On the fresh balance of the Adriatic Sea

The long-term mean fresh water balance of the Adriatic Sea is studied by ananalysing evaporation, precipitation and river runoff. Evaporation is computed from May latent heat flux and by means of bulk formula. In the latter case two wind speed data sets are used, namely those from the NMC and May. The sea surface temperature is taken from a historical Adriatic data set, and the air temperature and relative humidity come from the NMC data set. Two precipitation data sets are considered, namely the Legates and Willmott climatology and a data set consisting of data measured at 62 rain-gauge stations located on the Adriatic coasts. Runoff contribution to the fresh water balance is estimated from the long-term average flow rates of 39 rivers and the horizontal distribution of salinity in the upper mixed layer.The spatial distribution of the fresh water balance, as well as of its components, is analysed by means of monthly objective maps, from which averages and standard deviations are computed. The results obtained from the different computations are not always univocal, particularly in the evaluation of Summer evaporation, and are affected by relatively large statistical errors. Significant spatial and seasonal variability occurs, with a noticeable fresh water gain along the coastline of the northern and middle basins, while small areas of fresh water loss are found in the middle and southern basins. Nevertheless, on an annual basis, the difference between the fresh water losses by evaporation and the gains by precipitation and runoff is clearly negative, indicating that, unlike the whole Mediterranean, the Adriatic Sea is generally a dilution basin.     

填海区地铁盾构隧道下穿公路施工地层沉降规律的数值模拟

以深圳地铁2号线盾构隧道下穿填海区滨海大道公路为背景,利用非线性有限元分析软件ABAQUS建立三维有限元模型,研究在隧道施工扰动下,地表的横向沉降和纵向沉降、地层的水平位移和分层沉降的变形规律.仿真计算结果表明:在隧道横断面方向上地表沉降近似呈正态分布,在纵断面方向上地表沉降槽宽度约为15.0 m;距隧道开挖面越近,地层水平位移受车辆荷载和隧道开挖扰动越大;在车辆荷载作用区域,地表沉降和地层水平位移均大于非车辆荷载作用区域,地层的分层沉降和沉降槽宽度均随着地层埋深增加而减小,地层的上部沉降普遍大于下部;在非车辆荷载作用区域,隧道中心线上方的土体沉降随着地层埋深的增加而增加.     

Norwegian North Sea action programme: Analysis of measures to reduce nutrient inputs

According to the terms of the Ministerial Declaration on the Protection of the North Sea, input of the nutrients phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) to the coast from the Norwegian‐Swedish border to Lindesnes should be reduced by about 50% between 1985 and 1995. The State Pollution Control Authority (SFT) has analyzed how Norway can achieve this reduction in the most cost‐effective way and at the same time achieve the greatest possible improvement in water quality along the Norwegian coast and in its watercourses.

Two alternative sets of measures were analyzed, both of which would meet the requirements of the Declaration. The lowest‐cost alternative would have average annual costs of about NKr 930 million (U.S.S150 million), and investments of about NKr 4000 million (U.S. $643 million). However, this set of measures would not take account of local water quality, and measures would therefore not always be introduced where the need is most pressing. SFT proposed that an alternative set of measures be implemented, almost all of which would also help to achieve local goals for water quality. This alternative will have annual costs of about NKr 980 million (U.S.$158 million), and investments of about NKr 4100 million (U.S.$659 million).     

Analysis of Coastal Wetland Changes Using the “DPSIR” Model: A Case Study in Xiamen,China

Over the past several decades, human activities have had significant impacts on coastal wetlands worldwide. Here, using a model of “Drivers-Pressures-State-Impacts-Responses (DPSIR)” and data collected from coastal wetlands in Xiamen, China, we have analyzed temporal changes in regional coastal wetland ecosystem structure and function from 1950 through 2005. The study period was divided into four parts for comparative analysis: pre-1980s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000 to present. Our results show that anthropogenic drivers of coastal wetland degradation in this region have increased substantially since 1950, and that this is correlated with a decline in coastal wetland function over the same period.     

Prediction of Scour Depth around Offshore Pipelines in the South China Sea

Scour depth prediction of offshore pipelines is of great significance to the design and construction of the submarine pipeline projects. In this paper, based on the CFD software package FLUENT and User...     

The structure of dissipation in the western Irish Sea front

We report on an intensive campaign in the summer of 2006 to observe turbulent energy dissipation in the vicinity of a tidal mixing front which separates well mixed and seasonally stratified regimes in the western Irish Sea. The rate of turbulent dissipation ε was observed on a section across the front by a combination of vertical profiles with the FLY dissipation profiler and horizontal profiles by shear sensors mounted on an AUV (Autosub). Mean flow conditions and stratification were obtained from a bed mounted ADCP and a vertical chain of thermistors on a mooring. During an Autosub mission of 60 h, the vehicle, moving at a speed of ~ 1.2 m s^− 1, completed 10 useable frontal crossings between end points which were allowed to move with the mean flow. The results were combined with parallel measurements of the vertical profile of ε which were made using FLY for periods of up to 13 h at positions along the Autosub track. The two data sets, which show a satisfactory degree of consistency, were combined to elucidate the space–time variation of dissipation in the frontal zone. Using harmonic analysis, the spatial structure of dissipation was separated from the strong time dependent signal at the M₄ tidal frequency to yield a picture of the cross-frontal distribution of energy dissipation. A complementary picture of the frontal velocity field was obtained from a moored ADCP and estimates of the mean velocity derived from the thermal wind using the observed density distribution. which indicated the presence of a strong (0.2 m s^− 1) jet-like flow in the high gradient region of the front. Under neap tidal conditions, mean dissipation varied across the section by 3 orders of magnitude exceeding 10^− 2 W m^− 3 near the seabed in the mixed regime and decreasing to 10^− 5 W m^− 3. in the strongly stratified interior regime. The spatial pattern of dissipation is consistent in general form with the predictions of models of tidal mixing and does not reflect any strong influence by the frontal jet.     

The importance of oceanographic fronts to marine birds and mammals of the southern oceans

During the last 30 years, at-sea studies of seabirds and marine mammals in the oceans south of the Subtropical Front have described an association with major frontal areas. More recently, the advancement in microtechnology has allowed the tracking of individuals and investigations into how these marine predators actually use the frontal zones. In this review, we examine 1) the relative importance to apex predators of the different frontal zones in terms of spatial distribution and carbon flux; 2) the processes that determine their preferential use; and 3) how the mesoscale dynamics of frontal structures drive at-sea foraging strategies of these predators. We review published results from southern waters and place them in a broader context with respect to what has been learned about the importance of fronts in oceans farther north.Some fronts constitute important boundaries for seabird communities in southern waters. At a mesoscale the maximum values of seabird diversity and abundance correspond to the location of the main fronts. At-sea surveys show a strong curvilinear correlation between seabird abundance and sea surface temperatures. High mean species richness and diversity for whales and seabirds are consistently associated with the southern water mass boundary of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, the Subtropical Front and the Subantarctic Front; in the case of the Polar Front mean seabird densities are more variable. At small-scales, variation in seabird occurrence has been directly related to the processes at fronts in a limited number of cases. A significant positive relation was found between some plankton feeding species and frontal temperature gradient–phytoplankton variables.Telemetric studies have revealed that several apex predators (penguins, albatrosses, seals) perform long, directed foraging trips either to the Subtropical front or Polar Front, depending on locality. Seabirds with low flight costs, such as albatrosses, are able to reach fronts at long distances from colonies, showing variable foraging strategies as a function of the distances involved. Diving birds such as King penguins, that travel at a higher cost and lower speed, rely on the predictable spatial distribution of mesopelagic fish found close to the Polar Front. They may use the currents associated with eddies as oceanographic cues in the active search for frontal zones. Once in these areas they dive preferentially in and below the depth of the thermocline where catches per unit effort are high. Elephant seals concentrate foraging activity principally inside or at the boundary of cyclonic eddies. These mesoscale features appear to offer exceptional productivity favourable for foraging by various diving top predators.The connection between biophysical parameters at fronts and predators is likely to be made through biological enhancement. Top predators appear to forage at locations where prey are advected by physical processes and others where prey are produced locally. Long-term research on at-sea distributions and demographic parameters of top predators are essential to assess the consequences of potential shift in front distributions in relation to global warming. Such environmental changes would add to the impact of fish extraction by the industrial fisheries on the southern food webs.     

南海风浪条件下Spar式浮式风机平台的构型及参数

使用WAMIT软件建立了OC3-Hywind Spar式浮式风机模型,联合FAST软件计算了浮式风机在不同工况下的幅值响应算子;结合为南海海域波浪条件优化后的JONSWAP谱,对浮式风机进行了不同工况下的响应谱分析及最大响应值计算;进一步阐述了浮式平台结构构型参数的变化对整体结构在南海相应工况下的运动影响。     

Who Owns Underwater Cultural Heritage in the South China Sea

The South China Sea has attained global attention because of terraria disputes over oil, gas, fisheries and other resources in the sea area. Compared with the valuable natural resources, the underwater cultural heritage is not recognized or considered, but is an important legacy of many losses of vessels over centuries. Recently, the surrounding states in the South China Sea have taken measures to preserve underwater cultural heritage in their sea waters. However, the current complicated situation of the South China Sea intensifies the difficulties of protection of underwater cultural heritagein that area. There is an important and interesting potential issue of identification of ownership of underwater cultural heritage because of differences of legislation and claims to jurisdiction. Under the current information of legislation of some states in the South China Sea, it can be understood this issue cannot be avoid on the protection of underwater cultural heritage. This article discusses potential disputes over ownership of underwater cultural heritage in the South China Sea based on the different legislation of several states (China, Vietnam and Philippines) and proposes some possible suggestions for resolving the issue of ownership, rather than performing a primary research.     

Sea state estimation based on vessel motion responses: Improved smoothness and robustness using Bézier surface and L1 optimization

Floating structures oscillate in waves, where these wave-induced motions may be critical for various marine operations. An important consideration is thereby given to the sea states at the planning and operating stages for an offshore project. The most important information extracted from a sea state is the directional wave spectrum, indicating wave direction, significant wave height, and wave spectrum peak period. Among several available methods of measuring and estimating the directional wave spectrum, the wave buoy analogy technique based on vessel motion responses is an in situ and almost real-time solution without extra costs of devices. If the forms of the wave spectra are not predefined in the estimation, the method is called a nonparametric approach. Its most remarkable advantage is the flexible form, but the smoothness should be regulated. After the discrete Fourier transform has been applied to the measured vessel motions, smoothing is necessary. However, this process results in disturbed vessel cross-spectra and a lowpass characteristic of the windowing function. This paper presents a nonparametric approach for directional wave spectrum estimation based on vessel motion responses. It introduces novel smoothness constraints using Bézier surface and includes a more robust estimate using L1 optimization. Both techniques are applied to the wave buoy analogy for the first time. Numerical simulations are conducted to verify the proposed algorithm.