Vertical distribution of giant jellyfish, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Nemopilema nomurai</Emphasis> using acoustics and optics

Nemopilema nomurai jellyfish, which are believed to complete their development in the East China Sea, have started migrating into the Yellow Sea in recent years. We obtained biomass estimates of this species in the Yellow Sea using bottom trawl fishing gear and sighting surveys over a 5-year period. These methods are effective for obtaining N. nomurai jellyfish density estimates and information about the community distribution near the bottom or surface of the sea. To verify the vertical distributions of giant jellyfish between, we used hydroacoustic equipment, including an optical stereo camera system attached to a towed sledge and an echo counting method with scientific echosounder system. Acoustic and optical data were collected while the vessel moved at 3 knots, from which the distribution and density of N. nomurai jellyfish were analyzed. Subsequently, the camera system was towed from a 7 m mean depth to sea level, with the detection range of the acoustic system extending from an 8 m depth to the bottom surface. The optical and acoustic methods indicated the presence of vertical distribution of 0.11³ (inds/m³) and 0.064 (inds/m3), respectively. However, the vertical distribution indicated that around 93% of individuals occurred at a depth range of 10–40 m; thus, a 2.4-fold greater density was estimated by acoustic echo counting compared to the optical method.     

Geotechnical design parameter evaluation using the alluvial plain characteristics in southeastern Iraq

Geotechnical construction is responsible for the overall stability of superstructures, and if there are design errors, the structure will be exposed to potential problems. Geotechnical design starts with the correct interpretation of the target ground. Southeastern Iraq is mainly comprised of an alluvial plain with diverse geological features, and, therefore, geotechnical design requires a detailed interpretation and understanding of the area. This paper reports on laboratory and field tests and in-depth analyses conducted on these alluvial plains. The results reveal that the upper layer of this area is highly over-consolidated. This may have been caused by the removal of overburden pressure as a result of glaciation and desiccation. The highly over-consolidated soils caused considerable sample disturbance by swelling the bored sample; this provided less reliable results. However, the cone penetration test was regarded as the most appropriate field assessment method for deriving sensible geotechnical design parameters. Despite its limitations in clayey soils, the standard penetration test provided results that matched well with previous observations due to the high penetration resistance of the highly over-consolidated ground. Down-hole tests and plate load tests were considered less reliable methods due to their limited applicability in this area. This study considers geographical features, laboratory methods, and empirical correlations from in situ tests, and, therefore, provides a well-summarized guideline to evaluate special geotechnical characteristics of the alluvial plain in southeastern Iraq.     

Acoustic Characteristic of Sailfin Sandfish (Arctoscopus japonicus) in Dokdo,Republic of Korea

The aim of this study is to determine the acoustic characteristics of sailfin sandfish over a wide frequency range. The acoustic survey was conducted in Fe     

Collectorless flotation of chalcopyrite and sphalerite ores by using sodium sulfide

The flotation of chalcopyrite and sphalerite from copper and copper-zinc ores has been achieved without using thiol-type collectors. Typically, a sulfide ore sample is first treated with sodium sulfide either during grinding or during the preflotation conditioning period, and then the chalcopyrite is floated with frother alone. With a copper-zinc ore, sphalerite is subsequently floated from the chalcopyrite tailings by activating it with copper sulphate. Results of the collectorless flotation tests are comparable to those obtained by using thiol collectors. The mechanisms of selective collectorless flotation are discussed on the basis of differences in the solubilities of sulfide minerals.     

The Formation and Circulation of the Intermediate Water in the Japan Sea

In order to clarify the formation and circulation of the Japan/East Sea Intermediate Water (JESIW) and the Upper portion of the Japan Sea Proper Water (UJSPW), numerical experiments have been carried out using a 3-D ocean circulation model. The UJSPW is formed in the region southeast off Vladivostok between 41°N and 42°N west of 136°E. Taking the coastal orography near Vladivostok into account, the formation of the UJSPW results from the deep water convection in winter which is generated by the orchestration of fresh water supplied from the Amur River and saline water from the Tsushima Warm Current under very cold conditions. The UJSPW formed is advected by the current at depth near the bottom of the convection and penetrates into the layer below the JESIW. The origin of the JESIW is the low salinity coastal water along the Russian coast originated by the fresh water from the Amur River. The coastal low salinity water is advected by the current system in the northwestern Japan Sea and penetrates into the subsurface below the Tsushima Warm Current region forming a subsurface salinity minimum layer. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Estimation of the minimum food requirement using the respiration rate of medusa of Aurelia aurita in Sihwa Lake

We examined the respiration rate of Aurelia aurita medusae at 20 °C and 28 °C to evaluate minimum metabolic demands of medusae population in Sihwa Lake, Korea during summer. While weight specific respiration rates of medusae were constant and irrespective to the wet weight (8?C220 g), they significantly varied in respect to temperatures (p<0.001, 0.11±0.03 mg C g^?1 of medusa d^?1 at 20°C and 0.28±0.11 mg C g^?1 of medusa d^?1 at 28 °C in average, where Q ₁₀ value was 2.62). The respiration rate of medusae was defined as a function of temperature (T, °C) and body weight (W, g) according to the equation, R=0.13×2.62^(T-20)/10 W ^0.93. Population minimum food requirement (PMFR) was estimated from the respiration rate as 15.06 and 4.86 mg C m^?3 d^?1 in June and July, respectively. During this period, increase in bell diameter and wet weight was not significant (p=1 in the both), suggesting that the estimated PMFR closely represented the actual food consumption in the field. From July to August, medusae grew significantly at 0.052 d-1, thus the amount of food ingested by medusae population in situ was likely to exceed the PMFR (1.27 mg C m^?3 d^?1) during the period. In conclusion, the medusae population of higher density during June and July had limited amount of food, while those of lower in July and August ingested enough food for growth.     

Abundance and distribution of Nemopilema nomurai (Scyphozoa,Rhizostomeae), in Korean waters in 2005–2013

Nemopilema nomurai have appeared massively since 2003 in Korean waters, and regular offshore monitoring has been performed since 2005 in the eastern Yellow Sea (YS), northwestern East China Sea (ECS), Korean southern waters (Ksw), and western East Sea (ES). Korea Jellyfish Monitoring Network (KoJEM) was established in 2006 for coastal jellyfish monitoring. From these, sight survey monitoring data were gathered and analyzed to extract the yearly and seasonal fluctuation of N. nomurai’s abundance and distribution. The first massive annual appearance of N. nomurai occurred in the northwestern ECS, off Shanghai, China, in mid May of 2005–2008 and of 2012–2013. In other years or concurrently with the appearance in the northwestern ECS in the same year, several individuals were found in the mid-eastern YS and Ksw, and southwestern ES. The population of N. nomurai at the northwestern ECS moved to the southeastern YS and Jeju Strait in June, and from the July to August it extended its distribution all around the Korean peninsula and persisted till October. Since October, the distribution was retracted into the southern YS and Ksw, and disappeared slowly. N. nomurai’s yearly abundance varied a lot, from nearly 0 inds 10^?4m^?2 in 2010 to 62.4 inds 10^?4m^?2 in 2005. The highest abundance was recorded in 2005, followed by 2007 and 2009, and the least abundance was in 2008 and 2010–2013. The results were compared with those of the Liaoning Bay, Bohai Sea, which led to speculation about a new seeding place of N. nomurai, and mortality during the early planktonic phase of N. nomurai was proposed as the determinant of the yearly variation in abundance.     

Composition of the phytoplankton pigments in the surface waters along a transect from the Northwestern to the southeastern Pacific Ocean

Multidisciplinary oceanic investigation was undertaken in Aug–Sep. 2003 along a transect from Northwestern (Busan, Korea) to Southeastern Pacific (Talcahuano, Chile) to understand the physical, chemical and biological features in the surface water, and to depict their interaction with the atmosphere. Among the twenty parameters measured, we describe the physical, chemical and biological features. Physico-chemical data were analyzed in conjunction with the geographic position and yielded 7 peculiar surface water masses. The first water mass (28.4°N, 130.8°E to 21.5°N, 139.5°E) was warm and low in phosphate and nitrate content, and high in silicate. The concentration of phytoplankton pigment was one of the lowest. The second (20.4°N, 140.7°E to 2.2°S, 162.9°E) was the warmest and the least saline. Nitrate and phosphate concentration were one of the lowest. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration was the lowest among the surface waters. The third (3.4°S, 164.0°E to 14.5°S, 173.3°E) was warm. Nitrate concentration was the lowest. CHL-a, peridinin (Perid), violaxanthin (Viola), zeaxanthin (Zea), chlorophyll-b (Chl b) and β-CAR were abundant. The fourth (18.6°S, 177.5°E to 31.8°S, 123.9°W) was saline and poor in nutrient concentration. The contributions of 19′-butanoyloxyfucoxanthin (But-fuco), 19′-hexanoyloxyfucoxanthin (Hex-fuco), and CHL b to CHL a were non-negligible. The fifth (32.4°S, 122.1°W to 33.8°S, 117.2°W) was relatively cold and well oxygenated. Concentration of Fuco, But-fuco, Hex-fuco and Chl b was high. The sixth (34.2°S, 115.4°W to 37.4°S, 92.1°W) was cold, well oxygenated and enriched with phosphate and nitrate. Concentration of phytoplankton pigment was, however, one of the lowest. The seventh, located off the Chilean coast, from 37.2°S, 87.2°W to 36.1°S, 74.1°W was well oxygenated and highly enriched with nitrate and phosphate. Phytoplankton pigments such as Fuco, Perid, But-fico, and Hex-fuco were rich. The 7 surface water masses are partially attributed to Kuroshio Current, North Equatorial Current and North Equatorial Countercurrent, South Equatorial current, South Pacific Subtropical Gyre, South Pacific Current, Subtropical Front and Chilean coastal water. The differences in physicochemical characteristics and the history of the surface water resulted in difference in quantity and composition of the phytoplankton pigment.