Comparison of stationary acoustic monitoring and visual observation of finless porpoises

The detection performance regarding stationary acoustic monitoring of Yangtze finless porpoises Neophocaena phocaenoides asiaeorientalis was compared to visual observations. Three stereo acoustic data loggers (A-tag) were placed at different locations near the confluence of Poyang Lake and the Yangtze River, China. The presence and number of porpoises were determined acoustically and visually during each 1-min time bin. On average, porpoises were acoustically detected 81.7 +/- 9.7% of the entire effective observation time, while the presence of animals was confirmed visually 12.7 +/- 11.0% of the entire time. Acoustic monitoring indicated areas of high and low porpoise densities that were consistent with visual observations. The direction of porpoise movement was monitored using stereo beams, which agreed with visual observations at all monitoring locations. Acoustic and visual methods could determine group sizes up to five and ten individuals, respectively. While the acoustic monitoring method had the advantage of high detection probability, it tended to underestimate group size due to the limited resolution of sound source bearing angles. The stationary acoustic monitoring method proved to be a practical and useful alternative to visual observations, especially in areas of low porpoise density for long-term monitoring.

Observation of the seasonal evolution of the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass in 1996-1998

We use the hydrographic data obtained during the joint survey of the Yellow Sea by the First Institute of Oceanography, China and the Korea Ocean Research and Development Institute, Korea, to quantify the spatial structures and temporal evolution of the southern Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM). It is indicated that the southern YSCWM is a water mass that develops in summer and decays in fall. In winter, due to the intrusion of the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC), the central area (approximately between 34 degrees N and 35 degrees N, 122 degrees E and 124 degrees E) of the Yellow Sea is mainly occupied by relatively high temperature water (T > 10 degrees C). By contrast, from early summer to fall, under the seasonal thermocline, the central area of Yellow Sea is occupied by cold water (T < 10 degrees C). In summer, the southern YSCWM has two cold cores. One is formed locally southeast of Shandong Peninsula, and the other one has a tongue-like feature occupying the area approximately between 34 degrees N and 37 degrees N, 123 degrees E and 126 degrees E. The bottom layer temperature anomalies from February to July in the cold tongue region, along with the trajectories of the bottom floaters, suggest that the cold water mass in the northeast region has a displacement from the north to the central area of the Yellow Sea during the summer. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Experimental Study on Vortex-Induced Vibrations of Submarine Pipeline Near Seabed Boundary in Ocean Currents

Unlike most previous studies on vortex- induced vibrations of a cylinder far from a boundary, this paper focuses On the influences of close proximity of a submarine pipeline to a rigid seabed boundary upon the dynamic responses of the pipeline in ocean currents. The effects of gap-to-diameter ratio and those of the stability parameter on the amplitude and frequency responses of a pipeline are investigated experimentally with a novel hydro-elastic facility. A comparison is made between the present experimental results Of the amplitude and frequency responses for the pipes with seabed boundary effects and those for wall-free cylinders given by Govardhan and Williamson (2000) and Anand ( 1985). The comparison shows that the close proximity of a pipeline to seabed has much influence on the vortex- induced vibrations of the pipeline. Both the width of the lock-in ranges in terms of V, and the dimensionless amplitude ratio A(max)/D become larger with the decrease of the gap-to-diameter ratio e/D. Moreover, the vibration of the pipeline becomes easier to occur and its amplitude response becomes more intensive with the decrease of the stability parameter, while the pipeline frequency responses are affected slightly by the stability parameter.

Ocean Waves Propagating over a Porous Seabed: Residual and Oscillatory Mechanisms

Two mechanisms for the wave-induced pore pressures in a porous seabed, i.e. oscillatory and residual excess pore pressures, have been observed in laboratory experiments and field measurements. Most previous investigations have focused on one of the mechanisms individually. In this paper, an analytical solution for the wave-induced residual pore pressure, which is not available yet, is derived, and compared with the existing experimental data. With the new solution, a parametric analysis is performed to clarify the applicable ranges of two mechanisms. Then, a simplified approximation for the prediction of wave-induced liquefaction potential is proposed for engineering practice.

On-line observation of interlaminar damage by ultrasonic inspection

This paper explores an on-line experimental method to highlight the process of internal damage development in composites by taking advantage of ultrasonic inspection. A loading device, which can work together with an ultrasonic inspection system, was designed, and the interlaminar shear damage of a double-sided grooved specimen of composite was examined on-line with the system. A full view of the progressive internal interlaminar damage, seen only with difficulty by common inspection methods, was successfully achieved.

海流-管道-海床之间动力相互作用的量纲分析及实验模拟装置研制=Dimensional Analysis and Experimental Apparatus on Interaction between Ocean Current-Pipeline and Seabed

海底管道涡激振动和管道周围海床冲刷是海流--管道--海床之间复杂的动力耦合问题.文章应用量纲分析方法对海流、管道与海床之间的动力耦合作用进行了分析,确定了在实验模拟中应遵循的相似准则.在此基础上,研制了一套能模拟海流、海床与海底管道之间相互作用的实验模拟装置.初步实验结果表明文中研制的实验模拟装置能够模拟典型海洋环境下海底管道的涡激振动和管道周围海床冲刷等问题.

X-Ray Observation on Flow and Failure of Saturated

介绍脉冲X光机和医用X光机的特性,应用这两种设备进行一系列饱和砂土的冲击加载实验。利用医用X光机拍摄到了饱和砂土在冲击载荷作用下产生的横断裂缝、纵向排水通道以及密实沉降的照片,得到了横断裂缝和纵向排水通道的出现规律,从而为研究饱和砂土冲击液化后结构破坏与密实沉降的机理提供了一种实验观测手段。

Observation Of Diffusion Process Of A Water Droplet Immersed In Protein Solution In Microgravity

Pure liquid - liquid diffusion driven by concentration gradients is hard to study in a normal gravity environment since convection and sedimentation also contribute to the mass transfer process. We employ a Mach - Zehnder interferometer to monitor the mass transfer process of a water droplet in EAFP protein solution under microgravity condition provided by the Satellite Shi Jian No 8. A series of the evolution charts of mass distribution during the diffusion process of the liquid droplet are presented and the relevant diffusion coefficient is determined.

An In-Situ Observation On Initial Aggregation Process Of Colloidal Particles Near Three-Phase Contact Line Of Air, Water And Vertical Substrate

The self-assembling process near the three-phase contact line of air, water and vertical substrate is widely used to produce various kinds of nanostructured materials and devices. We perform an in-situ observation on the self-assembling process in the vicinity of the three phase contact line. Three kinds of aggregations, i.e. particle-particle aggregation, particle-chain aggregation and chain-chain aggregation, in the initial stage of vertical deposition process are revealed by our experiments. It is found that the particle particle aggregation and the particle-chain aggregation can be qualitatively explained by the theory of the capillary immersion force and mirror image force, while the chain-chain aggregation leaves an opening question for the further studies. The present study may provide more deep insight into the self-assembling process of colloidal particles.

Rossby Waves With Linear Topography In Barotropic Fluids

Rossby waves are the most important waves in the atmosphere and ocean, and are parts of a large-scale system in fluid. The theory and observation show that, they satisfy quasi-geostrophic and quasi-static equilibrium approximations. In this paper, solitary Rossby waves induced by linear topography in barotropic fluids with a shear flow are studied. In order to simplify the problem, the topography is taken as a linear function of latitude variable y, then employing a weakly nonlinear method and a perturbation method, a KdV (Korteweg-de Vries) equation describing evolution of the amplitude of solitary Rossby waves induced by linear topography is derived. The results show that the variation of linear topography can induce the solitary Rossby waves in barotropic fluids with a shear flow, and extend the classical geophysical theory of fluid dynamics.

Experimental Observation Of Electrical Instability Of Droplets On Dielectric Layer

Polydimethylsiloxane ( PDMS) has become the most widely used silicon-based organic polymer in bio-MEMS/NEMS devices. However, the inherent hydrophobic nature of PDMS hinders its wide applications in bio-MEMS/NEMS for efficient transport of liquids. Electrowetting is a useful tool to reduce the apparent contact angle of partially wetting conductive liquids and has been utilized widely in bio-MEMS/NEMS. Our experimental results show that the thin PDMS membranes exhibit good properties in electrowetting-on-dielectric. The electrical instability phenomenon of droplets was observed in our experiment. The sessile droplet lying on the PDMS membrane will lose its stability with the touch of the wire electrode to make the apparent contact angle change suddenly larger than 35 degrees. Contact mode can protect the dielectric layer from electrical breakdown effectively. Electrical breakdown process of dielectric layer was recorded by a high speed camera. It is found experimentally that a PDMS membrane of 4.8 mu m thick will not be destroyed due to the electric breakdown even at 800 V in the contact mode.

Microstructure Observation And Mechanical Behavior Modeling For Limnetic Nacre

In the present research, microstructure of a kind of limnetic shell (Hyriopsis cumingii) is observed and measured by using the scanning electron microscopy, and mechanical behavior experiments of the shell nacre are carried out by using bending and tensile tests. The dependence of mechanical properties of the shell nacre on its microstructure is analyzed by using a modified shear-lag model, and the overall stress-strain relation is obtained. The experimental results reveal that the mechanical properties of shell nacre strongly depend on the water contents of the limnetic shell. Dry nacre shows a brittle behavior, whereas wetting nacre displays a strong ductility. Compared to the tensile test, the bending test overestimates the strength and underestimates the Young's modulus. The modified shear-lag model can characterize the deformation features of nacre effectively.

Observation and modeling for terrestrial processes in alpine meadow

The water-heat transfer process between land and atmosphere in Haibei alpine meadow area has been systematically observed. A multi-layer coupling model for land-atmosphere interaction was presented with special attention paid to the moisture transfer in leaf stomata under unsaturated condition. A profound investigation on the physical process of turbulent transfer inside the vegetation has been performed with a revised formula of water absorption for root system. The present model facilitates the study of vertically distributed physical variables in detail. Numerical simulation was conducted according to the transfer process of Kinesia humility meadow in the area of Haibei Alpine Meadow Ecosystem Station, CAS. The calculated results agree well with observation.

Ocean currents-induced pipeline lateral stability on sandy seabed

Unlike previous mechanical actuator loading methods, in this study, a hydrodynamic loading method was employed in a flow flume for simulating ocean currents induced submarine pipeline stability on a sandy seabed. It has been observed that, in the process of pipeline losing lateral stability in currents, there usually exist three characteristic times: (1) onset of sand scour; (2) slight lateral displacement of pipeline; and (3) breakout of pipeline. An empirical linear relationship is established between the dimensionless submerged weight of pipeline and Froude number for describing pipeline lateral stability in currents, in which the current-pipe-soil coupling effects are reflected. Scale effects are examined with the method of "modeling of models," and the sand particle size effects on pipeline stability are also discussed. Moreover, the pipeline stability in currents is compared with that in waves, which indicates that the pipeline laid directly upon the sandy seabed is more laterally stable in currents than in waves.