FLUXES OF SEAWATER AND SOME DISSOLVED CHEMICALS IN THE BASHI STRAIT

An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) was used in Nov. 1990 measure the seawaterfluxes in a southeast-northwest cross-section in the Bashi Strait to a depth of 400 m. Measuredconcentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO), phosphate (PO_4), nitrate (NO_3), silicate (SiO_2), total alkalinity(TA) and calculated total CO_2, (TCO_2) and the current speed were used to estimate the flux densities(concentration times current speed) of seawater and chemicals.The fluxes of nutrients were near zero near surface and increased with depth. For oxygen andcarbonates, the distributions of flux had structures similar to that of the curmt speed field.     

Provenance of recycled palynomorph assemblages recovered from surficial glaciomarine sediments in Bransfield Strait, offshore Antarctic Peninsula

Glaciomarine surficial sediments in cores taken from Bransfield Strait, adjacent to the Antarctic Peninsula, have yielded abundant recycled and contemporaneous (Pleistocene–Holocene) palynomorphs. The former are derived principally from Late Cretaceous–Palaeogene sediments and provide information on glaciomarine depositional conditions and sediment source areas. The composition of the assemblages suggests that they reflect vegetation that was endemic to the Weddellian Biogeographic Province, which includes what is now Seymour Island, James Ross Island and other parts of the Antarctic Peninsula region. The sediments concerned are considered to have accumulated as a result of ice-rafting and discharge of subglacial meltwater.     

Crustal and upper mantle S-wave velocity structure beneath the Bransfield Strait (West Antarctica) from regional surface wave tomography

Regional surface wave tomography in the sub-Antarctic Scotia Sea is helpful in revealing the nature of the crust and the S-wave seismic velocity profile beneath the Bransfield Strait. The joint use of our regional network, global seismographic network stations and local temporary arrays provide better lateral resolution than that obtained in our previous studies concerning the Scotia Sea region.Tomographic analysis of data obtained using 10 broad band seismic stations and more than 300 regional events, shows that the Bransfield Basin is characterised by a strong group velocity reduction of 8% with respect to the surrounding areas, in the period range from 15 s to 50 s.The crustal and upper mantle models of the eastern, central and western Bransfield Basin are obtained by joint inversion of Rayleigh and Love local dispersion curves from 15 s to 50 s. In addition our data set is expanded to a broader period interval (1–80 s), in central Bransfield Strait in order to better constrain the upper mantle and shallow crust.The main results can be summarized as follows: (a) the crust thins distinctly from W toward E; the variation is consistent with the type of volcanism, earthquake distribution and bathymetric observations, (b) low upper mantle velocities (soft lid) extend down to depths exceeding 70 km as a consequence of elevated temperatures, (c) the crust beneath the central Bransfield Basin displays continental characteristics with a gradually increasing S-wave velocity distribution versus depth analogous to the East African Rift structure of Kenya, (d) negative velocity gradients are present in the lower crust beneath the eastern Bransfield Basin; these could be interpreted as magmatic bodies originating from decompression melting of the mantle.     

Recent carbon and nitrogen uptake rates of phytoplankton in Bering Strait and the Chukchi Sea

Cruises to Bering Strait and the Chukchi Sea in US waters from late June in 2002 to early September in 2004 and the Russian–American Long-term Census of the Arctic (RUSALCA) research cruise in 2004 covered all major water masses and contributed to a better understanding of the regional physics, nutrient dynamics, and biological systems. The integrated concentration of the high nitrate pool in the central Chukchi Sea was greater in this study than in previous studies, although the highest nitrate concentration (∼22 μM) in the Anadyr Water mass passing through the western side of Bering Strait was consistent with prior observations. The chlorophyll-a concentrations near the western side of the Diomede Islands ranged from 200 to 400 mg chl-a m⁻² and the range in the central Chukchi Sea was 200–500 mg chl-a m⁻² for the 2002–2004 Alpha Helix (HX) cruises. Chlorophyll-a concentrations for the 2004 RUSALCA cruise were lower than those from previous studies. The mean annual primary production of phytoplankton from this study, using a ¹³C–¹⁵N dual-isotope technique, was 55 g C m⁻² for the whole Chukchi Sea and 145 g C m⁻² for the plume of Anadyr–Bering Shelf Water in the central Chukchi Sea. In contrast, the averages of annual total nitrogen production were 13.9 g N m⁻² (S.D.=±16.2 g N m⁻²) and 33.8 g N m⁻² (S.D.=±14.1 g N m⁻²) for the Chukchi Sea and the plume, respectively. These carbon and nitrogen production rates of phytoplankton were consistently two-or three-fold lower than those from previous studies. We suggest that the lower rates in this study, and consequently more unused nitrate in the water column, were caused by lower phytoplankton biomass in the Bering Strait and the Chukchi Sea. However, we do not know if the lower rate of production from this study is a general decreasing trend or simply temporal variations in the Chukchi Sea, since temporal and geographical variations are substantially large and presently unpredictable.     

Evolution of the Kuroshio Tropical Water from the Luzon Strait to the east of Taiwan

This study examines the evolution of the Kuroshio Tropical Water (KTW) from the Luzon Strait to the I-Lan Ridge northeast of Taiwan. Historical conductivity temperature depth (CTD) profiles are analyzed using a method based on the calculation of the root mean square (rms) difference of the salinity along isopycnals. In combination with analysis of the distribution of the salinity maximum, this method enables water masses in the Kuroshio and the vicinity, to be tracked and distinguished as well as the detection of the areas where water masses are modified. Vertical and horizontal eddy diffusivities are then calculated from hydrographic and current velocity data to elucidate the dynamics underlying the KTW interactions with the surrounding water masses. Changes in KTW properties mainly occur in the southern half of the Luzon Strait, while moderate variations are observed east of Taiwan on the right flank of the Kuroshio. In spite of a front dividing the KTW from the South China Sea Tropical Water (SCSTW) on Kuroshio׳s western side, mixing between these two water masses seemingly occurs in the Luzon Strait. These water masses׳ interaction is not evident east of Taiwan. The estimation of eddy diffusivities yields high horizontal diffusivities (K_h~10² m² s⁻¹) all along the Kuroshio path, due to the high current shear along the Kuroshio׳s flanks. The vertical diffusivity approaches 10⁻³ m² s⁻¹, with the highest values in the southern Luzon Strait. Instabilities generated when the Kuroshio encounters the rough topography of this region may enhance both vertical and horizontal diffusivities there.     

南极布兰斯菲尔德海峡沉积物的地磁场长期变与定年

对位于布兰斯菲尔德海峡东北部的沉积物岩心D1-7进行了初步环境磁学和古地磁研究,获得了连续的相对地磁场强度和方向。沉积物岩性总体为灰色软塑性粘土,中下部出现一层黑色火山灰层。结合该孔沉积物和有孔虫AMS¹⁴C测年结果（王汝建等未发表资料）,相对地磁场强度及其方向提供了12 ka以来连续的定年标尺,其中相对地磁场强度与具有相似沉积速率的南美Laguna Potrok Aike湖泊记录对比提供了六个对比点;同时特征剩磁倾角和磁偏角提供了另外六个对比点。磁化率各向异性分析揭示了全新世早、中和晚期岩心所在位置底流（南极深层水~1000 m）发生了阶段性显著变化,同时磁性矿物含量、粒度、沉积物湿密度等也发生了相应的变化。这些环境磁学和沉积学的变化主要受控于南极相应纬度处的太阳辐射量以及与辐射量相关的夏季季风降水量的变化,降水量增加导致磁性矿物粒度变细。D1-7也记录了一些千年尺度旋回变化,但是南极地区目前缺乏与之相似分辨率的气候参数记录,无法进一步探讨这些气候事件的缘起和分布范围。对比发现,地磁场长期变产生的年龄与沉积物全样有机碳AMS¹⁴C测年结果之间存在系统的差异,在6 ka以来比有机碳年龄年轻,在6 ka之前则比有机碳年龄老。南极布兰斯菲尔德海峡内各种不同水体的混合以及在全新世全球升温背景下冰川的动态变化和由此引起的中、深层水变化,都是造成水体性质复杂的原因。而地磁场强度和方向变化则不受水体性质的影响,因此可以提供更合理的年龄信息。自12 ka至今,25 cm/ka的平均沉积速率表明南极布兰斯菲尔德海峡地区整个全新世内稳定和丰富的沉积物供应。     

Spatial distribution characteristics of surface tidal currents in the southwest of Taiwan Strait

This study was conducted on the spatial distribution characteristics of surface tidal currents in the southwestern Taiwan Strait based on the quasi-harmonic analysis of current data obtained by two high frequency surface wave radar (HFSWR) systems. The analysis shows that the tidal current pattern in the southwestern Taiwan Strait is primarily semi-diurnal and influenced significantly by shallow water constituents. The spatial distribution of tidal current ellipses of M₂ is probably affected by the interaction between two different systems of tide wave, one from the northern mouth of Taiwan Strait and the other from the Bashi Channel. The directions of the major axes of M₂ tidal current ellipses coincide roughly with the axis of the Taiwan Strait. The spatial distribution of the magnitudes of the probable maximum current velocity (PMCS) shows gradual increase of the velocity from northeast to southwest, which is in accordance with the spatial distribution of the measured maximum current velocity (MMCS). The directions of the residual currents are in accordance with the direction of the prevailing monsoon wind at the Taiwan Strait and the direction of the Taiwan warm current during summer. The bathymetry also shows a significant effect on the spatial distribution characteristics of tidal currents.     

春季季风间期巽他陆架和马六甲海峡表层海水浮游植物群落结构研究

于2013年3-5月通过走航取样分别对巽他陆架和马六甲海峡表层海水浮游植物叶绿素a生物量和群落结构进行了观测和研究。结果表明:巽他陆架生物量较低,叶绿素a浓度平均值为(0.083±0.043)μg/L,爪哇海的SS4站位生物量最低,仅为0.014μg/L,浮游植物粒级组成上主要以Pico-级为优势,占80%以上;马六甲海峡自西北至东南存在明显的盐度梯度,在盐度最低的SM5站,叶绿素a生物量最高,达到1.080μg/L;马六甲海峡站位叶绿素a浓度平均值为(0.433±0.315)μg/L,同时浮游植物群落结构变动较大。在海峡西北的SM1-SM4站与巽他海峡类似,主要以聚球藻为优势类群,Pico-级浮游植物占60%~80%;在生物量最高的SM5站,同样以聚球藻为优势类群,而在海峡东南段的SM6和SM7站,虽然叶绿素a浓度相对于SM5略有降低,但仍明显高于其他马六甲海峡站位和巽他陆架站位,此两个站位硅藻比例明显升高,均可达20%以上。从优势类群生物量与环境因子和营养浓度的相关性可以看出,研究海区叶绿素a生物量与水体盐度呈现显著负相关(p0.050),说明陆源输入对研究海区生物量具有明显的影响。另外,硅藻生物量也与磷酸盐浓度(p0.050)和硅酸盐(p0.010)浓度均呈现显著正相关;聚球藻在浮游植物群落中的优势度会受到陆源营养盐输入的影响而降低,但仍然是整个研究区域最优势的浮游植物类群。     

基于Argo数据的吕宋海峡东部海域的会聚区特征分析

利用2010-2013年的Argo浮标观测资料,对吕宋海峡东部海域(19°~23°N,123~127°E)的会聚区特征进行综合分析。研究结果如下:(1)吕宋海峡东部海域4个季节表面的声速从大至小依次为夏季、秋季、春季和冬季,夏季最大为1 543.5m/s,冬季最小为1 533.4m/s;混合层深度从大到小依次为冬季、秋季、春季和夏季;(2)采用WOA13气候态数据对声速剖面进行深海延拓,获得全海深的声速剖面,分析4个季节的声道特征。声道轴深度和声速较为稳定,声道轴深度在1 000~1 040m之间,声道轴处的声速为1 482m/s,4个季节的平均声道厚度都超过4 500m,利于会聚区形成;(3)研究区较易发生会聚现象,发生会聚现象概率高于50%的占70.6%;会聚现象的发生概率季节变化明显,春季、冬季极易发生声场的会聚现象,夏季最小;(4)运用RAMGeo声场模型对研究区4个季节的声传播损失进行仿真,分析会聚区的季节变化特征。当声源深度100m,接收深度10m时,第一会聚区,离声源的距离在61~64km左右,夏季离声源最近,春、冬季较远;会聚区宽度上,夏季最宽为10km,春季最窄为4.6km;会聚区增益分布特点与会聚区宽度刚好相反,春季最大为14.6dB,夏季最小为8.5dB。     

基于调制不稳定性的吕宋海峡内孤立波生成机理探讨

The South China Sea (SCS) is a hot spot for oceanic internal solitary waves due to many factors, such as the complexity of the terrain environment. The internal solitary waves in the northern SCS mainl...