Comparison of Grid Averaged Altimeter and Buoy Significant Wave Heights in the Northern Indian Ocean

A quantitative comparison of the collocated inter-annual significant wave height (SWH) data collected between 2006 and 2009 from buoys and altimeters at nine buoy locations (total n = 2241) in the Northern Indian Ocean is attempted for assessing the validity of daily averaged gridded altimeter significant wave height (ASWH) provided by AVISO for operational use. ASWH is underestimated by 0.20 m, the root-mean-square error (RMSE) is less than 0.30 m, the Scatter Index is less than 20%, and the correlation coefficient is greater than 0.90. Further, at three locations, the examination of the above statistics showed that the bias and RMSE is high during the southwest monsoon season compared with the Northeast monsoon. Scatter Index showed only slight variation (14–18%) for different ranges of SWH. The response of the daily average gridded ASWH data during extreme conditions (cyclones) in the vicinity of the buoy locations is poor at all compared buoy locations. The gridded ASWH from different satellite missions provided by AVISO can be used for basin scale validation experiments of the wave model and for climatological studies in the Indian Ocean, except during cyclone conditions.     

基于合成孔径雷达影像的海洋溢油纹理特征参数分析

溢油已是当前海洋生态环境破坏的主要因素之一,因此对海洋溢油的检测分析是当前海洋环境保护的一个重要课题。传统的溢油提取仅仅是单独依靠光学影像的光谱信息或者合成孔径雷达(SAR)影像的后向散射系数信息进行提取,这会造成很多同谱异物或者粗糙度相近似的地物错分,因此除了利用传统的影像信息以外,还需结合影像的纹理信息,从而提高溢油提取的精度,减少错分地物的数量。选用2006年渤海地区的三景同轨SAR影像作为数据基础,应用基于灰度共生矩阵的方法对其进行纹理分析。该方法可以很好地对图像区域和表面进行感知并能够从像元的灰度相关性上对纹理特征进行详细描述,因此适合于SAR影像的海洋溢油检测。在纹理分析的过程中有很多的参数需要选择,参数选择的好坏将直接影响最终提取结果的精度。通过对纹理分析过程中的参数进行讨论、实验、选择与验证,最终确定了基于灰度共生矩阵纹理分析中各参数的值,并选择了局部平稳、非相似性、对比度、变化量4个特征量作为溢油提取的纹理特征统计量。将纹理特征与SAR自身的后向散射系数相结合,通过神经网络分类法对其进行分类,并计算出分类精度为80.65%,分类效果良好。由此说明了将影像的传统信息与纹理信息相结合进行溢油提取是一种可行而有效的方法,同时也为后续的海洋溢油检测工作奠定了一定的基础。     

Large eddy simulation of turbulence in ocean surface boundary layer at Zhangzi Island offshore

This study uses a large eddy simulation （LES） model to investigate the turbulence processes in the ocean surface boundary layer at Zhangzi Island offshore. Field measurements at Zhangzi Island （39°N, 122°E） during July 2009 are used to drive the LES model. The LES results capture a clear diurnal cycle in the oceanic turbulence boundary layer. The process of the heat penetration and heat distribution characteristics are analyzed through the heat flux results from the LES and their differences between two diurnal cycles are discussed as well. Energy balance and other dynamics are investigated which show that the tide-induced shear production is the main source of the turbulence energy that balanced dissipation. Momentum flux near the surface shows better agreement with atmospheric data computed by the eddy correlation method than those computed by bulk formula.     

3月份在南海生成的1201号强热带风暴“帕卡”的移动特征及成因分析

1949 ～2011年中国气象局台风年鉴资料统计结果表明,在南海生成的热带气旋,1、2月份仅在1965年出现1次,而3月份没有热带风暴强度级别以上的热带气旋生成,1201号强热带风暴“帕卡”是首个3月份在南海生成的强热带风暴,本文指出“帕卡”具有生成时间偏早、移动速度慢等显著特征,其平均移动速度仅为1.6 m/s.利用Nino 3.4区3月表层水温滑动平均资料、分辨率为2.5°×2.5°的NCEP/NCAR再分析资料、分辨率为1°×1°的NOAA OI表层水温资料,分析了“帕卡”生成原因,结果表明2011年秋冬季拉尼娜事件引起次年3月赤道西北太平洋及南海表层水温较多年平均偏高,其中南海中部表层水温较多年平均偏高0.5℃以上;3月份副高脊线偏北,弱冷空气南下产生的冷涌作为CISK的启动源;南海中南部上空对流活跃,跨赤道气流强劲;低层垂直风切小于5 m/s等有利因素促进了“帕卡”生成.分析结果为春季热带气旋的预报提供有意义的参考.     

Reviewing evidence of marine ecosystem change off South Africa

Recent changes have been observed in South African marine ecosystems. The main pressures on these ecosystems are fishing, climate change, pollution, ocean acidification and mining. The best long-term datasets are for trends in fishing pressures but there are many gaps, especially for non-commercial species. Fishing pressures have varied over time, depending on the species being caught. Little information exists for trends in other anthropogenic pressures. Field observations of environmental variables are limited in time and space. Remotely sensed satellite data have improved spatial and temporal coverage but the time-series are still too short to distinguish long-term trends from interannual and decadal variability. There are indications of recent cooling on the West and South coasts and warming on the East Coast over a period of 20–30 years. Oxygen concentrations on the West Coast have decreased over this period. Observed changes in offshore marine communities include southward and eastward changes in species distributions, changes in abundance of species, and probable alterations in foodweb dynamics. Causes of observed changes are difficult to attribute. Full understanding of marine ecosystem change requires ongoing and effective data collection, management and archiving, and coordination in carrying out ecosystem research.     

Mesoscale features and phytoplankton biomass at the GoodHope line in the Southern Ocean during austral summer

Two sets of high-resolution subsurface hydrographic and underway surface chlorophyll a (Chl a) measurements are used, in conjunction with satellite remotely sensed data, to investigate the upper layer oceanography (mesoscale features and mixed layer depth variability) and phytoplankton biomass at the GoodHope line south of Africa, during the 2010–2011 austral summer. The link between physical parameters of the upper ocean, specifically frontal activity, to the spatially varying in situ and satellite measurements of Chl a concentrations is investigated. The observations provide evidence to show that the fronts act to both enhance phytoplankton biomass as well as to delimit regions of similar chlorophyll concentrations, although the front–chlorophyll relationships become obscure towards the end of the growing season due to bloom advection and ‘patchy’ Chl a behaviour. Satellite ocean colour measurements are compared to in situ chlorophyll measurements to assess the disparity between the two sampling techniques. The scientific value of the time-series of oceanographic observations collected at the GoodHope line between 2004 to present is being realised. Continued efforts in this programme are essential to better understand both the physical and biogeochemical dynamics of the upper ocean in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean.     

Sedimentary facies of Carboniferous–Permian mid-oceanic carbonates in the Changning–Menglian Belt, West Yunnan, Southwest China: Origin and depositional process

Huge carbonate rock bodies ranging in age from the Visean (Middle Mississippian/Early Carboniferous) to the Changhsingian (Lopingian/Late Permian) overlie a basaltic basement in the Changning–Menglian Belt, West Yunnan, Southwest China. These carbonates lack intercalations of terrigenous siliciclastic material throughout. These lines of evidence indicate that they formed upon an isolated and continuously subsiding mid-oceanic island (or plateau), probably of hotspot origin. The carbonates are grouped into a shallow-water carbonate platform facies regime observed in the Yutangzhai section and a relatively deep-water carbonate slope facies regime typically represented in the Longdong section. These two facies regimes developed contemporaneously as parts of a carbonate depositional system on and around a mid-oceanic volcanic edifice. The carbonate platform is subdivided into four facies, including platform-margin, shoal, lagoon, and peritidal facies. Along the measured Yutangzhai section of the platform facies regime, the vertical facies succession from the platform-margin facies into inner-platform facies such as the shoal and lagoon facies is recognized. This facies succession is explained as resulting from the progradation of the carbonate platform. Worm tubes occur as a main reef builder in platform-margin facies of the Mississippian. Their occurrence as major constituents in a high-wave-energy reef is peculiar to Carboniferous reef distributions of the world. The occurrences of other reef- and/or mound-building organisms and peritidal dolo-mudstone are almost consistent in timing with those of Panthalassan counterparts such as the Akiyoshi and Omi limestones of Japan, and probably exhibit the worldwide trend.     

大陆边缘增生造山作用

文章评述了增生造山作用的研究历史和进展,认为增生造山作用贯穿地球历史,是大陆增生的重要方式。用大陆边缘多岛弧盆系构造理解造山带的形成演化,提出巨型造山系的形成与长期发育的大洋岩石圈俯冲制约的两侧或一侧的多岛弧盆系密切相关。在多岛弧盆系演化过程中的弧 弧和弧 陆碰撞,弧前和弧后洋盆的消减冲杂岩的增生,洋底高原、洋岛/海山、外来地块(体)拼贴等一系列碰撞和增生造山作用形成大陆边缘增生造山系。大洋岩石圈最终消亡形成对接消减带,大洋岩石圈两侧的多岛弧盆系转化的造山系对接形成造山系的联合体。拼接完成后往往要继续发生大陆之间的陆 陆碰撞造山作用、陆内汇聚(伸展)作用,后者叠加在增生造山系上,使造山过程更加复杂。对接消减带是认识造山系形成演化的关键。大洋两侧多岛弧盆系经历的各种造山过程可以从广义上理解为一个增生造山过程。多岛弧盆系研究对于划分造山带细结构非常重要,是理解造山系物质组成、结构和构造的基础,并制约了造山后陆内构造演化。大陆碰撞前大洋两侧多岛弧盆系及陆缘系统更完整地记录了威尔逊旋回,记录的信息更加丰富。根据多岛弧盆系的思路对特提斯大洋演化提出新的模式,认为西藏冈底斯带自石炭纪以来受到特提斯大洋俯冲制约,三叠纪发生向洋增生造山作用,特提斯大洋于早白垩世末最终消亡。     

基于海洋潮汐动力模型的水位改正方法研究

本文研究并提出了一种基于海洋潮汐动力模型的水位改正方法。该方法通过对数值模拟的天文潮位进行改正,结合残差改正获得特定站的潮位数据。结合实际资料,将基于海洋潮汐动力模型的水位改正方法与传统的水位改正方法(时差法和最小二乘潮位拟合法)进行了比较,新方法改正的精度明显高于传统方法,显示其在地形变化较为复杂海域进行水位改正的可行性与独特优势。该方法可以在海洋测绘中减少短期验潮站的布设,用于潮位序列缺失的修补。     

全球大洋季节内尺度上海-气相互作用特征分析

判定局地海-气相互作用的特征对海-气耦合模式中应用哪种形式的“强迫模拟”具有重要指导作用。本文根据海表热通量异常与海表温度异常及海表温度变率之间的相关关系,对全球大洋季节内尺度上的海-气相互作用特征进行了综合分析。结果表明:(1)南、北半球亚热带地区海-气相互作用的特征主要表现为大气对海洋的强迫,且在夏季(北半球为6—8月,南半球为12—翌年2月)强迫作用的范围最大,冬季强迫作用的范围最小;(2)赤道中、东太平洋及赤道大西洋地区海-气相互作用的特征全年表现为海洋对大气的强迫,印度洋索马里沿岸、阿拉伯海以及孟加拉湾地区仅在6—8月表现出海洋强迫大气的现象,而孟加拉湾则在9—11月表现为大气强迫海洋;(3)45°N(S)以上的高纬度地区海表温度的异常和变率无法用局地热通量的交换来解释,这是因为该区域海表温度的变化主要由平流等海洋内部动力过程决定,因此海-气之间在季节内尺度上的相互作用不明显。在某些海区,季节内尺度上的海-气相互作用关系与季节以上时间尺度的这种关系可能会有明显不同。