scholarly journals The occurrence of mobulid rays at St Helena Island, Cardno seamount and Bonaparte seamount in the South Atlantic and its significance for conservation

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Annalea Beard ◽  
Leeann Henry ◽  
Samantha Cherrett ◽  
Alistair D.M. Dove

AbstractData from 369 sightings of mobulid rays from St Helena Island, Cardno and Bonaparte seamounts in the South Atlantic are summarised. 50 % (183) of sightings were observed from a boat, 48 % (176) of sightings were encountered in water, of which 95 % (168) were whilst actively scuba diving. 2 % (10) of mobulid ray sightings were observed from land. Sightings data indicate that the Chilean devil ray Mobula tarapacana (Philippi, 1892) is a frequent visitor to St Helena and is present all year. We document the first photographic evidence of the presence of oceanic manta, Mobula birostris (Walbaum, 1792) at St Helena. Two solitary individuals were photographed off the north coast of St Helena in June 2018. These sightings confirm previous unverified reports on the species occurrence and extend the known distribution range of M. birostris in the open South Atlantic Ocean to 16°S.

2010 ◽  
Vol 23 (17) ◽  
pp. 4538-4555 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin H. Goebbert ◽  
Lance M. Leslie

Abstract Tropical cyclone (TC) activity over the southeast Indian Ocean has been studied far less than other TC basins, such as the North Atlantic and northwest Pacific. The authors examine the interannual TC variability of the northwest Australian (NWAUS) subbasin (0°–35°S, 105°–135°E), using an Australian TC dataset for the 39-yr period of 1970–2008. Thirteen TC metrics are assessed, with emphasis on annual TC frequencies and total TC days. Major findings are that for the NWAUS subbasin, there are annual means of 5.6 TCs and 42.4 TC days, with corresponding small standard deviations of 2.3 storms and 20.0 days. For intense TCs (WMO category 3 and higher), the annual mean TC frequency is 3.0, with a standard deviation of 1.6, and the annual average intense TC days is 7.6 days, with a standard deviation of 4.5 days. There are no significant linear trends in either mean annual TC frequencies or TC days. Notably, all 13 variability metrics show no trends over the 39-yr period and are less dependent upon standard El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) variables than many other TC basins, including the rest of the Australian region basin. The largest correlations with TC frequency were geopotential heights for June–August at 925 hPa over the South Atlantic Ocean (r = −0.65) and for April–June at 700 hPa over North America (−0.64). For TC days the largest correlations are geopotential heights for July–September at 1000 hPa over the South Atlantic Ocean (−0.7) and for April–June at 850 hPa over North America (−0.58). Last, wavelet analyses of annual TC frequencies and TC days reveal periodicities at ENSO and decadal time scales. However, the TC dataset is too short for conclusive evidence of multidecadal periodicities. Given the large correlations revealed by this study, developing and testing of a multivariate seasonal TC prediction scheme has commenced, with lead times up to 6 months.


1976 ◽  
Vol 54 (9) ◽  
pp. 1538-1541
Author(s):  
R. E. Zurbrigg ◽  
W. B. Scott

A new myctophid species, Diaphus hudsoni, was captured in the South Atlantic Ocean, and is described. It is similar to Diaphus subtilis Nafpaktitis, which occurs in the North Atlantic Ocean, but is definitely distinct with its slender, more numerous gill rakers (total 23–25), and non-continuous AOp–Prc series. The AO series numbers 5 + 5–6. The holotype is deposited in the Royal Ontario Museum, ROM 27569.


Author(s):  
Stephen A. Royle

Successful transoceanic voyages relied on networks of islands. Some provided places where crew and passengers could rest; where ships could replenish their supplies of fresh food and water; and where dockyards allowed vessels to be repaired. Islands were thus often employed as way stations in this world of maritime endeavour. St Helena, in the South Atlantic Ocean, was one of the first islands to be put to such use in the burgeoning English overseas empire of the seventeenth century. Other islands were of value for what they could produce. They were not acquired to facilitate or protect British operations elsewhere; they themselves were the prizes. The contribution of islands to the geography of the British Empire in the age of sail was significant, and certainly of more importance than their mere physical size would suggest.


Author(s):  
Vladimir Laptikhovsky ◽  
Joachim Naulaerts ◽  
Elizabeth Clingham ◽  
Martin A. Collins ◽  
Martin Cranfield ◽  
...  

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamed D. Ibrahim

North and South Atlantic lateral volume exchange is a key component of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) embedded in Earth’s climate. Northward AMOC heat transport within this exchange mitigates the large heat loss to the atmosphere in the northern North Atlantic. Because of inadequate climate data, observational basin-scale studies of net interbasin exchange between the North and South Atlantic have been limited. Here ten independent climate datasets, five satellite-derived and five analyses, are synthesized to show that North and South Atlantic climatological net lateral volume exchange is partitioned into two seasonal regimes. From late-May to late-November, net lateral volume flux is from the North to the South Atlantic; whereas from late-November to late-May, net lateral volume flux is from the South to the North Atlantic. This climatological characterization offers a framework for assessing seasonal variations in these basins and provides a constraint for climate models that simulate AMOC dynamics.


2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariela Gabioux ◽  
Vladimir Santos da Costa ◽  
Joao Marcos Azevedo Correia de Souza ◽  
Bruna Faria de Oliveira ◽  
Afonso De Moraes Paiva

Results of the basic model configuration of the REMO project, a Brazilian approach towards operational oceanography, are discussed. This configuration consists basically of a high-resolution eddy-resolving, 1/12 degree model for the Metarea V, nested in a medium-resolution eddy-permitting, 1/4 degree model of the Atlantic Ocean. These simulations performed with HYCOM model, aim for: a) creating a basic set-up for implementation of assimilation techniques leading to ocean prediction; b) the development of hydrodynamics bases for environmental studies; c) providing boundary conditions for regional domains with increased resolution. The 1/4 degree simulation was able to simulate realistic equatorial and south Atlantic large scale circulation, both the wind-driven and the thermohaline components. The high resolution simulation was able to generate mesoscale and represent well the variability pattern within the Metarea V domain. The BC mean transport values were well represented in the southwestern region (between Vitória-Trinidade sea mount and 29S), in contrast to higher latitudes (higher than 30S) where it was slightly underestimated. Important issues for the simulation of the South Atlantic with high resolution are discussed, like the ideal place for boundaries, improvements in the bathymetric representation and the control of bias SST, by the introducing of a small surface relaxation. In order to make a preliminary assessment of the model behavior when submitted to data assimilation, the Cooper & Haines (1996) method was used to extrapolate SSH anomalies fields to deeper layers every 7 days, with encouraging results.


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