A 200-ka carbon isotope record from the South China Sea

Stable isotope of autogenous oceanic carbonate (e.g., calcite of foraminiferal shells) has become a basic tracer in paleoceanography. Oxygen isotope composi-tion (δ 18O) is generally controlled by factors, such as ice volume and water temperature, and is…     

Nd isotopic variations and its implications in the recent sediments from the northern South China Sea

The chondrite-normalized REE distribution patterns in recent sediments from the northern South China Sea and surrounding areas are similar, with the HREE values being almost equal to or slightly higher, and the La_N/Lu_N ratio being lower, than PAAS standards. However, samples from the Xijiang River, a major branch of the Pearl River system, show opposite trends, i.e., with slightly lower HREE values and higher La_N/Lu_N ratio than PAAS. The distribution of Nd isotopes in sediments from the northern South China Sea was controlled by the Pearl River and the inshore area of South China, respectively. The volume of ε_Nd(0) from inshore areas of southern China is apparently higher than that from the Pearl River, and ε_Nd(0) values in offshore sediments and Taiwan Island are between these values. The results clearly show that ε_Nd(0) volume in the northeastern South China Sea is higher than in the southwest part of the northern South China Sea, indicating different source rock types. The main source rock of the Pearl River sediment is carbonate types and affects sediment deposition in the southwest of the northern South China Sea, while the source rock in the inshore area of southern China, mainly Mesozoic and Cenozoic granites, contributes to sediments in the northeastern area of the northern South China Sea. Due to different source rock types, the HREE values and the volume of ε_Nd(0) in recent sediments supplied by the inshore area of southern China are higher than those from the Pearl River. Over 80% of the rapidly accumulated sediments on the northern slope of the South China Sea in the southeast of Dongsha Islands area were derived from Taiwan Island and from inshore areas of South China, with only less than 20% from the Pearl River. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40276019, 40238060 and 40621063), and National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB819501)     

南海表面海温异常对南海季风影响的数值模拟

采用P-σ混合坐标系区域气候模式模拟了4－7月南海季风的爆发、演变过程，并进行了3组敏感性数值试验，研究南海表面海温异常对南海季风的影响，得到以下结论：（1）南海4月份海温异常对南海季风的爆发日期影响不大，但对季风爆发后的强度有所影响，异常增温造成南海季风增强，异常降温则南海季风减弱。（2）南海季风爆发和强度的变化与南海本身的海温变化情况有密切的关系，尤其是5月份南海海温异常。5月份南海异常增温可以使南海季风提前爆发，季风增强，南海海温异常降低时，南海季风爆发的时间推迟，季风减弱。（3）南海海温持续异常可以影响南海及中国大陆的高低空环流变化，海温持续异常增温可以使南海季风提前爆发，显地加强南海季风，并有利于南海季风向北推进，但当海温在6月份进一步持续增温时，则有利于季风维持在较南地区，阻碍季风向北发展；当海温持续异常降低时，南海季风推迟爆发，且明显减弱。     

Deep-water Oligocene pollen record from South China Sea

Leg 184 of ODP recovered a record of deepwater sediments spanning the past 32.8 Ma from the South China Sea (SCS). The sediments of the Ofigocene (32.8-23.8 Ma) at Site 1148 contain relatively abundant fossil pollen. The pollen analysis at Site 1148 has established the first pollen assemblage sequence of deep-water Oligocene in the China Sea. The pollen assemblages of the Ofigocene are dominated by montane conifer tree pollen. The abundances of broad-leaved tree pollen are lower in the assemblages.Both of the montane conifer and broad-leaved tree pollen groups include mainly tropical-subtropical components. The pollen of cold and drought-enduring plants is present in lower content. The distinct change in pollen assemblage sequence of deep-water Oligocene of the SCS occurred at 32.0 Ma, indicative of an important shift of the Oligocene climate in the SCS region. The characteristics of the pollen flora of the deep-water Oligocene indicate the tropical montane ralnforest and lowland ralnforest developed on the areas around the SCS before 32.0 Ma, reflecting the warm and wet climatic condition. In the pollen flora of the Oligocene after 32.0 Ma, the temperate montane conifer and cool and drought-en- during deciduous tree taxa remarkably increased, indicating that the climate in the SCS region became comparatively cool and dry.     

Deep sea pollen record during 12－1.6 Ma from the southern South China Sea and its response to envi-ronmental change

Based on deep-sea pollen results (512-76 m) from ODP Site 1143 in the southern South China Sea (SCS),the climate and vegetation evolution sequence on the surrounding islands and the exposed continental shelf are discussed. The pollen records show that the pollen influx was quite low before 8.15 Ma and increased dramatically afterwards. The influx changes can be ascribed,on one side,to tectonics deformations around the southern SCS resulting in rapid uplift of islands and subsequent increase of the sediment rates and pollen influx and on the other side to climate cooling and monsoon enhancement. Around 2.63 Ma was another obvious boundary,the increasing of pollen and spores influx since this time was mainly related to global climate cooling. Spectrum analysis of pollen influx values shows that 2 Ma,0.67 Ma,and 0.19-0.17 Ma cycles existed during 12-3.0 Ma,while 0.1 Ma and 46.9 ka cycles existed during 3.0-2.0 Ma.     

Variability of surface circulation in the South China Sea from satellite altimeter data

11-year satellite altimeter sea surface height （SSH） anomaly data from January 1993 to December 2003 are used to present the dominant spatial patterns and temporal variations of the South China Sea （SCS） surface circulation through Empirical Orthogonal Function （EOF） analysis. The first three EOF modes show the obvious seasonal variations of SSH in the SCS. EOF mode one is generally characterized by a basin-wide circulation. Mode two describes the double-cell basin scale circulation structure. The two cells were located off west of the Luzon Island and southeast of Vietnam, respectively. EOF mode three presents the mesoscale eddy structure in the western SCS, which develops into a strong cyclonic eddy rapidly from July to September. EOF mode one and mode three are also embedded with interannual signals, indicating that the SCS surface circulation variation is influenced by El Nino events prominently. The strong El Nino of 1997/98 obviously changed the SCS circulation structure. This study also shows that there existed a series of mesoscale eddies in the western SCS, and their temporal variation indicates intra-seasonal and interannual signals.     

南海碳的生物地球化学研究进展

简述南海碳的生物地球化学的研究进展,重点介绍国家杰出青年基金课题“南海碳的生物地球化学循环研究-胶体的显著作用”的研究内容,报道了近年来我们在该领域的最新阶段性研究成果。     

Oxygen and carbon isotope records of calcareous nannofossils for the past 1 Ma in the southern South China Sea

Oxygen and carbon isotopic analyses have been carried out on calcareous nannofossils from ODP Site 1143 in the southern South China Sea. The results demonstrate that the δ18O values of calcareous nannofossils for the past 1 Ma vary systematically with those of planktonic and benthic foraminifera from the same site. But the average δ18O value of nannofossils is 1.869‰ higher than that of planktonic foraminifera, and is 3.855‰ lower than that of benthic foarminifera. There are systematic differences between the δ13C values of nannofossils, planktonic foarminifera and benthic foraminifera. The average δ13C of nannofossils is 0.756‰ higher than that of benthic foraminifera, and is 0.460‰ lower than that of planktonic foraminifera. The δ13C values of nannofossils exhibit a significant positive shift beginning near isotope stage 14 and lasting until stage 8. This study also finds that there is a close ralationship between the δ13C of nannofossils and the percentage of Florisphaera profunda. This implies that the δ13C of nannofossils can be used as an indicator of sea water surface paleoproductivity.     

热带海温异常与南海夏季风建立迟早的初步研究

利用NCEP再分析的海表温度场、风场、高度场的格点资料,应用合成和相关分析等方法,初步探讨了热带印度洋和热带太平洋海温异常与南海夏季风建立的关系.研究结果表明,热带印度洋和热带太平洋海温异常在有些年份并不同号,从而对南海夏季风建立迟早的影响并不完全一致.进一步分析表明,热带印度洋和热带太平洋海温异常可能是通过影响热带地区Walker环流建立和加强,进而南海夏季风建立的迟早.     

Heat exchange at air-sea interface in the South China Sea during monsoon periods in 1986

Air-sea interaction is achieved by air-sea interface flux exchange. Therefore, general attention has been paid to connective researches of the air-sea interface flux exchange and the burst of the summer monsoon in the South China Sea. Some preliminary res…     

南海中部表层沉积物中脂肪酸的组成、分布及来源

对5个采自南海中部地区的表层海洋近代沉积物样品的脂肪酸的组成进行了测试．测试结果表明,南海中部近代沉积物中脂肪酸由正构饱和脂肪酸、一元不饱和脂肪酸、多元不饱和脂肪酸及带支链的异构、反异构脂肪酸组成．较高含量的C12：C20短链脂肪酸和较丰富的一元不饱和脂肪酸以及其它细菌标志脂肪酸的出现表明,细菌等海洋微生物是脂肪酸的主要贡献者,海洋浮游生物对南海近代沉积物脂肪酸的贡献仅占次要位置．     

Benthic foraminiferal fauna turnover at 2.1 Ma in the northern South China Sea

Quantitative analysis of benthic foraminifera from ODP Site 1146 in the northern South China Sea (SCS) shows that abundance of Bulimina alazanensis, sometimes up to about 90%, decreased gradually since 3.2 Ma, especially at 2.1 Ma. Abundance of other benthic foraminiferal species, Globobulimina sub-globosa and Cibicidoides wuellerstorfi, increased after 2.1 Ma. Comparison with changes in oxygen and carbon isotopes of planktonic and benthic foraminifera shows that high abundance values of B. alazanensis corresponded with lower values of oxygen isotope, but for carbon isotope, high values of the species were consistent with heavier carbon isotope of benthic foraminifera and lighter carbon isotope of planktonic foraminifera, respectively, and vice versa. Considering factors such as uplift of Bashi Strait, expansion of the North Hemisphere Glaciation, strengthening of East Asian winter mon-soon and variations in oxygen and carbon isotope of foraminifera, changes of B. alazanensis in ODP Site 1146 suggest that the source of deep water masses of the northern South China Sea changed from the warm Pacific deep water with high oxygen content to Pacific Intermediate water with low oxygen content at 2.1 Ma. In addition, the strengthened East Asian winter monsoon resulted in increased pri-mary productivity, high nutrient and suboxic bottom water. Variations in species of B. alazanensis seemed to be unable to tolerate environmental stress induced by deep water masses and productivity changes.     

南海夏季风活动激发的大气遥相关型

北半球夏季,南海地区是全球大气热状况变化最为激烈的区域之一,而南海夏季风则是该地区最为活跃的天气事件,它的演变必将导致其它地区大气环流的响应．通过相关计算、合成分析等手段,揭示与南海夏季风活动相关联的北半球大气遥相关型的存在．该波列状的遥相关型与东亚地区相连,经北太平洋延伸至北美西岸．最高的相关位于西太平洋副热带高压区域,因而它可能对我国旱涝天气产生重要影响．     

Temporal and spatial variabilities of sea surface heights in the northeastern South China Sea

Analyses of sea surface height anomalies (SSHA) from Jan. 1993 to Dec. 2001 measured by TOPEX/Poseidon (T/P) satellite altimetry indicate that there are two energy highs of SSHA fluctuations on both sides of the Luzon Strait. The highs centered at (19.5°N, 119.5°E) and (22.0°N, 124.0°E) respectively, are separated by a low energy band in the Strait. Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis on the "Far Field" suggests that fluctuations of these two areas are mutually independent. EOF analysis on the "Near Field" shows that SSHA oscillation in the northeastern South China Sea (SCS) is dominated by seasonal variations accompanied with significant intra-seasonal and inter-annual fluctuations. Among which, EOFI and EOF2 reflect 66.7% of the total variance. They are both seasonal but showing three months difference in phase. The basic pattern of EOFI appears to be the seasonal SSHA oscillation centered at (18.0°N, 119.0°E) northwest off Luzon Island, which shows maximums (minimums) in August/Septemb     

Spring upper warm water of the Nansha Islands sea area in the South China Sea and the numerical study on its dynamic mechanism

According to the satellite remote sensing monthly mean sea surface temperature data and in situ observational Conductivity-Temperature-Depth data, it is shown that in spring, at the upper layer to the west of Palawan Island, there exists a relatively weak warm water tongue which is distinctly different from the cold water southeast of the Balabac Strait. The relative temperature difference between the warm and cold water reduces gradually from winter to spring. P-vector method is employed to calculate the current field based on the in situ observational data, which shows that the warm water is within an anticyclonic meander. Based on the remote sensing wind stress during the observational period, a coupled single-layer/two-layer model is employed to study the dynamic mechanism of this anticyclonic meander current field corresponding to the warm water tongue. According to the numerical results, it is suggested that this anticyclonic meander could be mainly the residue of the winter anticyclonic eddy, rather than formed by the inflow water from the Sulu Sea via the Balabac Strait.     

Quaternary high-resolution opal record and its paleoproductivity implication at ODP Site 1143,southern South China Sea

The correlation of opal content and MAR with oxygen isotopic records of benthonic foraminifera at Site 1143, southern South China Sea indicates that,since about 900 ka,the increasing opal content and MAR during the interglacial periods is inferred to reflect the bigher surface productivity ,for the intensified summer monsoon during the interglacial periods would result in the enhanced upwelling and nutrient supply,Time-sequence spectral analyses of oxygen isotopic record ,opal content and MAR at intervals of 0-900 ka reveal that the changes of surface productivity were dominantly forced by the variations of the earth orbital cycles.     

南海深水块体搬运沉积体系及其油气勘探意义

依据块体搬运沉积体系的地球物理识别特征,利用最新采集的二维和三维高分辨率地震资料,在南海深水区域的琼东南盆地、白云凹陷和文莱深水地层中发现了块体搬运沉积体系(MTDs);建立典型MTDs的沉积模式,探讨MTDs的深水油气勘探意义.结果表明:MTDs表现为弱振幅和反射杂乱的特点,发育正断层、逆冲断层、挤压脊和褶皱等沉积构造;典型的MTDs可以划分为头部拉张区域、体部滑移—挤压区域和趾部挤压区域3个结构单元;MTDs主要是富泥沉积物,在深水油气勘探中往往充当良好盖层,容易与浊流沉积体系一起形成深水地层圈闭,也有部分MTDs是富砂沉积物,可以成为潜在油气储层.     

Internal solitons in the northern South China Sea from insitu observations

In this paper, we demonstrate the characteristics of strong internal solitons at the southern edge of Dongsha Islands in the northern South China Sea （SCS） during May-June 1998, using in situ time series data from the conductivity temperature depth （CTD）, acoustic Doppler current profiler （ADCP） and thermistor chain. Our measurements indicated that the strongest internal solitons were larger than 90 m in wave amplitude, and propagated approximately westward in traveling direction, with the maximum current speed of about 2 m/s and the period of 10-20 min. The strongest internal solitons occurred noticeably during May 14- 16, 1998, which is consistent with the occurrence period of the diurnal-dominated spring internal tides.