Calcium-alkalinity relationship in the North Pacific

The dissolution of calcium carbonate in deep ocean water causes variation in calcium concentration (Ca) and alkalinity (TA) in the ratio of one to two. The decomposition of organic matter generates nitric acid, phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid. A proton flux which is derived from this process also changes alkalinity. Using the variation in nitrate concentration (NO₃) as an index of the proton flux, the relationship betweenCa,TA andNO₃ is expressed asCa=0.5TA+0.63NO₃ The values of Ca obtained from direct measurements in the North Pacific are in good agreement with the values estimated from this equation.     

Parameterization of the dispersion relation of internal waves using the data of hydrological soundings in the Tropical Atlantic

Dependences have been determined which connect the parameters of the dispersion relation of the lowest mode of internal waves with the integral characteristics of the seasonal thermocline when 10 min30 min, 20 mh150 m, and 0·4 m²/s² Q5·2 m²/s².Translated by Mikhail M. Trufanov.     

Detailed oceanic structure in the vicinity of the shoal Kokusho-sone

The detailed oceanic structure was observed near the shoal Kokusho-sone (3000N, 12830E), which is located near the axis of the Kuroshio in the East China Sea. The detailed temperature cross-sections along the meridian 12830E, which passes over the shoal, strongly suggest that upwelling is forced along the north slope of the shoal. The behavior of the coastal waters near the Kuroshio front and of the cold water belt along the north-western side of the Kuroshio are also discussed.     

Regeneration of silicate in the ocean

Regeneration of silicate in the Japan Sea, an example of semi-closed sea, was studied. In the Japan Sea Proper Water the apparent regenerative ratio of the nutrients was determined to be:O C N P Si=–289 (116)14.3181.It was assumed that the dissolved silicate present in sea water is grouped into three fractions; 1)preformed silicate of conservative nature, 2)oxidative silicate which dissolves in oxidation process of organisms with consumption of oxygen, and 3)non-oxidative silicate which dissolves without oxygen consumption. The dissolution rate ofnon-oxidative silicate in the Japan Sea Proper Water was estimated to be 0.07g-at. Si/l/yr from the data ofAOU values and assumed rates of oxygen consumption. This dissolution rate ofnon-oxidative silicate agreed with that obtained in the deep Pacific by the vertical advection diffusion model byKido andNishimura (1972).     

How does the ocean response to the withdrawal of water from a watergate located at the eastern boundary on a beta-plane?

The formation of the spun up region by the withdrawal of water from a watergate located in the eastern boundary in a homogeneous ocean on a beta-plane at low Rossby number is presented. The spun up region penetrates only westward from the Watergate because of the special character of the generated Rossby waves. The growth rate and the final longitudinal length of the spun up region in the dissipative system is much affected by the watergate scale in the north-south direction.The relation with the experiment ofLong (1952) and the geophysical application are presented.     

Volume transport of the western boundary current penetrating into a marginal sea

The amount of penetration of a western boundary current into a marginal sea which is connected to an open ocean by two narrow straits is estimated from a linear, steady and barotropic theoretical model. In this model the western boundary current in the open ocean is driven by a wind stress imposed at the sea surface. The inflow of the water of the open ocean into the marginal sea is caused by the pressure difference between two straits produced by the wind-driven circulation in the open ocean.Main external parameters are combined into two non-dimensional parameters; and (the ratio of the depth of the marginal sea to that of the open ocean), whereb is the distance between north and south boundaries of the ocean,D ₀ is the depth of the open ocean, is the latitudinal variation of the Coriolis parameter andR is the coefficient of friction. The friction is assumed to be proportional to the flow velocity.In the limit of infinite the volume transport into the marginal sea is not affected by the width of two straits and . It is mainly controlled by the wind stress and the positions of two straits. For finite values of , however, the volume transport depends considerably on and the width of the straits.Guided by both this model and physical considerations, we obtained a relation between the volume transport into the marginal sea and the external parameters. This relation predicts that about 2 % of the volume transport of the Kuroshio penetrates into the Japan Sea.     

Glacial to Holoceneδ 13C variations in intermediate depth water masses of North Indian Ocean

The ¹⁸O and ¹³C compositions of glacial- to Holocene-aged benthic foraminifera in a core collected from the eastern Arabian sea (water depth 1230 m) were determined to investigate glacial—interglacial variations in the intermediate depth water chemistry of the North Indian Ocean. In addition, we determined the ¹³C composition of Holocene benthic foraminifera from seven cores for which the ¹⁸O and ¹³C of benthic foraminifera from last glacial maximum (LGM) were reported by Kallel et al. (1988). The ¹³C_DIC in the intermediate waters was generally depleted by 0.3–0.4 during the last glacial maximum compared to Holocene.     

Radiation balance and heat budget at the ocean/atmosphere interface in the western North Pacific

The downward short- and long-wave radiation fluxes at the sea surface (S, L) were measured aboard the R/VHakuho Maru, University of Tokyo, for the period of 117 days on six cruises from 1981 to 1985 in the western North Pacific near Japan. The upward fluxes of short- and long-wave radiation (S, L) were calculated by Payne's (1972) table and the Stefan-Boltzmann's law, respectively. The sensible and laten heat fluxes (Q _h ,Q _e ) were also estimated from an aerodynamic bulk method.From April to August, the daily mean value ofS varied with the amplitude of 100200 Wm^–2. The value ofS was estimated approximately 6% ofS in all seasons. The difference betweenL andL was so small that the net radiation flux (Q _n ) was dominated byS. In addition, the net heat flux at the sea surface was also dominated byS due to small values ofQ _h andQ _e , and then the ocean was warmed at the rate of 111 Wm^–2 in April and 63 Wm^–2 in August in the Oyashio Area, and 132 Wm^–2 in May and 164 Wm^–2 in June in the Kuroshio Area, respectively.From September to March, a remarkable negative correlation between the day to day variation ofS and that ofL was observed except when an intense cold air outbreak occurred. It was found that the correlation was caused by the cloud climatological feature of the western North Pacific in this period.S was not a dominant factor in the net heat flux. The value ofQ _h +Q _e in the Kuroshio Area ranged from 260 Wm^–2 to 630 Wm^–2, much larger thanQ _n which ranged from –8 Wm^–2 to 92 Wm^–2 in the leg mean values (each leg period was about 10 days). Then the ocean was cooled at the rate of –160–620 Wm^–2 during this period. The net heat flux in the Kuroshio Area averaged over five legs from late November to February was –473 Wm^–2. This value is 50100% larger than the climatological values reported so far.The temporal and spatial variability of radiation fluxes and heat fluxes during each leg was also discussed.     

Bispectra of spike-array type time series and their application to the analysis of oceanic microstructures

Bispectral analysis is applied to records of the vertical profile of the vertical temperature gradient in the oceanic thermocline in the San Diego Trough. The bispectra exhibit three notable features; (1) bispectral peaks at the points (0.2 m^–1, 0.2 m^–1) and (0.2 m^–1, 0.1 m^–1), (2) bispectral ridges along the lines ( ₁= ₀, ₂= ₀ and ₁+ ₂= ₀ corresponding to peak wavenumbers ₀ in power spectra, and (3) array of bispectral peaks of interval of 0.2 m^–1 The results are compared with the bispectra of several modeled time series of spike-array type. The periodicity of 5 m found in the records seems to have two meanings: spacing of predominant spikes and wavelength of predominant sinusoidal wave. If this indicates the existence of internal waves having a vertical wavelength the same as the scale of homogeneous layers, it would suggest the possible importance of internal waves in the formation and maintenance mechanisms of oceanic microstructure.     

The chemical states of iron in marine sediments by means of Mössbauer spectroscopy in combination with chemical leachings

The chemical states of iron in near-shore and deep-sea sediments were investigated by means of⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy in combination with selective and nonselective chemical leachings. As far as a limited number of the sediments analyzed are concerned, Mössbauer spectra of near-shore sediments consist of high-spin paramgnetic ferrous (=1.13 mm/s, Eq=2.65 mm/s) and paramagnetic ferric (=0.35 mm/s, Eq=0.64 mm/s) components, while those of deep-sea sediments are composed of high-spin paramagnetic ferrous, paramagnetic ferrous, paramagnetic ferric and magnetic ferric (0.4 mm/s,H510 KG) components. The Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ ratios of deepsea sediments are much smaller than those in near-shore sediments, while the total contents of iron in the former are much higher than those in the latter. This is principally due to the high contents of authigenic ferric oxides in deep-sea sediments. Further, in the aluminosilicate fraction, the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ ratios of deep-sea sediments are also smaller than those of near-shore sediments. This is probably attributed to high contents of clay minerals and authigenic aluminosilicates in deep-sea sediments relative to near-shore ones. The magnetic components in deepsea sediments are attributable to hematite, magnetite and/or maghemite.     

Observations of upwelling around the Izu Peninsula,Japan: May 1982

Hydrographic observations between the Izu Peninsula and Oshima Island, Japan, in May 1982, showed upwelling around the tip of the Peninsula and possibly also in the lee of Oshima Island. The upwelling introduced water as cold as 18 C with nitrate concentrations of 3M to the surface. Temperature/salinity analyses indicated that the upwelled water was of Kuroshio characteristics. Slightly fresher water was advected out of Sagami Bay in a coastal counter current.Contribution number 470 from the Shimoda Marine Research Center, University of Tsukuba.     

Mean Vertical Distribution of the Dissipation Rate of Turbulent Energy in the Black Sea. Comparison with the Existing Models

We compare the results obtained by using theoretical and semiempirical models developed for the evaluation of the dissipation rate of turbulent energy in a stratified ocean with independent distribution of this quantity established by the authors for the active layer of the Black Sea (50–300 m) by using a one-dimensional model taking into account the balance of heat, salt, and fluid inside the layer. It is shown that, in a layer with gradual variation of the Väisälä–Brunt frequency N as a function of depth, the predominant sink of the energy of motion into dissipation N ² is ensured by the flow of energy through the spectrum of internal waves toward low frequencies and small vertical scales. On the contrary, in layers with abrupt drops of density as a function of depth (layers with jumps of density), an important role is played by the interface-type waves and the dependence of on N transforms into N .     

Dissolved carbon and 33-133-133-1anomalies in the water column caused by hydrocarbon seeps on the northwestern Gulf of Mexico slope

Alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), and ¹³C profiles from seep sites on the northwestern Gulf of Mexico upper slope show anomalously negative ¹³C values of up to –4.5 PDB, increased levels of DIC of up to 2.45 mmole/liter, and slight alkalinity rises of up to 2.54 meq/liter, relative to water column profiles from a seep-free site (0.63, 2.04 mmole/liter, and 2.39 meq/liter). The observed DIC enrichments coupled with the¹³C-depletions are attributed to the release of CO₂ by microbial oxidation of crude oil in the seep environment, and its migration into the water column. The ¹³C composition of the migrating CO₂ is estimated to be –26.0 on the basis of dissolved carbon inventory. Manifestation of DIC and ¹³C anomalies in the water column caused by hydrocarbon seepage holds promise to be useful for hydrocarbon reconnaissance surveys over large offshore tracts on account of the simplicity of sampling acquisition, and rapidity of analytical techniques in the laboratory.     

The evolution of isolated vortices interacted with steep slope

Numerical solutions are examined for isolated, intense vortices as influenced by western bounding bottom topography through the use of a rigid-lid, two-layer primitive -plane numerical model. Systematic studies are made of the sense of rotation (cyclonic/anticyclonic), the consequence of varying the gradient of bottom slope, and the different vertical shear in a two layer ocean. In the basin with a bottom slope, the nearly barotropic anticyclonic vortex forms a modon-like vortex for S with fixedRo ₂<O(1) (where is the ratio between the variation of the Coriolis parameter across the eddy to the Coriolis parameter in the center, S the topographic effect and,Ro ₂ the Rossby number in the lower layer) and its generation is due to a compound effect of the planetary beta, topographic beta, avvection, and mirror image. The formation of the modon-like vortex and the propagation of the original vortex onto the bottom slope depends on the strength of slope gradient and the baroclinicity of the vortex. The nearly barotropic anticyclonic vortex evolves into the stronger upper ocean one with increasing S: the gradient of the bottom slope becomes steeper. Then the original vortex lives longer because the barotropic component of the energy is converted to the baroclinic one and it moves toward southeast in forming a modon-like vortex in the lower layer. The evolution of a vortex in the model results are compared to observational results of a Kuroshio warm core ring (KWCR) obtained from hydrographic data (June, 1985) and from NOAA satellite infrared images (April, 1985 to July, 1985). It is shown that a KWCR (June, 1985) is influenced by the western continental slope/shelf of the East Japan.     

Differential sorption of organic matter by various sized sediment particles in recent sediment from the bering sea

A recent unconsolidated marine sediment collected from the Aleutian basin of the Bering Sea (5702.9N, 17657.4W) was separated into eight size fractions by sieving. Each of the fractions was analyzed for density, organic carbon, total nitrogen and various organic materials. A detailed analysis of the correlation of organic carbon and total nitrogen to the mean diameter of the particles separated, indicated that the surface sorption processes of organic matter were the determinative factor controlling the concentration of organic carbon and total nitrogen on silt and clay particles of the sediments.Selective sorption of amino acids was found to occur in the 8–20 and 5–8m. fractions of the sediment. This is assumed to be due to their surface active property.     

Encystment ofChattonella antiqua in laboratory cultures

Cysts ofChattonella antiqua (Raphidophyceae) were obtained in laboratory cultures for the first time. They were formed on the surface of glass coverslips added to both P- and N- depleted mediums. The yield was 50–250 cysts cm^–2. Crossing experiments showed the highest cyst production in mixed cultures, although cysts were observed in clonal cultures as well. Cysts had approximately double the DNA content of synchronously growing vegetative cells (G₁ phase). The encystment process was also monitored: Under P-depleted conditions, small cells were formed that fused to become a triangle-shaped cell which in turn changed into a cyst.These results strongly suggest that cysts are the products of fusion and are diploid. Small cells, triangle-shaped cells, and cysts are considered to be gametes, planozygotes, and hypnozygotes, respectively. Significant mortality was observed in laboratory cysts stored in the cold and dark for five months, although those remaining were capable of germination to reestablish a motile, vegetative population.     

Formation of the vertical salinity profile in the Black Sea

The vertical distribution of salts brought by the Bosphorus undercurrent is numerically evaluated. By multiplying the average vertical salinity gradient by the diffusion coefficient,K _z , and the cross-section of the sea at the appropriate depth, we can determine the total vertical salt flux,Q(z). The derivative ofQ with respect toz depicts the salt source intensity distribution over depth. The highest intensity, Q/z, matches the 200 m depth level, i.e. the shelf edge. Below 1500 m, Q/z equals merely 0.1% of the value observed at a depth of 200 m. Above 37 m, salts are noted to sink, which corresponds to their outflow with the Bosphorus current. The distribution of Q/z and the respective values of mineral phosphorus and hydrogen sulphide are matched up.Translated by Vladimir A. Puchkin.     

Chlorofluorocarbons in the western North Pacific in 1993 and formation of North Pacific intermediate water

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC-11 and CFC-12) in the intermediate water having between 26.4 and 27.2 were determined at 75 stations in the western North Pacific north of 20°N and west of 175.5°E in 1993. The intermediate water of 26.4–26.6 was almost saturated with respect to the present atmospheric CFC-11 in the zone between 35 and 45°N around the subarctic front. Furthermore, the ratios of CFC-11/CFC-12 of the water were also of those formed after 1975. These suggest that the upper intermediate water (26.4–26.6) was recently formed by cooling and sinking of the surface water not by mixing with old waters. The water below the isopycnal surface of 26.8 contained less CFCs and the area containing higher CFCs around the subarctic front was greatly reduced. However, the CFC age of the lower intermediate water (26.8–27.2) in the zone around the subarctic front was not old, suggesting that the water was formed by diapycnal mixing of the water ventilated with the atmosphere with old waters not containing appreciable CFCs, probably the Pacific Deep Water. The southward spreading rate decreased with depth and it was one sixth of its eastward spreading rate of the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW).     

Dilution of North Pacific Intermediate Water studied with chlorofluorocarbons

Assessment was made of residual ratio of North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) produced in subpolar region of the North Pacific using chlorofluorocarbons, CFC-11 and CFC-12 (CCl₃F and CCl₂F₂), along 175°E. NPIW on density horizons less than 26.80 remained more than 80% north of 30°N. It was suggested that new NPIW laterally spreads over the northern North Pacific without hardly being diluted by the surroundings. For density horizons greater than 26.80 north of 30°N, NPIW remained less than 60%. The difference in the residual ratio between <26.80 and >26.80 north of 30°N suggests that NPIW is produced on density horizons less than 26.80, which contacts the atmosphere in the subpolar region, and that NPIW is diluted by upwelling deep water on density horizons greater than 26.80 in high latitude of the North Pacific. NPIW on a density horizon of 26.80 remained about 50% south of 30°N. The decrease in the horizontal distribution of the residual ratio of NPIW suggests that half the new NPIW produced in the subpolar region is laterally spread over the North Pacific with the southward movement of NPIW.     

Some remarks on the spectrum of rapid-changing random data in the ocean

Spectral characteristics of rapid-changing random data in the ocean are discussed. Analysis shows that, if records are approximated by saw-toothed random series ₁ and step series ₂, ₁ and ₂ generally have spectral ranges of the –4th power and –2nd power, respectively, with respect to frequency (or wave number).