Determination of residence time and mixing processes of the Ubatuba,Brazil, inner shelf waters using natural Ra isotopes

Coastal waters contain elevated dissolved activities of short-lived radium isotopes, ²²³Ra and ²²⁴Ra, having half-lives of 11.4 and 3.66 days, respectively. The input of these isotopes near the coast must be balanced by decay and mixing into the open ocean, where excess activities are zero. Since the decay rate is known, in the ideal case the mixing rate may be determined from the offshore distribution of these isotopes. This study found that samples collected in June 2000 followed the expected exponential decrease with distance offshore. We assign a dispersion coefficient of 28–39 m² s⁻¹ for this study. During January 2002 and November 2003, there was not a consistent decrease of activity with distance offshore. This is likely due to the ruggedness of the coastline, where many bays and small islands interrupt simple mixing patterns. To estimate exchange rates during 2002 and 2003, we used a model based on the decrease in the ²²⁴Ra/²²³Ra activity ratio (AR) with time for samples isolated from fresh inputs of Ra. This model yielded residence times of 1–2 weeks for samples collected within 20 km of the coast. We used this residence time to calculate the flux of ²²⁸Ra (half-life = 5.7 years) to the study area necessary to maintain the enrichment relative to ocean water. This enrichment is a factor of ten greater than the flux of ²²⁸Ra expected from submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) occurring within 50 m of shore.     

Isotopic,trace element and nutrient characterization of coastal waters from Ubatuba inner shelf area,south-eastern Brazil

Stable isotopes, tritium, radium isotopes, radon, trace elements and nutrients data were collected during two sampling campaigns in the Ubatuba coastal area (south-eastern Brazil) with the aim of investigating submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) in the region. The isotopic composition (δD, δ¹⁸O, ³H) of submarine waters was characterised by significant variability and heavy isotope enrichment. The stable isotopes and tritium data showed good separation of groundwater and seawater groups. The contribution of groundwater in submarine waters varied from a few % to 17%. Spatial distribution of ²²²Rn activity concentration in surface seawater revealed changes between 50 and 200 Bq m⁻³ which were in opposite relationship with observed salinities. Time series measurements of ²²²Rn activity concentration in Flamengo Bay (from 1 to 5 kBq m⁻³), obtained by in situ underwater gamma-spectrometry showed a negative correlation between the ²²²Rn activity concentration and tide/salinity. This may be caused by sea level changes as tide effects induce variations of hydraulic gradients, which increase ²²²Rn concentration during lower sea level, and opposite, during high tides where the ²²²Rn activity concentration is smaller. The estimated SGD fluxes varied during 22–26 November between 8 and 40 cm d⁻¹, with an average value of 21 cm d⁻¹ (the unit is cm³/cm² per day). The radium isotopes and nutrient data showed scattered distributions with offshore distance and salinity, which implies that in a complex coast with many small bays and islands, the area has been influenced by local currents and groundwater–seawater mixing. SGD in the Ubatuba area is fed by coastal contaminated groundwater and re-circulated seawater (with small admixtures of groundwater), which claims for potential environmental concern with implications on the management of freshwater resources in the region.     

黄河水下三角洲海底管道沉降量确定方法研究

提出一种海底管道沉降计算方法——递推法,应用到胜利油田埕岛海域海底管道沉降计算中,并将计算结果与目前常用的日本规范法和极限法进行比较。研究发现在粉土与粉质粘土为主的强度较高的海床上,递推法与日本规范法计算结果比较接近,极限法的最小;在淤泥质土组成的强度较低的海床上,日本规范法的计算值最大,递推法的居中,极限法的最小。逆推法可计算裸置和埋设两种形式的管道沉降量,而另外两者只能计算裸置管道的沉降。文中进一步讨论了引起管道沉降的影响因素,土体强度和压缩性对管道沉降影响较大。且管道埋深越大,沉降也越大。最后分析了黄河水下三角洲埕岛海域4个区的管道沉降量,Ⅰ区争Ⅱ区管道沉降较小,可以忽略,Ⅳ区沉降较大,在淤泥质软土上的管道,可能会完全陷入土中。     

Strain analysis of a seismically imaged mass‐transport complex,offshore Uruguay

Strain style, magnitude and distribution within mass‐transport complexes (MTCs) are important for understanding the process evolution of submarine mass flows and for estimating their runout distances. Structural restoration and quantification of strain in gravitationally driven passive margins have been shown to approximately balance between updip extensional and downdip contractional domains; such an exercise has not yet been attempted for MTCs. We here interpret and structurally restore a shallowly buried (c. 1,500 mbsf) and well‐imaged MTC, offshore Uruguay using a high‐resolution (12.5 m vertical and 15 × 12.5 m horizontal resolution) three‐dimensional seismic‐reflection survey. This allows us to characterise and quantify vertical and lateral strain distribution within the deposit. Detailed seismic mapping and attribute analysis shows that the MTC is characterised by a complicated array of kinematic indicators, which vary spatially in style and concentration. Seismic‐attribute extractions reveal several previously undocumented fabrics preserved in the MTC, including internal shearing in the form of sub‐orthogonal shear zones, and fold‐thrust systems within the basal shear zone beneath rafted‐blocks. These features suggest multiple transport directions and phases of flow during emplacement. The MTC is characterised by a broadly tripartite strain distribution, with extensional (e.g. normal faults), translational and contractional (e.g. folds and thrusts) domains, along with a radial frontally emergent zone. We also show how strain is preferentially concentrated around intra‐MTC rafted‐blocks due to their kinematic interactions with the underlying basal shear zone. Overall, and even when volume loss within the frontally emergent zone is included, a strain difference between extension (1.6–1.9 km) and contraction (6.7–7.3 km) is calculated. We attribute this to a combination of distributed, sub‐seismic, ‘cryptic’ strain, likely related to de‐watering, grain‐scale deformation and related changes in bulk sediment volume. This work has implications for assessing MTCs strain distribution and provides a practical approach for evaluating structural interpretations within such deposits.     

URANS investigation of the interaction between the free surface and a shallowly submerged underwater vehicle at steady drift

An axisymmetric underwater vehicle (UV) at a steady drift angle experiences the complex three-dimensional crossflow separation. This separation arises from the unfavorable circumferential pressure gradient developed from the windward side toward the leeward side. As is well known, the separated flow in the leeward side gives rise to the formation of a pair of vortices, which affects considerably the forces and moments acting on the UV. In this regard, the main purpose of the present study is to evaluate the role of the leeward vortical flow structure in the hydrodynamic behavior of a shallowly submerged UV at a moderate drift angle traveling beneath the free surface. Accordingly, the static drift tests are performed on the SUBOFF UV model using URANS equations coupled with a Reynolds stress turbulence model. The simulations are carried out in the commercial code STARCCM+ at a constant advance velocity based on Froude number equal to F_n = 0.512 over submergence depths and drift angles ranging from h = 1.1D to h = ∞ and from β = 0 to β = 18.11°, respectively. The validation of the numerical model is partially conducted by using the existing experimental data of the forces and moment acting on the totally submerged bare hull model. Significant interaction between the low-pressure region created by the leeward vortical flow structure and the free surface is observed. As a result of this interaction, the leeward vortical flow structure appears to be largely responsible for the behavior of the forces and moments exerted on a shallowly submerged UV at steady drift.     

空间互相关方法在分析海底沙波迁移规律中的应用

海底沙波具有显著的活动性并能够对海底工程设施造成潜在威胁,因此对海底沙波活动性的评估一直以来受到广泛关注。目前大多数研究者仍利用平面剖面对比来分析海底沙波的迁移特征。然而,该方法难以全面高效地获取海底沙波二维平面迁移矢量。本文基于2007年和2009年的高分辨率多波束测深数据,详细阐述了空间互相关方法在分析北部湾东南海域海底沙波迁移规律中的应用过程。利用实测数据进行对比分析,获得了研究区海底沙波的活动特征,并进一步讨论了空间互相关算法中不同参数的选取对结果的影响。结果显示,利用空间互相关分析方法能够有效获取海底沙波二维迁移矢量,获得的海底沙波迁移速率和迁移方向与前人研究成果吻合,表明了该方法的可行性和可靠性。但在对实际DTM数据进行空间互相关分析时,需根据海底沙波形态、数据质量等因素选取合适的参数及矢量获取方法。本研究实验了一种确定海底沙波迁移规律的新方法,该方法将有效提升获得海底地形变化规律的效率和准确度,可获得更加精细的海底地形动力过程。     

深海滑坡灾害的物质点法模拟

深海滑坡可以沿着斜坡搬运大量沉积物,是危害巨大的海洋地质灾害之一。评估深海滑坡的流滑机制并量化分析其对海底结构物的冲击对海洋资源的开发利用至关重要。采用物质点法对滑坡的滑动特性进行了总应力分析。设计了三组不同的土体、海床参数,展现了三种不同的滑动形态:延展、块体和扩张。随后复现了流滑体对部分暴露管线的冲击过程,并对冲击力的稳定值进行了分析,分析中考虑了流滑体的惯性、抗剪强度和静压力的影响。研究表明,物质点法能够用于模拟深海滑坡的流滑过程及其对海底结构物的冲击,可以为海洋工程中的实际设计工作提供服务。     

轴压作用下双金属复合管组合作用与承载力分析

为探究轴压作用下双金属复合海底管道的组合作用与承载性能,对双金属复合海底管道进行了试验研究和理论分析。开展了不锈钢衬管材料性能试验,对比了国际主流不锈钢本构关系模型和试验结果。利用ABAQUS建立了精细化的双金属复合管道轴压试验有限元模型,系统研究了关键参数如复合工艺产生的环向复合应力、钢管初始缺陷幅值等对双金属复合管在轴压作用下力学性能的影响规律。通过对比已有轴压双金属复合管道试验结果,验证有限元模型。基于验证的有限元模型,对轴压作用下双金属复合管道的组合作用以及径厚比和材料强度对承载力的影响进行了分析。结果表明双金属复合管道的轴压极限承载力主要取决于基管的截面屈服荷载,并随着管径和材料强度的提高而增大。并依据分析结果对双金属复合海底管道的设计提出建议。     

海底玄武岩中次生组分HCl溶解实验研究

次生组分沉淀是海底岩石中普遍存在的现象,次生组分去除是减少次生组分干扰、获取海底岩石高质量数据的关键。选择西太平洋麦哲伦海山区MK海山相对新鲜的玄武岩作为研究对象,经研磨、均一化后将粉末样品分为49份,其中48份分别以0.25,0.50,1.00,1.50,2.00,2.50 mol/L六种浓度的足量HCl溶解0.5,1,2,4,8,16,32和64 h后,选取溶解残渣测定主要氧化物和特征微量元素质量分数,确定HCl溶解法在去除次生组分的同时不会对海底新鲜玄武岩中原生组分造成影响的HCl浓度-时间组合。结果表明,在HCl浓度为1.00～2.50 mol/L,溶解时间为0.5～2 h的12种HCl浓度-时间组合均可保证海底玄武岩中原生组分的安全,并可有效去除次生组分。综合海底蚀变玄武岩次生组分去除实验研究,推荐使用1.00～2.00 mol/L HCl,溶解时间在0.5～1 h的实验方案。     

黄河三角洲前缘桩106至黄河海港岸段海底地形冲淤变化研究

1976年黄河改道从水清沟入海后,黄河三角洲前沿桩106至黄河海港岸段的海底地形遭受强烈侵蚀,岸滩不断蚀退。黄河三角洲强侵蚀岸段岸线监测资料与历史资料分析研究结果表明,1985-2004年该区最大侵蚀深度达7.5 m,其强侵蚀区中心位置经历了由西北向东南移动的过程,范围不断缩小,目前局部地区已发生淤积现象。种种迹象表明,从冲淤并存和以侵蚀为主向冲淤平衡过渡的现象还将长期进行下去。