Environmental influence on phytoplankton communities in the northern Benguela ecosystem

An investigation of surface phytoplankton communities was undertaken on the shelf of the northern Benguela upwelling ecosystem during austral autumn (May) and spring (September), along latitudinal transects at 20° S and 23° S, from 2 to 70 nautical miles offshore, as well as on a zigzag grid located between these transects. Microscopic identification of the phytoplankton and CHEMTAX analysis of pigment biomarkers were used to characterise the community composition. During May 2014, warmer, more-saline water with a shallower upper mixed layer corresponding to periods of less-intense offshore Ekman transport was encountered on the shelf. Satellite imagery indicated high phytoplankton biomass extending for a considerable distance from the coast, and CHEMTAX indicated diatoms as dominant at most of the stations (52–92%), although dinoflagellates were dominant at some inshore localities (57–74%). Species of Chaetoceros, Bacteriastrum and Cylindrotheca were the most abundant, with abundance of the Pseudo-nitzschia ‘seriata-group’ being particularly high at a number of stations. In September 2014, more-intense wind-forcing resulted in a deeper upper mixed layer and stronger upwelling of colder, less-saline water. Elevated phytoplankton biomass was confined close to the coast, where diatoms accounted for most of the population (54–87%), whereas small flagellates, such as prasinophytes, haptophytes and cryptophytes, as well as the cyanobacterium Synechococcus, dominated the communities (58–90%) farther from the coast. It is hypothesised that stronger upwelling and deeper vertical mixing in September of that year were not conducive for widespread diatom growth, and that small flagellates populated the water column by being entrained from offshore onto the shelf in the upwelled water that moved in towards the coast.     

水东湾潮流特征分析及三维数值模拟

基于水东湾海域利用现状及水环境综合整治工作的迫切需要,对其海洋水文要素开展野外调查,以清晰理解其潮流特征,并据此进行潮流三维数值模拟.调查结果显示,水东湾观测期间的实测潮差在2.6~2.9 m之间,平均潮差约2.8 m,湾口潮差最大,湾顶海域潮差最小,涨潮历时略长于落潮,属不正规半日潮;各观测站位的最大流速相差较大,最高值出现在湾口深槽,为134 cm/s,最低值出现在湾顶浅海海域,为31 cm/s,最大流速水平分布基本上呈现为从湾口向湾顶递减态势.模拟结果显示,水东湾内潮流基本沿潮汐通道呈往复流动,涨潮流向介于280°~300°之间,流速在0.28~1.36 m/s范围内变化;落潮流向介于128°~180°之间,流速在0.56~1.44 m/s范围内变化,流矢受地形限制显著.     

Map algebra based analysis for directed flow networks

Based on the concept of map algebra, this research developed a network neighborhood analysis framework for directed flow networks. The analysis framework has two components: the first component defines how neighborhoods are delineated on networks and the second component calculates various statistics within the neighborhoods. The power and value of the analysis framework lie in its capability to delineate versatile network neighborhoods and its flexibility in calculating various statistics within the neighborhoods. It extends the raster map algebra to networks and provides a consistent analysis framework for the raster, vector, and network data models. Using a small section of the National Hydrography Dataset (NHD) networks, a prototype Web application is implemented to experiment and demonstrate the concept and uses of the analysis framework.     

Hawaii Cyclonic Eddies and Blue Marlin Catches: The Case Study of the 1995 Hawaiian International Billfish Tournament

The combination of prevailing northeasterly tradewinds and island topography results in the formation of vigorous, westward propagating cyclonic eddies in the lee of the Hawaiian Islands on time scales of 50–70 days. These mesoscale (∼10² km) features are nowhere more conspicuous or spin up more frequently than in the Alenuihaha Channel between the Island of Maui and the Big Island of Hawaii. Cyclonic eddies in subtropical waters such as those around Hawaii vertically displace the underlying nutricline into the overlying, nutrient-depleted euphotic zone creating localized biologically enhanced patches. Insight into how these eddies may directly influence pelagic fish distribution is provided by examination of recreational fish catch data coinciding with the presence of eddies on the fishing grounds. We highlight the 1995 Hawaii International Billfish Tournament in which a cyclonic eddy dominated the ocean conditions during the weeklong event and the fish catch distribution differed significantly from the average historical tournament catch patterns. On the tournament fishing grounds, well-mixed surface layers and strong current flows induced by the eddy's presence characterized the inshore waters where the highest catches of the prized Pacific blue marlin (Makaira mazara) occurred, suggesting possible direct (e.g., physiological limitations) or indirect (e.g., prey availability) biological responses of blue marlin to the prevailing environment. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Hydrography and dynamics of the Ría de Ribadeo (NW Spain), a wave driven estuary

The Ría de Ribadeo, a small embayment in NW Spain, was observed for the first time using three months of ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) current meter records and three CTD (Conductivity Temperature Depth) surveys. A wave driven circulation pattern arises from the observations, instead of the shelf wind driven circulation of other Galician Rias. Based on ADCP records, a unidirectional flow in the horizontal velocity field coexists with the classic two-layer circulation (bidirectional flow). The proposed horizontal circulation pattern can then be explained as a wave driven inflow. This flow enters the ria through the west side, describes an anticlockwise gyre inside of it, and flows out through the east side. Numerical simulations run with the HAMSOM (Hamburg Shelf Ocean Model) agreed with observations, confirming the proposed pattern.     

基于水下滑翔机观测数据的西北太平洋混合层特征研究

基于水下滑翔机在2019年8至10月观测到的温盐资料,本研究分析了西北太平洋混合层总体的变化情况,并探讨了混合层异常变化的原因。结果表明,混合层温度总体上呈现随季节转换逐渐降低的趋势,混合层深度总体上呈现随季节转换逐渐增大的趋势。进一步的相关性分析得出,该海域混合层温度、混合层深度的变化特征主要是由外部大气强迫场(海面风场和净热通量)所决定的。水下滑翔机还观测到了混合层温度异常降低、混合层深度异常变浅的现象。通过计算混合层热收支发现,垂向夹卷作用是海洋混合层内温度降低和混合层深度变浅的主要原因。通过进一步计算研究海域冷涡的上升速度与海水垂向夹卷速度的变化情况,并结合卫星遥感资料,得出海洋的中尺度涡旋活动主导了混合层异常现象的发生。     

东海M2分潮模拟中开边界条件的探讨

基于POM模式,采用第一类水位、流速和Flather（1976）3种开边界条件,模拟了东海的M2分潮．结果表明,在这3种开边界条件下,均能成功地模拟M2分潮的传播特征,以及在该海区内的三个半无潮点．计算结果与实测的较吻合,并且在Flather开边界条件下,模拟的振幅和迟角与实测资料的偏差分别为5．62cm和7．90°,效果最好．这也说明Flather开边界条件是潮汐模拟当中较可取的一种开边界条件．