A Loop Current experiment: Field and remote measurements

An overview of a new comprehensive observational study of the Loop Current (LC) in the eastern Gulf of Mexico that encompassed full-depth and near-bottom moorings, pressure-equipped inverted echo sounders (PIES) and remote sensing is presented. The study array was designed to encompass the LC from the Campeche Bank to the west Florida escarpment. This overview centers about principal findings as they pertain to mesoscale dynamics. Two companion papers provide in-depth analyses. Three LC anticyclonic eddy separation events were observed with good 3D spatial coverage over the 2½ year extent of the field study; the three separations exhibited similar processes after the LC had extended into the eastern Gulf. Large scale (∼300 km wavelength, 40–60 day periods) southward propagating meanders developed on the eastern side of the LC over deep (∼3000 m) water that were the result of baroclinic instability between the upper layer meandering jet and lower layer cyclones and anticyclones. The lower layer was only highly energetic during relatively short (∼2–3 months) intervals just prior to or during eddy detachments because of baroclinic instability. The steepening of the meanders lead to a pinch-off of LC eddies. The deep lower-layer eddies, constrained by the closed topography of the southeastern Gulf, propagated westward across the detachment zone and appear to assist in achieving separation. Small scale (∼50–100 km, periods ∼10 days) frontal eddies, observed on the western side of the LC along the Campeche Bank slope, decay over the deep water of the northern part of an extended LC, and have little influence on lower layer eddies, the east side meanders and the eddy detachment processes.     

岩浆运移动力学及其研究进展

岩浆运移动力学是岩浆动力学的重要分支领域,研究内容包括5个方面：运移方式、运移通道、运移途径、运移动力与运移过程的成矿作用。就这5方面的研究进展进行了系统回顾,对尚待进一步研究的科学问题进行了归纳与总结,指出浮力不是弹性岩石圈岩浆运移上升的驱动力,而上地幔岩浆运移方式、弹性岩石圈岩浆往上运移驱动力、岩浆自主破裂形成的动力学机制、中途停歇岩浆重起动再运移的驱动机制、岩浆再停歇和运移过程的结晶与分异及其与围岩相互作用和伴生的元素富集与成矿作用等问题是岩浆运移动力学是尚待进一步攻关与研究的关键性科学问题。     

基于CFD的单个建筑物风场模拟参数选择

运用流体力学软件FloEFD对沽源单个建筑物周围的风场进行数值模拟。通过不断改变模型中计算参数的设置进行一系列模拟试验,对比模拟试验结果,并与观测资料进行比较,分析不同计算参数对模拟结果的影响,并获得适用于该模型的最佳参数。主要研究的计算参数包括计算域高度,初始网格等级,局部初始网格等级和不同平均风速剖面形式。结果表明:计算域高度从3倍建筑物高度开始,空腔区的长度、漩涡中心位置以及再发展区的边界位置基本保持稳定。随着初始网格等级的增加,空腔区的长度、再发展区的边界位置及计算时间逐渐增大。局部初始网格等级对模拟结果影响不显著。以两种不同平均风速剖面形式进行模拟,迎风漩涡长度不同,背风面影响不大。与观测资料比较显示,最优参数组合为:计算域高度为3倍建筑物高度,初始网格等级为4、局部初始网格等级为4、平均风速剖面形式为指数律。     

A critical CAE analysis of the bottom shape of a multi stepped air cavity planing hull

One of the most important aspects, in the ACS and multi stepped hull design, is the choice of the geometrical shape of the cavity and the steps. In this article a complete experimental and numerical campaign on a multi stepped ACS has been carried out, varying the velocity and the air flow rate under the hull. The experimental tests have been conducted in an ITTC Towing Tank allowing to validate the numerical simulations obtained by means of a CFD U-RANSe (Unesteady Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes equations) code. The CFD setup is described in detail. From this campaign a critical analysis of the Froude number influence on the air cushion shape has been argued. The authors identified four different behaviours, from low to very high Froude numbers. The use of CFD has allowed to observe quantities of difficult evaluation by means of traditional experimental test, as e.g. the frictional component of the resistance, the airflow path lines and the volume of fraction in transversal and longitudinal sections. The results have been discussed.     

Rapid invasion of Crassostrea gigas into the German Wadden Sea dominated by larval supply

Invasions of non-indigenous species into coastal habitats have been a frequent phenomenon in the last decades, sometimes with significant impact on the receiving ecosystem. However, the understanding of the entire process and especially the relative importance of larval supply and local recruitment remains unclear. In this study, we simulate the invasion of a benthic invertebrate into a previously uncolonised habitat over several years and validate the results with field data. Therefore, we present field data from a monitoring programme revealing the rapid invasion of the oyster Crassostrea gigas into the East Frisian Wadden Sea, North Sea, between 2003 and 2005. The applied model combines a simple, spatially-explicit population dynamics model for the adult stage with a particle tracking model for the larval stage of the life cycle. Simulation results are able to reproduce the large-scale pattern of the field data and indicate a domination of larval supply on the population dynamics in the early stage of the invasion. Though monitoring and simulations suggest a single larval source outside the study area in the west, the population dynamics in the eastern part is only explainable with an additional source within the study area attributed to an unintentional input of juveniles by mussel fishery. High sensitivities to uncertain parameters result in distinct deviations between monitoring and simulations at particular sites. Especially the impact of site-specific variations of the post-settlement mortality underlines the variability of local recruitment conditions and indicates the need for spatially resolved information for exact predictions.     

Pipe laying simulation with an active reel drive

Dynamic and quasi-static models for analysis of a pipe lay spread are presented in the paper. Depending on the type of a pipe, spooling it on a big drum (reel) may cause plastic deformations. When the pipe is reeled out at sea, again it undergoes plastic deformations. In order to model such a nonlinear behaviour, a model, which includes both elasto-plastic material characteristics and large deformations, is required. Discretisation of the pipe is performed by means of the Rigid Finite Element Method (RFEM), which allows us to study static and dynamic problems, taking into account required properties of the model. Different sea conditions are simulated and analysed. It is shown how operational conditions can limit the ability of laying operation by a dedicated vessel, due to an unstable system response. The second part of the paper presents an upgrade of a passive reel drive by application of an active drive. In the model used for control applications, the pipe is modelled by a neural network. This allows us to perform a real-time calculations. In this fast-response calculation model, nonlinear aspects of the system are taken into account. The improvements in a pipe laying vessel performance are presented by some results of numerical simulations. The conclusions are also formulated.     

风沙动力与风沙工程学─—国外发展趋势和我们的任务

风沙动力与风沙工程学当前研究的热点─—主要反映在加深对风沙现象的理解、风沙灾害防治与资源开发三个方面出发，提出了我国在风沙运动力学、土壤风蚀、土地沙漠化的动力机制与过程、风沙地貌形成发育规律、风沙沉积学特征及其形成机制、沙尘暴形成机制以及风沙灾害防护工程技术原理等六个方面的研究建议。     

Gravity constraints on the dynamics of the crust–mantle system during Calabrian subduction

The thermomechanic evolution of the lithosphere–upper mantle system during Calabrian subduction is analysed using a 2-D finite element approach, in which the lithosphere is compositionally stratified into crust and mantle. Gravity and topography predictions are cross-checked with observed gravity and topography patterns of the Calabrian region. Modelling results indicate that the gravity pattern in the arc-trench region is shaped by the sinking of light material, belonging to both the overriding and subduction plates. The sinking of light crustal material, up to depths of the order of 100–150 km is the ultimate responsible for the peculiar gravity signature of subduction, characterized by a minimum of gravity anomaly located at the trench, bounded by two highs located on the overriding and subducting plates, with a variation in magnitude of the order of 200 mGal along a wavelength of 200 km, in agreement with the isostatically compensated component of gravity anomaly observed along a transect crossing the Calabrian Arc, from the Tyrrhenian to the Ionian Seas. The striking agreement between the geodetic retrieved profiles and the modelled ones in the trench region confirms the crucial role of compositional stratification of the lithosphere in the subduction process and the correctness of the kinematic hypotheses considered in our modelling, that the present-day configuration of crust–mantle system below the Calabrian arc results from trench's retreat at a rate of about 3 cm yr⁻¹, followed by gravitational sinking of the subducted slab in the last 5 Myr.     

Seismic rotational displacement of gravity walls by pseudo-dynamic method: Passive case

Prediction of the seismic rotational displacements of retaining wall under passive condition is an important aspect of design in earthquake prone region. In this paper, the pseudo-dynamic method is used to compute the rotational displacements of rigid retaining wall supporting cohesionless backfill under seismic loading for the passive earth pressure condition. The proposed method considers time, phase difference and effect of amplification in shear and primary waves propagating through both the backfill and the retaining wall. The influence of ground motion characteristics on rotational displacement of the wall is evaluated. Also the effects of variation of parameters like wall friction angle, soil friction angle, amplification factor, shear wave velocity, primary wave velocity, period of lateral shaking, horizontal and vertical seismic accelerations on the rotational displacements are studied. The rotational displacement of the wall increases substantially with increase in amplification of both shear and primary waves, time of input motion, period of lateral shaking and decreases with increase in soil friction angle, wall friction angle. The rotational displacements of the wall also increase when the effect of wall inertia is taken into account. Results are provided in graphical form.     

Simple formulations of ground impedance functions for rigid surface foundations

A differential equation is formulated for the dynamic response of ground medium by using a simplified ground model. Applying Galerkin's procedure for weighted residual, this equation leads to a governing equation only at the ground surface. The equation indicates that the ground surface behavior can be computed even further by a simplified model. By solving the governing equation for the boundary conditions along the surface, expressions in simple closed forms are developed for the dynamic response analysis of a massless rigid foundation that rests on the ground surface. Despite their significant simplicity, the developed expressions compute the values very close to those computed by far more complex rigorous solutions. They are found to be capable of capturing the important characteristics of the dynamic ground behavior well.