greater rainfall, indicating that seasonality and river flow are primary factors when considering nutrient loadings from this watershed system.     

山溪性可冲性强潮河口曹娥江高水位初步研究

应用多年的实测资料 ,分析了曹娥江河口高水位成因 ,结果表明 ,曹娥江河口洪水位具有山溪性和可冲性的特点 ,人类活动对高水位有较大影响。应用统计分析法和成因分析法推求 1 %设计高水位 ,讨论了成因分析法中上、下边界条件的选取 ,其选取原则对其他潮汐河口确定设计高水位具有借鉴意义     

东太平洋多金属结核分布的二维趋势面分析

对规则网的 469个测站的多金属结核丰度和 93个测站的 Mn、 Cu、 Co、 Ni元素进行趋势面分析 ,经 F检验 ,各变量的变异性显著 ,拟合度较低 ,表明多金属结核丰度及 Mn、Cu、Co、Ni金属元素的控制因素比较复杂。趋势面分析结果与相关分析结果一致 ,Mn、Cu、Ni元素有极相似的趋势特征 ,有两个轴向分布 ,一个为东西向轴 ,高值区在东部 ,另一个为北西向轴 ,高值区在北西部 ;结核丰度与 Co也有极相似的趋势特征 ,高值区在西部。应用逐次趋势面分析的结果将结核丰度的地质特征分解成各种简单控制因素的叠加 ,使对多金属结核的控矿因素、分布规律和物质来源的研究方法多样化     

热带西太平洋海-气热量交换特征分析

本文采用1985年12月12日至1986年2月8日“向阳红14”号调查船在太平洋调查所获海洋水文气象资料,计算了四种热交换量。结果表明:海-气热输送与天气系统和海洋水文条件关系密切。冬季,在各种天气系统条件下西太平洋及中太平洋的大气主要是从海洋得到热量,其中以黑潮流经的海域最为明显,而热交换的方式主要是海洋以潜热的形式把热量输送给大气。     

东太平洋下中新统氧同位素地层与古海洋学意义

研究取自于东太平洋CC48柱状样的钙质超微化石和底栖有孔虫的氧同位素成分变化的结果表明,该区下中新统至少可分出九个氧同位素地层(期),反映该区在早中新世期间至少经历了4次气温上升和5次下降的古气候变化。南极大陆冰川应是形成于早中新世而不是前人认为的中中新世。在早中新世,南极冰体体积有较大的变化。受古气候变化的影响,在早中新世期间东太平洋水柱热结构或温度梯度有比较大的变化,海平面出现多次上升与下降。