Fronts in Large Marine Ecosystems

Oceanic fronts shape marine ecosystems; therefore front mapping and characterization are among the most important aspects of physical oceanography. Here we report on the first global remote sensing survey of fronts in the Large Marine Ecosystems (LME). This survey is based on a unique frontal data archive assembled at the University of Rhode Island. Thermal fronts were automatically derived with the edge detection algorithm of (Cayula and Cornillon, 1992), (Cayula and Cornillon, 1995) and (Cayula and Cornillon, 1996) from 12 years of twice-daily, global, 9-km resolution satellite sea surface temperature (SST) fields to produce synoptic (nearly instantaneous) frontal maps, and to compute the long-term mean frequency of occurrence of SST fronts and their gradients. These synoptic and long-term maps were used to identify major quasi-stationary fronts and to derive provisional frontal distribution maps for all LMEs. Since SST fronts are typically collocated with fronts in other water properties such as salinity, density and chlorophyll, digital frontal paths from SST frontal maps can be used in studies of physical–biological correlations at fronts. Frontal patterns in several exemplary LMEs are described and compared, including those for: the East and West Bering Sea LMEs, Sea of Okhotsk LME, East China Sea LME, Yellow Sea LME, North Sea LME, East and West Greenland Shelf LMEs, Newfoundland–Labrador Shelf LME, Northeast and Southeast US Continental Shelf LMEs, Gulf of Mexico LME, and Patagonian Shelf LME. Seasonal evolution of frontal patterns in major upwelling zones reveals an order-of-magnitude growth of frontal scales from summer to winter. A classification of LMEs with regard to the origin and physics of their respective dominant fronts is presented. The proposed classification lends itself to comparative studies of frontal ecosystems.     

AMSR-E sea surface temperature (SST) charts enhancement

Microwave satellite images used for retrieving sea surface temperatures often have such distortions as noise and blurring of the thermal fronts. An image processing approach based on the Mumford-Shah model of optimal image approximation is considered for the solution to this problem. We divide images into flat areas and frontal zones, and then process these areas separately. Image fragmentation is based on automatic detection of the thermal front lines. SST enhancement in frontal zones is achieved by using image deconvolution methods. It has been shown that SST errors in high gradient areas reach 1–3 °C. The proposed approach can decrease this discrepancy.     

基于阈值区间的海洋锋面提取模型

A model （Bayesian oceanic front detection, BOFD） of sea surface temperature （SST） front detection in satel- lite-derived SST images based on a threshold interval is presented, to be used in different applications such as climatic and environmental studies or fisheries. The model first computes the SST gradient by using a Sobel algorithm template. On the basis of the gradient value, the threshold interval is determined by a gradi- ent cumulative histogram. According to this threshold interval, front candidates can be acquired and prior probability and likelihood can be calculated. Whether or not the candidates are front points can be deter- mined by using the Bayesian decision theory. The model is evaluated on the Advanced Very High-Resolution Radiometer images of part of the Kuroshio front region. Results are compared with those obtained by using several SST front detection methods proposed in the literature. This comparison shows that the BOFD not only suppresses noise and small-scale fronts, but also retains continuous fronts.     

南黄海西北部夏季潮锋的观测和分析

根据2001-2004年逐年6月多学科综合调查资料和同期NASA的MODIS/Terra卫星遥感SST资料,对南黄海西北部夏季潮锋的不连续分布现象做了分析;并通过三维潮流数值模式计算Simpson-Hunter参数(以下简称S-H参数)分布,对不连续分布的形成机制做了讨论.层化季节南黄海西北部的苏北浅滩-海州湾外侧和山东半岛东部的成山头-石岛外海存在显著潮锋现象,而在两海域之间、青岛以东的山东半岛南部121°~122°E的近岸海域无显著潮锋持续存在;较高分辨率的潮流数值模拟的结果表明潮锋的不连续性分布主要是由潮混合和地形的共同作用而形成.潮锋不连续处海域潮混合较弱,层化现象更为显著.南黄海西北部底层锋形态较为显著,位于通过潮流模式计算的Simpson-Hunter参数1.8~2.4之间,与2.2等值线分布较为一致;表层锋则在海州湾外侧和石岛沿岸海域较为明显.潮锋不连续的分布特征对该海域的生态环境造成一定的影响,叶绿素a、中华哲水蚤、鳀鱼卵子等的数量分布都在潮锋显著的苏北浅滩-海州湾外侧和成山头-石岛外海海域形成较为密集的分布.     

基于Sentinel-2 MSI影像与面向对象相结合的红树林树种精细化分类方法研究

红树林是最典型的滨海生态系统之一，红树林种间类型的精确识别对于红树林生态系统保护、修复及碳储量评估具有重要意义。遥感是开展红树林种间类型识别的有效手段，但传统的遥感红树林分类方法多是基于像元开展的，分类结果“椒盐”现象严重且精度还有很大提升空间。因此，本研究以东寨港红树林保护区为例，基于Sentinel-2 MSI影像，在传统遥感分类方法的基础上引入图像分割技术，分别构建了面向对象的支持向量机（Support Vector Machine,SVM）和随机森林（Random Forest,RF）分类法，并在此基础上对各模型的分类精度和适用性进行了分析。模型对比结果表明：（1）图像分割技术的引入能有效改善分类结果的“椒盐”现象，提升红树林种间类型的识别精度，基于像元使用SVM和RF分类算法总体分类精度分别可达78.82%(Kappa=0.75)和82.94%(Kappa=0.82)，面向对象的SVM和RF模型分类总体精度分别可达81.5%(Kappa=0.78)和92.67%(Kappa=0.88)，相较于以像元为分类对象的模型而言，后者精度分别提高了2.68%和7.43%;(2)从4个模...     

基于海色融合数据的东海黑潮锋面检测研究

海洋锋是典型的海洋中尺度现象之一。目前卫星遥感主要利用海表温度数据分析海洋锋,但由于西北太平洋海域夏季海表温度的趋同特性,不能进行有效的锋面监测;而不同水团所具有的生物光学特性往往是不同的,且不具有太阳辐射引起的显著性季节变化,因此海色资料也成为检测海洋锋的有效数据源。文中以东海黑潮为例,详细说明了基于叶绿素a浓度融合数据,采用梯度法进行海洋锋面检测的过程,通过比较不同季节不同梯度阈值得到的东海黑潮锋结果,从保持锋面的完整性及对零碎锋区的剔除效应方面,选取了不同季节较优的梯度阈值。总体来说,文中检测出的东海黑潮区域海色锋与海流黑潮强流区较吻合,12月至4月东海黑潮海色锋检测结果不如海温锋,而5-11月东海黑潮海色锋检测结果优于海温锋,特别是台湾以东黑潮区域,不论什么季节海温锋都没有体现,而海色锋始终很明显。利用文中提出的海洋锋检测算法、分析方法及选择的梯度阈值可以有效地检测东海黑潮区域的海洋锋面,结合海色锋和海温锋,可以监测分析东海黑潮强流区的时空变化。     

Numerical study of tidal front with varying sharpness in spring and neap tidal cycle

The temporal variation of tidal-front sharpness (i.e., the maximal gradient of sea surface temperature (SST)) in Iyo-Nada, Japan has been investigated using SST obtained by a commercial ferryboat. Tidal-front sharpness varies in time with a period of 15 days. A numerical model approach was also adopted to investigate the temporal variation of frontal sharpness. The numerical model, which contains a restoring term to express the tidal front reconstructed fortnightly by tides, reproduces the tidal front accompanied by growing and/or decaying frontal waves. The amplitude of modeled frontal sharpness agrees well with the observation. The amplitude of sharpness is much smaller than the observed value, unless frontal waves develop along the modeled front. This therefore implies that tidal fronts are destroyed mainly due to growing frontal waves, and are restored fortnightly at spring tides. We quantitatively evaluated the subsurface intrusion of seawater into the stratified region from the mixed region by conducting passive-tracer experiments. We find that the cross-frontal transport with frontal waves is 4.9 times larger than that without frontal waves. In addition, the cross-frontal transport reaches a long distance (about 25 km) because of heton (mushroom)-type eddies developing along the front with frontal waves.     

A global analysis of multi-mode sea surface temperature pattern

1 IntroductionThe variability of the air -sea system orches-trates a complex climate system of our earth, andthis variability gives rise to an array of naturally oc-curring dynamical modes at different time scales.These modes are important attributes of c…     

Spatial and Temporal Scale Variations of Sea Surface Temperature in the East Sea Using NOAA/AVHRR Data

Sea surface temperature fields in the East Sea are composed of various spatial structures such as eddies, fronts, filaments, turbulent-like features and other mesoscale variations associated with the oceanic circulations of the East Sea. These complex SST structures have many spatial scales and evole with time. Semi-monthly averaged SST distributions based on extensive satellite observations of SSTs from 1990 through 1995 were constructed to examine the characteristics of their spatial and temporal scale variations by using statistical methods of multi-dimensional autocorrelation functions and spectral analysis. Two-dimensional autocorrelation functions in the central part of the East Sea revealed that most of the spatial SST structures are anisotropic in the shape of ellipsoids with minor axes of about 90–290 km and major axes of 100–400 km. Two dimensional spatial scale analysis demonstrated a consistent pattern of seasonal variation that the scales appear small in winter and spring, increase gradually to summer, and then decrease again until the spring of the next year. These structures also show great spatial inhomogeneity and rapid temporal change on time scales as short as a semi-month in some cases. The slopes in spectral energy density spectra of SSTs show characteristics quite similar to horizontal and geostrophic turbulence. Temporal spectra at each latitude are demonstrated by predominant peaks of one and two cycles per year in all regions of the East Sea, implying that SSTs present very strong annual and semi-annual variations. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

东海海洋锋分类的初步探讨

基于笔者近年来对海洋锋的研究（１９９０；１９９２；１９９５）［１，５～７］，本文初次探讨了东海海洋锋的分类问题。同时，对各类海洋锋的海洋学特征及其形成机理做了分析比较。并给出了各种海洋锋的垂直结构模式图。     

Frequent locations of oceanic fronts as an indicator of pelagic diversity: Application to marine protected areas and renewables

Frequent locations of thermal fronts in UK shelf seas were identified using an archive of 30,000 satellite images acquired between 1999 and 2008, and applied as a proxy for pelagic diversity in the designation of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). Networks of MPAs are required for conservation of critical marine habitats within Europe, and there are similar initiatives worldwide. Many pelagic biodiversity hotspots are related to fronts, for example cetaceans and basking sharks around the Isle of Man, Hebrides and Cornwall, and hence remote sensing can address this policy need in regions with insufficient species distribution data. This is the first study of UK Continental Shelf front locations to use a 10-year archive of full-resolution (1.1 km) AVHRR data, revealing new aspects of their spatial and seasonal variability. Frontal locations determined at sea or predicted by ocean models agreed closely with the new frequent front maps, which also identified many additional frontal zones. These front maps were among the most widely used datasets in the recommendation of UK MPAs, and would be applicable to other geographic regions and to other policy drivers such as facilitating the deployment of offshore renewable energy devices with minimal environmental impact.     

Variations of oceanic fronts and their influence on the fishing grounds of Ommastrephes bartramii in the Northwest Pacific

Two predominant currents, the warm Kuroshio Current and the cold Oyashio Current, meet in the Northwest Pacific Ocean. The dynamics of physical oceanographic structures in this region, including frontal zones and meandering eddies, result in a highly productive habitat that serves as a favorable feeding ground for various commercially important species. Neon flying squid, Ommastrephes bartramii, is an important oceanic squid, which is widely distributed in the North Pacific Ocean. Based on the catch data collected by Chinese squid jigging fleets and relevant environmental data, including sea surface temperature(SST) and fronts(represented by gradients of SST and thermocline) during 1998–2009, the variations of oceanic fronts and their influence on the fishing grounds of O. bartramii were evaluated, and the differences in distribution of fishing grounds of O. bartramii in 2000 and 2002 were compared by describing the differences in vertical temperature between 0–300 m. It was found that the preferred horizontal temperature gradient of SST for O. bartramii tended to be centered at 0.01–0.02°C/nm, which attracted nearly 80% of the total fishing effort, and the preferred horizontal temperature gradients at the 50 m and 105 m layers were mainly located at 0.01–0.03°C/nm, which accounted for more than 70% of the total fishing effort during August–October. The preferred vertical temperature gradient within the 0–50 m layer for O. bartramii tended to be centered at 0.15–0.25°C/m during August and September and at 0.10–0.15°C/m in October, implying that the mixed surface layer was distributed at depths of 0–50 m. It was concluded that the vertical temperature gradient was more important than the horizontal temperature gradient in playing a role in forming the fishing ground. The results improved our understanding of the spatial dynamics of the O. bartramii fishery.     

Generating time-series grid data of sea surface temperature from isotherms in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean using coupled interpolation

Sea surface temperature (SST) isoline charts that were manually mapped using in situ SST data and satellite-derived SST data are valuable because they incorporate oceanographers’ knowledge and experience. This type of SST data is useful for studying sea conditions of an area, for analyzing environmental factors that could affect fishing grounds, as a parameter for atmospheric or oceanic models, or as a diagnostic tool for comparison with the SSTs produced by ocean models. However, isoline maps must be digitized and interpolated into grid data in order to be used in these applications. Herein, we propose a coupled interpolation (CI), which couples improved multi-section interpolation and single-point change surface interpolation containing orientation, for generating grid data from SST isolines. We interpolated 1049 SST isoline maps (temperature interval 1°), which cover an area of the northwestern Pacific Ocean (125°E–180°E, 26°N–50°N) and were published by the Japan Fisheries Information Service Center (JAFIC) during 1990–2000, to grid datasets with 15′ grid resolution. We assessed the quality of grid datasets by checking noise points, RMSE analysis, checking offset errors, retrieving percentage of Kuroshio axes and visually comparing inverse isotherms with original isotherms. The quality analysis and comparison with four other interpolators showed the CI interpolator to be a good technique for generating SST grid data from isotherms. We also computed the SST anomaly (SSTA) using the SST grid datasets. The amplitude values of integral SSTA in the area of 31–46°N, 170–180°E were low, whereas they were high in the SW–NE rectangular area of 35–46°N, 142–160°E.     

东海对台风云娜的海洋响应

Many typhoons pass through the East China Sea(ECS) and the oceanic responses to typhoons on the ECS shelf are very energetic. However, these responses are not well studied because of the complicated background oceanic environment. The sea surface temperature(SST) response to a severe Typhoon Rananim in August 2004 on the ECS shelf was observed by the merged cloud-penetrating microwave and infrared SST data. The observed SST response shows an extensive SST cooling with a maximum cooling of 3°C on the ECS shelf and the SST cooling lags the typhoon by about one day. A numerical model is designed to simulate the oceanic responses to Rananim.The numerical model reasonably simulates the observed SST response and thereby provides a more comprehensive investigation on the oceanic temperature and current responses. The simulation shows that Rananim deepens the ocean mix layer by more than 10 m on the ECS shelf and causes a cooling in the whole mixed layer. Both upwelling and entrainment are responsible for the cooling. Rananim significantly deforms the background Taiwan Warm Current on the ECS shelf and generates strong Ekman current at the surface. After the typhoon disappears, the surface current rotates clockwise and vertically, the current is featured by near inertial oscillation with upward propagating phase.     

Seasonal and interannual variations of the field of sea-surface temperature in the southwest Atlantic according to the data of satellite and contact measurements

We study the seasonal and interannual variations of the field of sea-surface temperature (SST) in the Southwest Atlantic on the basis of the analysis of three data arrays, namely, the Levitus-Boyer-1994 hydrological array, the WOD-98 actual database, and the data of satellite measurements of SST. We perform the comparative analysis of the amplitude-phase characteristics of the annual course of the SST field and discuss the distinctive features of its seasonal and interannual variations. It is shown that the results obtained by using different data arrays are in good agreement. The values of the coefficient of linear correlation are equal to 0.7–0.9. It is discovered that the maximum seasonal variations of SST are observed in the zone of confluence of the Falkland and Brasil Currents in the vicinities of the South Subtropical and Antarctic Polar fronts. The minimum seasonal variations are recorded in the Antarctic region and in the Weddell Sea. The satellite data demonstrate that the level of interannual variability is high in the zones of climatic fronts. __________ Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 5, pp. 62–76, September–October, 2006.     

A case study of internal solitary wave propagation during ASIAEX 2001

During the recent Asian Seas International Acoustics Experiment (ASIAEX), extensive current meter moorings were deployed around the continental shelf-break area in the northeastern South China Sea. Thirteen RADARSAT SAR images were collected during the field test to integrate with the in situ measurements from the moorings, ship-board sensors, and conductivity/temperatire/depth (CTD) casts. Besides providing a synoptic view of the entire region, satellite imagery is very useful for tracking the internal waves, locating surface fronts, and identifying mesoscale features. During ASIAEX in May 2001, many large internal waves were observed at the test area and were the major oceanic features studied for acoustic volume interaction. Based on the internal wave distribution maps compiled from satellite data, the wave crests can be as long as 200 km with an amplitude of 100 m. Environmental parameters have been calculated based on extensive CTD casts data near the ASIAEX area. Nonlinear internal wave models have been applied to integrate and assimilate both synthetic aperture radar (SAR) and mooring data. Using SAR data in deep water as an initial condition, numerical simulations produced the wave evolution on the continental shelf and compared reasonably well with the mooring measurements at the downstream station. The shoaling, turning, and dissipation of large internal waves at the shelf break have been studied and are very important issues for acoustic propagation.     

Impact of the winter cooling on the variability of the thermohaline characteristics of the active layer in the Black Sea

The influence of the winter atmospheric forcing on the interannual variability of the Black Sea’s active layer’s thermohaline structure during 1982–2008 is investigated. The results are based on the combined analysis of the hydrological measurements from a ship, satellite measurements of the sea’s surface temperature (SST), and the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data for the surface air temperature (SAT). A high correlation between the variability of the winter mean SST/SAT and the thermohaline characteristics of the active layer during the following warm season was found. It is shown that the winter atmospheric forcing significantly affects the variability of the temperature, salinity, and density down to the 150–200 m depth, and this has to be considered in the analysis of the interannual and long-term variability of the Black Sea’s active layer.     

Algorithm of automated recognition of oceanic temperature fronts

The recognition of fronts when describing the ocean’s circulation has been long appreciated. The advent of satellite oceanography led to developing methods for automated front detection using satellite composite SST data. In this work, we present an algorithm for front detection based on gradients-isotherms analysis. The algorithm detects a front as a sequence of isotherms having some special characteristics. This approach makes it possible to detect individual fronts (for instance, a slope water edge or the northern edge of the Gulf Stream) directly without preliminary detection of all the fronts in the system. The algorithm combines simplicity of implementation and high computational efficiency with good accuracy and high reliability.     

Seasonal variation in the three-dimensional structures of coastal thermal front off western Guangdong

The seasonal structure and dynamic mechanism of oceanic surface thermal fronts(STFs) along the western Guangdong coast over the northern South China Sea shelf were analyzed using in situ observational data, remote sensing data, and numerical simulations. Both in situ and satellite observations show that the coastal thermal front exhibits substantial seasonal variability, being strongest in winter when it has the greatest extent and strongest sea surface temperature gradient. The winter coastal thermal front begins to appear in November and disappears after the following April. Although runoff water is more plentiful in summer, the front is weak in the western part of Guangdong. The frontal intensity has a significant positive correlation with the coastal wind speed,while the change of temperature gradient after September lags somewhat relative to the alongshore wind. The numerical simulation results accurately reflect the seasonal variation and annual cycle characteristics of the frontal structure in the simulated area. Based on vertical cross-section data, the different frontal lifecycles of the two sides of the Zhujiang(Pearl) River Estuary are analyzed.     

风应力桥梁作用下热带太平洋和热带印度洋相互作用的数值试验

利用中等复杂程度全球热带大气和热带海洋模式的数值试验,模拟分析了热带太平洋和热带印度洋通过风应力桥梁的相互作用过程.利用NCEP再分析的1958～1998年SST强迫大气模式得到的风应力与NCEP再分析的同期热通量共同驱动海洋模式,作为控制试验;和控制试验平行,但强迫大气模式的SST在某一海盆取为多年气候平均值的试验作为敏感性试验.比较控制试验与敏感性试验模拟的SST变率,揭示了热带某海盆SST异常通过风应力桥梁作用对其他海盆SST的影响及其过程.数值试验结果表明:热带某海盆SST暖(冷)异常一般总是引起该海盆上空西部西(东)风异常和东部东(西)风异常;热带太平洋SST暖(冷)异常导致年际尺度上印度洋上空东(西)风异常和年代际尺度上热带印度洋风场辐散(合),该风应力导致热带印度洋年际SST暖(冷)异常以及年代际SST冷(暖)异常,但这种异常均较弱;热带印度洋SST暖(冷)异常导致热带太平洋上空东(西)风异常,该风应力异常在年际和年代际尺度上均导致热带太平洋SST冷(暖)异常,但年代际尺度上异常更明显.考虑到热带印度洋SSTA受热带太平洋SSTA影响大,并且热带太平洋SST暖(冷)异常主要通过表面热通量导致热带印度洋SST变暖(冷)的观测事实,文中揭示的热带印度洋SST暖(冷)异常通过风应力桥梁作用导致热带太平洋SST冷(暖)异常的结果表明,热带印度洋SSTA对于热带太平洋SSTA主要起着一种负反馈作用,并且这种负反馈作用在年代际尺度上更为明显.