scholarly journals Anthropogenic 129I in the South China Sea and coastal waters around Taiwan

Elem Sci Anth ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
George S. Burr ◽  
Hiroyuki Matsuzaki ◽  
Bo-Shian Wang ◽  
Haruka Kusuno ◽  
Hironori Tokuyama ◽  
...  

In this article, we present a study of seawater 129I/127I time-series data from several coastal sites in Taiwan, including Yehliu Geopark (north–northeast coast), Kaohsiung (southwest coast), and Zhuwei Fishing Village (northwest coast). The objective of this study was to document how 129I/127I responds to known seasonal variations in the surface ocean currents that carry 129I to each of these sites. The responses were shown to be quite distinct. The Zhuwei site, across Mainland China, had elevated spring and summer 129I/127I values, with abrupt peaks that reflected transient cross-strait currents that carry seawater with elevated 129I to the northwest coast of Taiwan. The Yehliu site, which receives all of its seawater from the Kuroshio Current, had relatively low and uniform 129I/127I values year-round. The Kaohsiung site showed a summertime minimum that likely stems from upwelling upstream induced by oceanic eddies associated with the Kuroshio intrusion. To our knowledge, these are the first continuous coastal 129I/127I time-series data published for Asian waters and the first to show large, abrupt, and regional 129I/127I changes in the surface seawater. We also documented 129I/127I values from multiple surface ocean sites in the South China Sea (SCS), including a vertical profile from the South East Asia Time-Series Station that extends to a depth of 3,700 m. The 129I from both coastal Taiwan and surface waters of the SCS is >98% anthropogenic, primarily released to the environment as a byproduct of nuclear fuel reprocessing.

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (23) ◽  
pp. 6813-6826 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.-L. Wei ◽  
M.-C. Yi ◽  
S.-Y. Lin ◽  
L.-S. Wen ◽  
W.-H. Lee

Abstract. Vertical distributions of dissolved and particulate 210Pb and 210Po in the water column at the SouthEast Asian Time-series Study (SEATS, 18°00´ N and 116°00´ E) station in the northern South China Sea were determined from four cruises between January 2007 and June 2008. A large deficiency of 210Pb, 379 ± 43 × 103 dpm m−2, from the secular equilibrium was found within the 3500 m water column. On the other hand, a smaller deficiency of 210Po, 100 ± 21 × 103 dpm m−2, relative to 210Pb was found in the water column. Time-series data showed insignificant temporal variability of the 210Pb and 210Po profiles. To balance these deficiencies, the removal fluxes for 210Pb and 210Po via particle settling ranging from 45 to 51 dpm m−2d−1 and from 481 to 567 dpm m−2d−1, respectively, are expected at 3500 m. The 210Pb removal flux is comparable with, whereas the 210Po removal flux is much higher than, the flux directly measured by moored sediment traps. The discrepancy between the modeled 210Po flux and the measured flux suggests that sporadic events that enhance 210Po removal via sinking ballast may occur in the water column at the site.


2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (9) ◽  
pp. 1-12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tongya Liu ◽  
Jiexin Xu ◽  
Yinghui He ◽  
Haibin Lü ◽  
Yuan Yao ◽  
...  

2006 ◽  
Vol 21 (4) ◽  
pp. 377-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hui Jiang ◽  
Svante Björck ◽  
Lihua Ran ◽  
Yue Huang ◽  
Jiayin Li

2013 ◽  
Vol 26 (20) ◽  
pp. 8097-8110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Feng Nan ◽  
Huijie Xue ◽  
Fei Chai ◽  
Dongxiao Wang ◽  
Fei Yu ◽  
...  

Abstract Inferred from the satellite and in situ hydrographic data from the 1990s and 2000s, the Kuroshio intrusion into the South China Sea (SCS) had a weakening trend over the past two decades. Associated with the weakened Kuroshio intrusion, the Kuroshio loop and eddy activity southwest of Taiwan became weaker, whereas the water above the salinity minimum became less saline in the northern SCS. The sea surface height southwest of Taiwan increased at a slower rate compared to other regions of the SCS because of the weakened Kuroshio intrusion. Simulations using the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) Pacific model show that the strength of the Kuroshio intrusion into the SCS decreased from 1993 to 2010 with a negative trend, −0.24 sverdrups (Sv) yr−1 (1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1), in the total Luzon Strait transport (LST). Although wind-induced Ekman transport through the Luzon Strait became weaker, the magnitude at 0.001 Sv yr−1 was too small to compensate for the negative trend of the LST. On the other hand, the piling up of the water induced by monsoon winds was an important mechanism for changing the pressure gradient across the Luzon Strait and eventually affecting the LST. The sea level gradient between the western Pacific and the SCS had a negative trend, −0.10 cm yr−1, corresponding to a negative trend in the geostrophic transport at −0.20 Sv yr−1. The Kuroshio transport east of Luzon Island also had a negative trend, which might also be linked to the weakening Kuroshio intrusion.


1998 ◽  
Vol 146 (1-4) ◽  
pp. 173-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
Min-Te Chen ◽  
Hong-Wen Ho ◽  
Tzong-Der Lai ◽  
Lianfu Zheng ◽  
Qingmin Miao ◽  
...  

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