Monsoon mixing cycles in the Bay of Bengal: A year-long subsurface mixing record

Based on the first year-long record of mixing collected in the eastern central Bay of Bengal, we quantify the role that subsurface turbulent heat fluxes play in upper-ocean cooling brought on by southwest (SW) and northeast (NE) monsoons. During the NE (dry, or winter) monsoon, atmospheric and subsurface turbulent heat fluxes each contribute about 50% of the net sea surface cooling. During the SW (wet, or summer) monsoon, the atmospheric heat flux varied widely due to “active” and “break” cycles of the monsoon intraseasonal oscillations, but had a net positive seasonal average. The subsurface turbulent heat flux during the SW monsoon led to surface cooling at rates more than three times greater than those measured during the NE monsoon. Since the seasonally averaged atmospheric heat flux was positive, subsurface mixing accounted for nearly all of the cooling during the SW monsoon. During the transition between the NE and SW monsoons, subsurface heat flux was near zero, and atmospheric heating rapidly warmed the sea surface. Following the SW monsoon, passage of Tropical Storm Hudhud led to O(1) m2 s–1 rates of turbulence diffusivity and strong subsurface heat flux, accounting for roughly half of the 1.4°C surface cooling that occurred over a 60-hour period

Atypical/Nor98 Scrapie Infectivity in Sheep Peripheral Tissues

Atypical/Nor98 scrapie was first identified in 1998 in Norway. It is now considered as a worldwide disease of small ruminants and currently represents a significant part of the detected transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSE) cases in Europe. Atypical/Nor98 scrapie cases were reported in ARR/ARR sheep, which are highly resistant to BSE and other small ruminants TSE agents. The biology and pathogenesis of the Atypical/Nor98 scrapie agent in its natural host is still poorly understood. However, based on the absence of detectable abnormal PrP in peripheral tissues of affected individuals, human and animal exposure risk to this specific TSE agent has been considered low. In this study we demonstrate that infectivity can accumulate, even if no abnormal PrP is detectable, in lymphoid tissues, nerves, and muscles from natural and/or experimental Atypical/Nor98 scrapie cases. Evidence is provided that, in comparison to other TSE agents, samples containing Atypical/Nor98 scrapie infectivity could remain PrPSc negative. This feature will impact detection of Atypical/Nor98 scrapie cases in the field, and highlights the need to review current evaluations of the disease prevalence and potential transmissibility. Finally, an estimate is made of the infectivity loads accumulating in peripheral tissues in both Atypical/Nor98 and classical scrapie cases that currently enter the food chain. The results obtained indicate that dietary exposure risk to small ruminants TSE agents may be higher than commonly believed

Effect of water depth and the bottom boundary layer upon internal wave generation over abrupt topography

The role of water depth and bottom boundary layer turbulence upon lee-wave generation in sill regions is examined. Their effect upon vertical mixing is also considered. Calculations are performed using a non-hydrostatic model in cross-section form with a specified tidal forcing. Initial calculations in deeper water and a sill height such that the sill top is well removed from the surrounding bed region showed that downstream lee-wave generation and associated mixing increased as bottom friction coefficient k increased. This was associated with an increase in current shear across the sill. However, for a given k, increasing vertical eddy viscosity A (v) reduced vertical shear in the across sill velocity, leading to a reduction in lee-wave amplitude and associated mixing. Subsequent calculations using shallower water showed that for a given k and A (v,) lee-wave generation was reduced due to the shallower water depth and changes in the bottom boundary layer. However, in this case (unlike in the deepwater case), there is an appreciable bottom current. This gives rise to bottom mixing which in shallow water extends to mid-depth and enhances the mid-water mixing that is found on the lee side of the sill. Final calculations with deeper water but small sill height showed that lee waves could propagate over the sill, thereby reducing their contribution to mixing. In this case, bottom mixing was the major source of mixing which was mainly confined to the near bed region, with little mid-water mixin