Understanding changes in tropical cyclone (TC) behavior in the Western North Pacific (WNP) is essential for improving prediction and disaster prevention. Using Japan Meteorological Agency’s best-track data and NOAA El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) indices (1979–2023), this study examined long-term trends in TC frequency, intensity, radius, translation speed, and position migration, along with their relationship with El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Results showed that the annual TC frequency displayed no significant trend, but the 10-year running mean revealed a substantial decline. Furthermore, although the TC intensity displayed no robust monotonic trend, the structural shift around 2001 suggested changing environmental controls. ENSO strongly modulated TC intensity, with El Niño years producing a considerably higher mean intensity and lifetime maximum intensity (LMI) than La Niña years. LMI locations occurred equatorward and eastward during El Niño, and northwestward during La Niña, with long-term poleward (0.016°N/yr) and westward (−0.067°E/yr) migration. The radius of the maximum wind (Rmax) showed no secular trend but contracted during El Niño and expanded during La Niña. The translation speed at LMI increased by about 14
Global microplastic pollution has attracted widespread attention from researchers worldwide. However, compared to other regions of the world, there is limited knowledge about the ingestion of microplastics (MPs) by benthic organisms in the Dongsha Island area of the Yellow Sea. This study investigated the abundance and characteristics of MPs ingested by 12 species of benthic organisms in the Dongsha Island area of the Yellow Sea. The results showed that the abundance of MPs ingested by benthic fish, crabs, and molluscs among benthic organisms was 3.51, 1.68, and 1.64 items/individual, respectively. Fish ingested significantly more MPs than crabs and molluscs. There was no significant difference in MP abundance between the gills and intestines of benthic organisms. Additionally, the characterization analysis of MPs revealed that fiber-shaped MPs were dominant in shape, with sizes generally less than 0.25 mm. The main colors of MPs were transparent, blue, and black, and the primary materials were polyamide (PA), polyethylene (PE), polystyrene (PS), and polypropylene (PP). Furthermore, these findings illuminate the current status of microplastic ingestion by local benthic organisms and provide a critical reference for understanding the characteristics of microplastic pollution in this region.
Under climate change, the Barents Sea—a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean—is undergoing ‘Atlanticization’, leading to an expansion of ice-free marine areas accessible for resource exploitation and commercial navigation. This study used multiyear sea ice data from the National Snow and Ice Data Center to analyze sea ice melting and the spatiotemporal characteristics of the ice-free operating area in the Barents Sea. It conducted quantitative analyses using Mann–Kendall trend testing and Pettitt’s mutation test. Results showed a substantial downward trend in the overall sea ice extent, with a 2004 change point. Post-2005, sea ice coverage experienced a marked contraction, the ice duration shortened considerably, and sea ice concentrations dropped close to zero across the entire region from July to September. Such shifts implied adjustments to the timing and extent of the ice-free operations. An estimation and prediction model incorporating data decomposition and probabilistic analysis was built to quantify the spatiotemporal extent of ice-free operations in the Barents Sea. This model accounted for both climate change trends, effectively simulating the data characteristics of ice-free onset and duration. Based on the projections of the model for the 2023–2035 period, the analysis forecast a modest expansion of ice-free zones, accompanied by a substantial prolongation of ice-free durations within these regions.
This study investigates a novel 15 MW tension-leg platform floating offshore wind turbine (TLP FOWT) deployed in the deep-water region of the South China Sea, where extreme meteorological events such as Typhoon ‘Yagi’ pose considerable operational challenges. A fully coupled numerical model is developed and validated against a 1:64 scale physical model experimental results. Response analysis under multidirectional excitation reveals critical insights into platform hydrodynamics, tendon dynamics, and structural load characteristics. Statistical assessments incorporating historical meteorological and metocean data and parametric studies show that wave incidence angles that bisect adjacent tendon quadrants reduce the mean platform offset by up to 18.22
