Quality control of ocean temperature and salinity profiles — Historical and real-time data

A new automated quality control system for oceanic temperature and temperature–salinity profiles is presented. Substantial development was needed for some of the quality control algorithms although the checks were based on documented procedures used elsewhere where appropriate. A new automated ship track check was developed: the results of an undetected position error can be very damaging to ocean analyses. Also important is a check against a gridded background, this can be a climatology but near the surface it is advantageous to use an estimate that is evolving over time. Bayesian probability theory is used in the background check and the associated check against nearby observations (buddy check). The system was used to process archive data for 1956–2004. As a by-product monthly model-free objective analyses for this period were produced. Versions of the system are used for near-real time ocean analysis and for initialising both short-range ocean forecasts and seasonal atmosphere–ocean forecasts. The main features of the oceanic observing systems are presented along with quality control statistics, examples of errors that can occur and some additional problematic cases.     

Estimating the Economic Benefits of Regional Ocean Observing Systems

This article introduces a theme issue of the Coastal Management Journal comprising a set of articles on the potential economic benefits from new investments in coastal ocean observing systems. We describe a methodology to estimate these benefits, and apply this methodology to generate preliminary estimates of such benefits. The approach focuses on coastal ocean observing information within ten geographic regions encompassing all coastal waters of the United States, and within a wide range of industrial and recreational activities including recreational fishing and boating, beach recreation, maritime transportation, search and rescue operations, spill response, marine hazards prediction, offshore energy, power generation, and commercial fishing. Our findings suggest that annual benefits to users are likely to run in the multiple $100s of millions of dollars. The project results should be considered first-order estimates that are subject to considerable refinement as the parameters of regional observing systems are better defined, and as our understanding of user sectors improves.     

无人机海洋观测系统集成技术研究

本文主要针对特定区域海洋观测的需求,以海洋环境和海上目标机动快速监测为目标,研制基于船载无人直升机平台的多传感器海洋观测系统.重点研究海洋观测的系统集成技术,包括无人机与机载载荷的集成、数据处理系统的集成.开展船载无人机起降和多传感器协同海洋观测的系统集成验证试验,最终建立船载无人机海、陆、气一体化的海洋观测系统.为构建面向海洋实际业务应用系统奠定基础.     

High-resolution synthetic monitoring by a 4-dimensional variational data assimilation system in the northwestern North Pacific

A data assimilation system is applied to the integrated monitoring of oceanic states in the northwestern North Pacific by combining a high resolution ocean general circulation model with an adjoint method. A comparison of assimilation results with observations shows that the system is better able to represent synoptic features of ocean circulation than do models or data alone. Furthermore, meso-scale features associated with frontal structures and eddies, which are often seen in the Kuroshio and Oyashio extension regions and the Sea of Japan, are better defined in the assimilation results. These features suggest that our 4D-VAR high-resolution data assimilation system is capable of providing time series data which satisfy the model physics and fit the observations, and hence the ocean state derived from our system has greater information content than that obtained from earlier methods.     

Real time assimilation of HF radar currents into a coastal ocean model

A real time assimilation and forecasting system for coastal currents is presented. The purpose of the system is to deliver current analyses and forecasts on based on assimilation of high-frequency radar surface current measurements. The local Vessel Traffic Service monitoring the ship traffic to two oil terminals on the coast of Norway received the analyses and forecasts in real time.A new assimilation method based on optimal interpolation is presented where spatial covariances derived from an ocean model are used instead of simplified mathematical formulations. An array of high frequency radar antennae provides the current measurements. A suite of nested ocean models comprises the model system. The observing system is found to yield good analyses and short range forecasts that are significantly improved compared to a model twin without assimilation. The system is fast, analysis and 6-h forecasts are ready at the Vessel Traffic Service 45 min after acquisition of radar measurements.     

States’ obligations relating to marine monitoring and observation

Ocean data determining the state of the ocean are required for various purposes. The data are needed to understand the ocean and its interrelation, for instance, with the climate as well as to provide information and benefits for numerous sectors, such as for the coastal protection or pollution control. In order to meet the multiple needs for ocean information, a global and sustained system for ocean observation activities is necessary. Steps towards such a global system have been taken within the last decades, especially by setting up the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). However, the existing international structures and systems have been lacking governmental support and are held to be insufficient. In this context, the questions are raised whether states are already required by international law to observe and monitor the ocean and to cooperate in doing so and whether states are even obliged to contribute to international ocean observing programmes. Although to some extent, states’ obligations can be found in international conventions, such as in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), they cannot meet all the various needs for ocean data. Specific and substantive obligations in international law meeting the multiple needs for ocean data are, however, required. If such obligations were included in the UNCLOS, issues relating to Marine Scientific Research would have to be kept in mind. Another option of creating specific commitments could be seen in a new agreement relating to the GOOS.     

Noncontact power supply for seafloor geodetic observing robot system

A new and effective seafloor geodetic observing robot network system, which consists of several submarine stations situated in regions susceptible to interplate earthquakes, has been proposed and is under construction in Japan. Each station, equipped with an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) dock, is connected to a land facility by cables providing power and communication. Near the AUV dock, three or four seafloor reference stations will be set up for geodetic observations. In this system, a noncontact power supply is required for a battery-driven AUV to conduct observations for extended durations. A small, intelligent, efficient, high-power noncontact feed system of 400 W capacity with an inverting efficiency of 77% in salt water has been developed. It has been shown to be effective in a water tank experiment in which the noncontact power supply automatically fed power to an AUV for 3 days.     

Assessment of sea surface temperature observational networks in the Baltic Sea and North Sea

The satellite and in situ Sea Surface Temperature (SST) observational networks in the Baltic Sea and North Sea are evaluated based on the quality of the gridded SST products generated from the networks. A multi-indicator approach is applied in the assessment. It includes evaluation of data quality, effective data coverage, field reconstruction error and model nowcast error. The results show that the best available full-coverage SST product is generated by assimilating the SST observations to obtain a yearly mean model bias of 0.07 °C and RMSE of 0.64 °C. The effective data coverage rate is 31% by using AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) data from NOAA (National Ocean and Atmosphere Administration) satellites 12, 14 and 16. The data redundancy increases rapidly with the number of infrared sensors. Using either NOAA satellite 12 or all 3 satellites makes a small difference with regard to derived effective coverage and the ocean model nowcast error. The influence of using the in situ SST observations in the SST field reconstruction is negligibly small. Instead, the major role of in situ SST observations is in calibrating the satellite observations. To study the relative importance of data quality and data coverage, an assessment is done for two satellite products: one product is based entirely on NOAA 12 data and has larger coverage but lower quality. The other product is a subset of the SAF products (derived from NOAA 14 and 16) and has lower coverage but higher quality. Based on current monitoring, modelling and assimilation technology, the results suggest that the data quality is an important factor in further improving the quality of the gridded SST products. Recommendations are made for possible further improvements of the existing SST observational networks.     

海洋内波的红外探测

海洋内波是海洋中常见的现象,与表面波一样是海洋中的一种重要动力形式,其产生的流场会引起海表温度的微弱变化。随着红外遥感技术及各种红外传感器精度的不断提高,通过遥感探测内波所致海表温度的微弱变化来观测内波已经成为一种可能,但现阶段关于内波调制海表温度的具体机理还不清楚。     

Port state control versus marine environmental pollution

This United States stands alone amongst the nations of the world in its attempt to unilaterally regulate transnational ocean linear services. The major reason for current US regularity policies with regard to scheduled ocean transportation lies in its fundamental distruct of any form of co-operation amongst competitors as demonstrated by its history of antitrust legislation.

The linear industry, because of its unique technical and economic charectersitics has given rise to the establishment of ocean conferences—co ordinating sgreements between the operators of linear vessels. Whilst ocean conferences are permitted—even encouraged—by the their most diluted form, the so-called ‘open conferences.

This Paper offers a critical review of Successive US regulatory practices in maritime transport. It is argued that these practices result in excess costs in US trades to the order of $1 billion annually, and that the linear industry‘s efficient functioning is seriously impaired by these rules-rules imposed by a government administration which fails to recognize that the linear industry‘s technical efficiency is of far greater importance than its market performance.     

Access of landocked and geographically-disadvantaged states to the fisheries resources of the economic exclusion zone (EEZ) under the New Convention on the law of the Sea

Petroleum and related goods account for an enormous share of international maritime trade. For the United States, the world's largest energy consumer, imports of petroleum and related products are a vital connection to foreign suppliers. This paper illustrates cartographically the geographic structure of imports of three major petroleum-related commodities—crude petroleum, refined petroleum products, and natural gas—and their changes in the 1980s. Lorenz curve and Gini coefficient analyses reveal a modest deconcentration of crude petroleum within the US port system, an increasing concentration of petroleum products, and a relatively volatile geography of natural gas imports.     

唐山港京唐港区海域的风、波浪统计分析

根据在京唐港区建设过程中从港区附近海洋站收集的历史风速、风向、短期波浪观测资料和对上述资料进行的统计,分析港区附近的风、波浪等动力条件及其分布特征,并根据历史天气图推算不同重现期的设计波浪,分析设计波浪要素的变化情况.     

Forecasting front displacements with a satellite based ocean forecasting (SOFT) system

Relatively long term time series of satellite data are nowadays available. These spatio–temporal time series of satellite observations can be employed to build empirical models, called satellite based ocean forecasting (SOFT) systems, to forecast certain aspects of future ocean states. The forecast skill of SOFT systems predicting the sea surface temperature (SST) at sub-basin spatial scale (from hundreds to thousand kilometres), has been extensively explored in previous works. Thus, these works were mostly focussed on predicting large scale patterns spatially stationary. At spatial scales smaller than sub-basin (from tens to hundred kilometres), spatio–temporal variability is more complex and propagating structures are frequently present. In this case, traditional SOFT systems based on Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) decompositions could not be optimal prediction systems. Instead, SOFT systems based on Complex Empirical Orthogonal Functions (CEOFs) are, a priori, better candidates to resolve these cases.In this work we study and compare the performance of an EOF and CEOF based SOFT systems forecasting the SST at weekly time scales of a propagating mesoscale structure. The SOFT system was implemented in an area of the Northern Balearic Sea (Western Mediterranean Sea) where a moving frontal structure is recurrently observed. Predictions from both SOFT systems are compared with observations and with the predictions obtained from persistence models. Results indicate that the implemented SOFT systems are superior in terms of predictability to persistence. No substantial differences have been found between the EOF and CEOF-SOFT systems.     

美国海军业务化海洋预报系统综述

美国海军海洋预报系统最早始于苏联时期,自此之后,美国海军制定了一系列计划,构建海洋观测网络,开发海洋数值模式,发展军事海洋学,旨在建成一套完整、精确的全球海洋预报系统并实现业务化应用。美国海军海洋学一直走在世界前沿,本文将对美国海军海洋预报系统的发展历程、成果及其现状进行阐述,这对于我国军事海洋学以及海洋预报系统的发展具有重要借鉴作用。     

Using satellite observations of ocean color to categorize the dispersal patterns of river-borne substances in the Gaoping (Kaoping) River, Shelf and Canyon system

Mapping the water constituents from remotely sensed ocean color data enables a better understanding of the dispersal patterns of river-borne substances in the Gaoping (formerly spelled Kaoping) River, Shelf and Canyon (KPRSC) system. Based on twelve MODIS-Aqua images in the KPRSC region taken in 2005, we apply a newly developed GA-SA approach to derive maps of chlorophyll-a concentration (Chl-a), colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and non-algal particle/detritus/mineral (NAP). The results demonstrated that the different characteristics of Chl-a, CDOM and NAP make them ideal tracers for observing large-scale dispersal patterns. With ancillary information of averaged daily precipitation, the daily wind field obtained from QuikSCAT (Quick Scatterometer), and the 8-day composite of the temperature field obtained from MODIS-Aqua, we categorized the surface dispersal patterns as coastal, northwestward and frontal patterns. Also, for the first time, we observed a sudden increase of biomass on a large scale from a pair of ocean color images taken over only a 2-day interval. Another remarkable feature is the interaction between the southeastward flow and the intrusion of the Kuroshio Branch, resulting in complicated patterns with various scales of vortex structures and current fronts. The observed features could be used for model validation of the flow field of the KPRSC system.     

基于OSG的海洋漫游场景开发

针对海上环境气候复杂,模拟困难等原因,本系统在基于OSG三维渲染引擎的基础上,借助OsgOcean场景实现了第一视角的海洋场景漫游,包括船舶模型的调换,天气变化,键盘事件响应来控制船舶运动。首先通过将OSG视景窗口嵌入MFC框架下,并在OSG核心类cOSG中响应海洋场景的生成;其次在模型节点中通过添加和移除节点,动态实现船舶模型的加载和转换,然后通过天空盒中阳光在海面产生的不同光照效果,利用着色器,渲染不同气候下海面的颜色;最后通过OSG三维渲染引擎中的粒子效果,将自定义粒子模块实时加载到场景中,用来模拟大自然中的雨、雪效果。     

基于Vega的虚拟海洋视景仿真研究

虚拟海洋视景仿真系统足虚拟现实技术在军事领域中的应用.由于海浪运动的随机性,虚拟海洋的计算机生成成为视景仿真领域的研究难点.文中详细讨论了两种海浪模型,重点研究Vega中海浪原理和海洋模块的计算机实现,基于Vega软件生成海浪.从效果图中可以看出,模拟的海浪效果比较好,能够满足实际应用的需求.     

构建船舶与海洋工程数字化性能平台促进科技自主创新

作为对船舶设计基础共性技术研发的一种思考,提出构建“船舶与海洋工程数字化性能平台”的设想。这一性能平台是以信息化、数字化为核心,以虚拟技术、网络协同、远程交互技术为手段,开放式和加盟式一体化的综合集成系统。在这种数字化性能平台上,运用计算流体动力学方法,可以全面地对船舶的安全性能、综合航行性能和海洋工程结构物的流体动力特性进行预报、评估和优化,成为新型舰船、新型海洋平台和海洋结构物研究开发的重要工具和手段,促进船型开发和设计的自主创新。     

大洋钻探船泥浆系统设计研究

泥浆系统是大洋钻探船的重要组成部分,其设计常常面临系统设备众多,参数匹配困难、钻井作业效率低、安全性等问题,直接影响大洋钻探效果。该文在大洋钻探船泥浆需求论证基础上,对高压泥浆系统、泥浆配置系统、泥浆存储输送系统、泥浆处理系统、散料存储输送系统、高压固井系统等开展工艺流程分析,提出泥浆系统区域规划原则,合理规划泥浆泵舱、泥浆池舱和泥浆处理区域,形成适用于目标船型的泥浆系统区域布置方案;并基于泥浆工艺流程的功能要求,合理进行泥浆设备选型,形成系统配置方案,为船型工程设计提供依据。     

3000t自航起重船空调系统设计浅析

随着海洋石油开采和矿产资源开发的日益升温,海洋作业工程船的市场需求越来越大。大型起重船工程船的船员配置和工作环境较为特殊,空调系统的设置同常规船舶相比有不同要求。以3 000 t自航起重船的空调系统为例,介绍了此类工程船的设计思路,供读者参考。