A preliminary study of variations of the Changjiang Diluted Water between August of 1999 and 2006

A large area hypoxia has been already reported respectively by two interdisciplinary surveys off the Changjiang Estuary since summer of 1999 and 2006. The bypoxic zone shows distinct year-to-year variations. Observed oceanographic data are first analysized and reveal a big difference for the Changjiang Diluted Water （CDW） between these two periods. These great changes are related to the tremendous reduction of the freshwater discharge and variations of wind fields between these two years. It is also found that the monthly mean intrusion of Kuroshio and its branches has increased in the northern East China Sea （ECS）, but decreased in the southern ECS in August of 2006 as compared with 1999 on the base of general circulation models. Then, the Regional Ocean Modelling Systems is applied to the East China Sea to evaluate the contributions and relative importance of impacts from the river discharge, wind forcing and open boundary data. Our simulations reproduce the phenomena that more fresh water extends northeastward in 2006 and forms a negative SSS anomaly to the northeast of the river mouth as compared with 1999, which is consistent with observations. The five group numerical tests suggest that the wind forcing dominates the CDW variations followed by the Kuroshio and its branches. The study implies important roles played by hydrodynamic processes on the variability of hypoxic zone in the study areas.

A New Hybrid Vertical Coordinate Ocean Model and Its Application in the Simulation of the Changjiang Diluted Water

Based on the analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of some vertical coordinates applied in the calculation of the Changjiang diluted water （CDW）, a new hybrid vertical coordinate is designed, which uses σ coordinate for current and σ-z coordinate for salinity. To combine the current and salinity, the Eulerian-Lagrangian method is used for the salinity calculation, and the baroclinic pressure gradient （BPG） is calculated on the salinity sited layers. The new hybrid vertical coordinate is introduced to the widely used model of POM （Princeton Ocean Model） to make a new model of POM-σ-z. The BPG calculations of an ideal case show that POM-σ-z model brings smaller error than POM model does. The simulations of CDW also show that POM-σ-z model is better than POM model on simulating the salinity and its front.

A numerical study of summertime expansion pattern of Changjiang (Yangtze) River diluted water

Observations show that during summer especially in August, the northward expansion of the Changjiang（Yangtze） River diluted water （CRDW） is blocked in the vicinity of the Changjiang Estuary. To explain this phenomenon, Princeton ocean model （POM） is applied to simulate the summertime expansion pattern of CRDW. Numerical experiments show that to the north of the Changjiang Estuary, a tide-induced temperature front of a cold water centered at （34°N, I22.5°E） plays the key role in determining the expansion pattern of CRDW. This front splits the CRDW into two parts： the main part expands northeastward, and the other small part expands northwestward off the coast of Jiangsu Province, China.

Nitrate in the Changjiang diluted water:an isotopic evaluation on sources and reaction pathways

A cruise covering two transects in the Changjiang(Yangtze)estuary in July 2017 was conducted,aiming to explore the sources for riverine NOˉ3 and identify reactions involved in the NO_(3)^(-)transformations along the transport of the Changjiang diluted water(CDW).In the river water,NO_(3)^(-)was fundamentally contributed by chemical fertilizer leakage in the watershed according to isotope signals.Sewage discharge may also be significant on riverine NO_(3)^(-)inventory,while the isotope signal was masked by nitrification.Together with the transport of the CDW,NO_(3)^(-)production was observed in waters with low salinities(<20)and high turbidities.Nitrification resulted from the mineralization of riverine organic nitrogen;therefore,the high turbidity was linked to active production.In the outer plume,coupled with stratification,a significant decrease in NO_(3)^(-)concentration was observed in the surface water.In parallel,enrichment inδ^(15)N-NO_(3)^(-)andδ^(18)O-NO_(3)^(-)was found,indicating biological consumption by phytoplankton.The difference in the stratification intensity between two transects led to variations in NO_(3)^(-)concentrations and isotope compositions.In the benthic water,denitrification(sediment-water interface)and nitrification(bottom water)coexisted.Furthermore,accumulations of NH4+and dissolved organic nitrogen in the bottom water were observed,indicating that nitrification was constrained by oxidant(mainly dissolved oxygen)supplies.

An Observational Analysis of the Relationship Between Wind and the Expansion of the Changjiang River Diluted Water during Summer

This paper presents an analysis of the impact of wind on the transport of the Changiiang River Diluted Water （CRDW） in August by using the salinity data col- lected on two zonal sections near Cheju-do. Based on the climatological mean conditions and four extreme events, the analysis indicates that wind-induced Ekman transport plays an important role in the extension of the CRDW. The strong northeastward Ekman transport induced by southeasterly wind in 1996, 2003, 2004, and 2006 pushes the core of the CRDW to the sea adjacent to Cheju-do. A comparison of the wind variation before observation among these four extreme events indicates that the expan- sion pattern of the CRDW is primarily changed by synop- tic variation with tirnescales of days to weeks, such as during a typhoon. The weak eastward extension of the CRDW in 2004, accompanied with a relatively strong southerly wind, implies that the oceanographic state （e.g., the depth of halocline） may strongly affect the impact of wind on the extension of the CRDW.

Buoyancy leads to high productivity of the Changjiang diluted water:a note

Being the mightiest river emptying into the East China Sea （ECS） and the Pacific Ocean, compounded with the large increase of nitrogen and phosphorus input due to anthropogenic activities, the Changjiang River （Yangtze River） has become a dominating source of these nutrients to the estuary. The high nutrient concentrations notwithstanding, however, outside of the estuary the high biological productivity of the Changjiang diluted water （CDW） are most probably fueled mainly by nutrient-rich subsurface waters originating from the upwelled Kuroshio waters. This is because while the buoyancy of the CDW spreads it out on the ECS continen- tal shelf, the CDW entrains subsurface waters along with the nutrients. Nutrients thus supplied are several times more than those supplied by the Changjiang River.

Turning mechanism problems of the Changjiang River diluted water

Some main ideas about the turning of the Changjiang River diluted water (CDW) and their deficiencies are reviewed in this paper. According to a large number of observation data it is pointed out that the turning phenomena of the CDW are related not only to the discharge of the Changjiang River but also to the sea surface slope and wind stress curl in the southeast coast of China. Exsistence of the sea surface slope reflects essentially the effect of the Taiwan Warm Currc (TWC) on the turning of the CDW.

Numerical Simulation and Dynamical Analysis for Low Salinity Water Lens in the Expansion Area of the Changjiang Diluted Water

The low salinity water lenses（LSWLes） in the expansion area of the Changjiang diluted water（CDW） exist in a certain period of time in some years. The impact of realistic river runoff, ocean currents and weather conditions need to be taken into account in the dynamical analysis of LSWL, which is in need of research. In this paper, the POM-σ-z model is used to set up the numerical model for the expansion of the CDW. Then LSWL in summer 1977 is simulated, and its dynamic mechanism driven by wind, tide, river runoff and the Taiwan Warm Current is also analyzed. The simulated results indicate that the isolated LSWL detaches itself from the CDW near the river mouth, and then moves towards the northeast region outside the Changjiang Estuary. Its maintaining period is from July 26 to August 11. Its formation and development is mainly driven by two factors. One is the strong southeasterly wind lasting for ten days. The other is the vertical tidal mixing during the transition from neap tide to spring tide.

Observational characteristics and dynamic mechanism of low-salinity water lens for the offshore detachment of the Changjiang River diluted water in August 2006

The Changjiang River diluted water(CDW)spreads into the East China Sea(ECS)primarily in a plume pattern,although in some years,low-salinity water lenses(LSWLs)detach from the main body of the CDW.In-situ observations indicate that in August 2006,a LSWL detached from the main body of the CDW near the river mouth.In this paper,the effects of winds,tides,baroclinity and upwelling on LSWLs are explored with a threedimensional model.The results show that:(1)winds play a crucial role in these detachment events because windinduced northerly Eulerian residual currents impose an uneven force on the CDW and cut it off,thus forming a LSWL;(2)upwelling carries high-salinity water from the lower layer to the upper layer,truncating the low-salinity water tongue vertically,which is conducive to the detachment and maintenance of LSWLs;and(3)upwelling during the evolution of a LSWL is caused by the combined effects of winds and tides.The influences of windinduced upwelling are mainly near the shore,whereas the upwelling along the 30 m isobath is predominantly affected by tides,with the effect increasing from neap tide to spring tide.

Horizontal distribution of Changjiang Diluted Water in summer inferred from total suspended sediment in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea

During the summer in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea, the resuspension of the bottom sediment is obstructed by strong stratification and, as a result, the concentration of total suspended sediment（TSS） can be used as an excellent tracer for Changjiang Diluted Water（CDW）. To analyze the spatial and temporal variations of the CDW distribution, the monthly mean TSS from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer（MODIS） ocean color data are constructed and are converted to salinity using the relationship between salinity observed from AQUARIUS and TSS. The process produces the detailed horizontal distribution of salinity with very high resolution（1 km）. From monthly mean salinity map from 2002 to 2012 in July and August, the expansion patterns of CDW are analyzed. The southerly wind in July and southeasterly wind in August transport the CDW eastward and northeastward, respectively. It is found that the yearly variation of the expansion of CDW toward the southern sea area of Korea is mostly due to the variation of southerly wind and the fluctuations of fresh water discharge into the Changjiang estuary show relatively little impact on the eastward extend of CDW. When 11-year mean（from2002 to 2012） salinity map in August is compared with World Ocean Atlas 2013, it is revealed that wind in August strengthened six times from 1994 and it causes the expansion of CDW extended 150 km further eastward.

Upwelling and anthropogenic forcing on phytoplankton productivity and community structure changes in the Zhejiang coastal area over the last 100 years

Phytoplankton productivity and community structure in marginal seas have been altered significantly during the past three decades, but it is still a challenge to distinguish the forcing mechanisms between climate change and anthropogenic activities. High time-resolution biomarker records of two 210Pb-dated sediment cores（#34： 28.5°N, 122.272°E; CJ12-1269： 28.861 9°N, 122.515 3°E） from the Min-Zhe coastal mud area were compared to reveal changes of phytoplankton productivity and community structure over the past 100 years. Phytoplankton productivity started to increase gradually from the 1970 s and increased rapidly after the late 1990 s at Site #34; and it started to increase gradually from the middle 1960 s and increased rapidly after the late 1980 s at Site CJ12-1269. Productivity of Core CJ12-1269 was higher than that of Core #34. Phytoplankton community structure variations displayed opposite patterns in the two cores. The decreasing D/B（dinosterol/brassicasterol） ratio of Core #34 since the 1960 s revealed increased diatom contribution to total productivity. In contrast, the increasing D/B ratio of Core CJ12-1269 since the 1950 s indicated increased dinoflagellate contribution to total productivity. Both the productivity increase and the increased dinoflagellate contribution in Core CJ12-1269 since the 1950–1960s were mainly caused by anthropogenic activities, as the location was closer to the Changjiang River Estuary with higher nutrient concentration and decreasing Si/N ratios. However, increased diatom contribution in Core #34 is proposed to be caused by increased coastal upwelling, with higher nutrient concentration and higher Si/N ratios.

Three-dimensional structure of a low salinity tongue in the southern Taiwan Strait observed in the summer of 2005

Cruise observations with CTD （conductivity-temperature-depth） profiler were carried out in the southern Taiwan Strait in the summer of 2005. Using the cruise data, two-dimensional maps of salinity and temperature distributions at depths of 5, 10, 15, 20, and 30 m were generated. The maps show a low salinity tongue sandwiched by low temperature and high salinity waters on the shallow water side and high temperature and high salinity waters on the deep water side. The further analysis indicates that the low salinity water has a nature of river-diluted water. A possible source of the diluted water is the Zhujiang （Pearl） Estuary. Meanwhile, the summer monsoon is judged as a possible driving force for this northeastward jet-like current. The coastal upwelling and the South China Sea Warm Current confine the low salinity water to flow along the central line of the strait. Previous investigations and a numerical model are used to verify that the upstream of the low salinity current is the Zhujiang Estuary. Thus, the low salinity tongue is produced by four major elements： Zhujinag Estuary diluted water, monsoon wind driving, coastal upwelling and South China Sea Warm Current modifications.

Simulation and analysis on seasonal variability of average salinity in the Yellow Sea

The CTD (conductivity, temperature and depth) data collected by six China-Korea joint cruises during 1996-1998 and the climatological data suggest that the seasonal variability of average salinity in the Yellow Sea (Sa) presents a general sinusoid pattern. To study the mechanism of the variability, annual cycles of Sa were simulated and a theoretical analysis based on the governing equations was reported.Three main factors are responsible for the variability: the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC), the Changji-ang (Yangtze) River diluted water (YRDW) and the evaporation minus precipitation (E-P). From December to the next May, the variability of Sa is mainly controlled by the salt transportation of the YSWC. But in early July, the YSWC is overtaken and replaced by the YRDW which then becomes the most important controller in summer. From late September to November, the E-P gradually took the lead. The mass exchange north of the 37癗 line is not significant.

Impact of the exceptionally high flood from the Changjiang River on the aquatic chemical distributions on the Huanghai Sea and East China Sea shelves in the summer of 1998

On the basis of the field observation in the Huanghai Sea and East China Sea in the summer of 1998, a rare event of exceptionally high discharge from the Changjiang River was described and how this high discharge altered water masses as well as chemical distributions on the shelves of the Huanghai Sea and East China Sea. The maximal extending ranges of the Changjiang diluted water and the nutrients in the freshwater from the Changjiang River were recorded for the first time. It was also found that there was a closed area with high oxygen and pH values in the offshore area of the southern Huanghai Sea and the northern East China Sea, indicating that the extensive spreading of nutrients due to the high discharge led to photosynthesis of phytoplankton mostly taking place in the offshore area far from the river mouth. The presence of ＂excess nitrogen＂ in almost all the northern East China Sea and the south of the Huanghai Sea suggests that these areas are potentially phosphorus-limited rather than nitrogen-limited, manifesting more like an estuarine ecosystem rather than a common marine ecosystem.

Numerical investigation of the control factors driving Zhe-Min Coastal Current

During the northeast monsoon season,Zhe-Min Coastal Current(ZMCC)travels along the Chinese mainland coast and carries fresh,cold,and eutrophic water.ZMCC is significantly important for the hydrodynamic processes and marine ecosystems along its path.Thus,this bottom-trapped plume deserves to be further discussed in terms of the major driving factor,for which different opinions exist.For this purpose,in this study,a high resolution Semi-implicit Cross-scale Hydroscience Integrated System Model(SCHISM)is established and validated.High correlation coefficients exist between along-shelf wind speeds and seasonal variations of both ZMCC volume transport and the freshwater signal.These coefficients imply that the wind is important in regulating ZMCC.However,for similar annual mean ZMCC volume transports,the extreme south boundaries of Zhe-Min Coastal Water(ZMCW)are different among different years.This difference is attracting attention and is explored in this study.According to the low wind/discharge experiment,it was found that although the volume transport of ZMCC is more sensitive to the variation of local wind speeds,the carried freshwater is limited by the Changjiang River discharge,which ultimately determines the south boundary of ZMCW.The momentum analysis at transects I and II shows that,for driving ZMCC,the along-shore wind forcing is as important as the buoyancy forcing.Note that this conclusion is supported by a zero-discharge experiment.It was also found that the buoyancy forcing varies with respect to time and space,which is due to variations of the discharge of Changjiang River.In addition,a particle tracking experiment shows that the substance carried by the Changjiang River diluted water would distribute along the Zhe-Min coastal region during the northeast monsoon season and it may escape due to the wind relaxation.

Statistical analysis of surface hydrography and circulation variations in northern South China Sea

To study the variations in surface hydrography and circulation in northern South China Sea (NSCS), rotated empirical orthogonal function (REOF) and extended associate pattern analysis (EAPA) are used with daily sea surface salinity (SSS), sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface height (SSH) datasets cover- ing 1 126 days from American Navy Experimental Real-Time East Asian Seas Ocean Nowcast System in this paper. Results show that in summer, the SCS Diluted Water Expansion (SDWE) is the most dominant factor con- trolling SSS variations in the NSCS. The remarkable SDWE usually begins in early July, reaches its maximum in middle August and weakens in late September. In summer flourishing period, its low saline core is just limited between 21°N and 22°N because of strong surface anomalous anticyclonic circulation in the NSCS. In early or late stage, the anomalous anticyclonic circulation becomes weak or turns into cyclonic one, thus the weak SCS diluted water can disperse. And its influence on the SSS variations has obviously decreased. The Kuroshio intrusion is the second controlling factor, and it has the almost opposite seasonal or intraseasonal oscillations and spatial charac- teristics to the SDWE. Winter Kuroshio Intrusion (WKI) begins in early November and lasts about three months. Intraseasonal Kuroshio Intrusion (IKI) takes place at any seasons. The westward Ekman transport produced by the north anomaly of East Asia Monsoon (EAM) pushes warmer and more saline seawater into the NSCS through the Bashi Strait and seems to decide the intensity of seasonal and intraseasonal Kuroshio intrusions.

Underway Measurement of Sea Surface Temperature and Salinity in the Taiwan Straits in August, 1999

The distributional features of sea surface temperature and salinity (SST and SSS)in the Taiwan Straits have been analyzed using the SST and SSS underway measurements in August, 1999. The characteristics of SST and SSS are summarized as follows: There are several upwellings and diluted water in the Taiwan Straits. The upwellings are divided into two kinds: those along the western coast of the Taiwan Straits and those around the Taiwan Shoal. There are three sources of diluted water: diluted water of the Jiulongjiang River,diluted water of the Zhujiang River and diluted water of the Minjiang River.

Influence of a Flood Event on Salinity and Nutrients in the Changshan Archipelago Area (Northern Yellow Sea)

River discharge can deliver nutrients to the coastal zone and change the hydrologic properties of the water column. Soon after a flash flood from the Yalu River (Northeast China) in August 2010, we investigated the salinity and nutrient concentrations, as well as other environmental conditions in the Changshan Archipelago area, located approximately 100 km west of the river mouth in the northern Yellow Sea. Diluted water was mainly observed in the upper layers shallower than 15 m, with surface salinity between 18.13 and 30.44 in the eastern study area and between 28.16 and 29.72 in the western area. Surface salinity showed a significant negative correlation with concentrations of dissolved nutrients (P < 0.05), but not with that of Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), dissolved oxygen (DO), particulate materials or pH. The average concentrations of nitrite, nitrate, and silicic acid decreased from the surface layer to bottom layer and were significantly higher in the east area than in the west area (P < 0.05). In contrast, average ammonium and phosphate concentrations were highest in the bottom layer of both areas, with no significant spatial differences. DO varied between 6.06 and 8.25 mg L-1 in the surface layer, and was significantly higher in the eastern area than in the western area in the surface and middle layers. Chl-a concentration was constantly below 4.09 μg L-1. Our work demonstrated the strong influences of Yalu River on proportions of various nutrient components in the Changshan Archipelago area. Silicic acid and total inorganic nitrogen levels were significantly elevated comparing to phosphate in the eastern area. Such changes can potentially induce phosphate limit to phytoplankton growth.

Experimental study using the dilution incubation method to assess water biostability

Water biostability is of particular concern to water supply as a major limiting factor for heterotrophic bacterial growth in water distribution systems. This study focused on bacterial growth dynamics in the series dilution of water samples with TOC（total organic carbon） values determined beforehand. The results showed that the specific growth rate of Pseudomonas fluorescens P17 varied dramatically and irregularly with TOC value when TOC concentrations were low enough during the initial periods of incubation under given conditions. According to this relationship between bacterial growth rate and TOC, a dilution incubation method was designed for the study of water biostability. With the method under a given condition, a turning-point TOC value was found at a relatively fixed point in the curve between bacterial growth rate and TOC of water sample, and the variation of growth rate had different characteristics below the turning-point TOC value relative to that over this value. A turning-point TOC value similarly existed in all experiments not only with tap water, but also with acetate and mixed solutions. And in the dilution incubation method study, the affections were analyzed by condition factors such as inoculum amount,incubation time and nature of the organic carbon source. In very low organic carbon water environments, the variation characteristics of bacterial growth rate will be useful to further understand the meaning of water biostability.