Search Results (903)

The evaluation of offshore wind energy resources is important to the construction of offshore wind power facilities. In this paper, using four models from CMIP6 and the ERA5 reanalysis dataset, a deep learning model termed SwinWind was developed and proposed to evaluate future offshore wind energy resources in Southeastern China for the periods 2020–2050 and 2070–2100. The feature extraction capability of the Swin Transformer was utilized to construct a bias correction and downscaling framework. This approach achieves performance comparable to existing high-cost models while significantly reducing computational costs and complexity. The SwinWind model corrected most of the biases and effectively learned spatial relationships, successfully performing the downscaling task. Based on future wind speed projections derived from the SwinWind model, this study presents a comprehensive evaluation of offshore wind resources, examining five critical dimensions: resource abundance, efficiency, stability, the impact of extreme winds, and economic feasibility. It is projected that offshore wind resources around Shanghai, Jiangsu and Zhejiang will experience a decline in the 21st century, while offshore wind resources around the Guangdong, Fujian and the Beibu Gulf show an increasing trend. The evaluation index shows that the coastal areas of Guangdong and the southern coastline of Taiwan are the most suitable locations for wind power exploitation. The Taiwan Strait, which has the highest wind energy density, is not the best spot due to its extreme wind speed and unstable wind resources. This study provides an important reference for the location of wind farms with practical application value. Full article

In this paper, machine learning techniques and risk factor analyses are applied to a marine hazard potential map of the Taiwan Strait. The waters surrounding Taiwan are characterized by dense maritime traffic, including commercial cargo transportation and fishing operations. Marine accidents caused by severe weather conditions are frequently reported, leading to irreversible loss of life and property. To mitigate these risks, this study utilizes the XGBoost machine learning model in conjunction with oceanic parameters and historical accident statistics to map the risk potential distribution of maritime accidents across the Taiwan Strait on a monthly basis. To address the challenge of limited historical accident data, this research employs a TVAE (Tabular Variational Autoencoder) to generate synthetic maritime accident data. The quality of such synthetic data is evaluated by comparing the similarity of probability distributions between the original and synthetic datasets. The resulting risk potential maps indicate that risk levels are significantly higher during the winter and lower during the summer. Furthermore, the SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) model is applied to analyze key risk factors, identifying wave height as the primary driver, followed by meridional (north–south) wind speed and the primary spatial modes of wave height. These findings are validated using the National Ocean Database and Sharing System (NODASS) data, providing a comprehensive explanation of the underlying physical mechanisms. This study has successfully utilized the XGBoost machine learning model together with the TVAE generative technique to develop monthly marine hazard potential distribution maps for the Taiwan Strait. The novel research flowchart employed in this study can be applied to many other marine problems. Full article

This study investigates the temporal and spatial variations in sea level anomaly (SLA) and sea surface wind in the East China Sea (ECS) from 1993 to 2021 using AVISO altimetry data and ERA5 reanalysis wind data. Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) and trend analyses were applied to identify dominant modes and long-term changes. Results reveal pronounced seasonal SLA variability, with lower levels in winter/spring and higher levels in summer/autumn, strongly modulated by monsoon winds. The first EOF mode of SLA accounted for 52.73% of variance, showing basin-coherent seasonal fluctuations, while the second mode (7.79%) reflected contrasts between coastal and Kuroshio-influenced regions. The ECS experienced an average sea level rise of 3.77 mm/year, exceeding 6 mm/year along the Jiangsu and Zhejiang–Fujian coasts. Sea surface wind stress variability was greatest in the northern Taiwan Strait and southwest of the Ryukyu Islands, but decreased along the Zhejiang coast. Sea level anomalies (SLAs) in the East China Sea exhibit clear multi-scale coupling with the wind field. The seasonal SLA variability in the East China Sea is jointly modulated by local Ekman forcing due to wind stress, while also being potentially linked to the Kuroshio and open-ocean Rossby waves. These findings underscore the role of wind forcing in regional sea level changes and provide insight for coastal management under climate change. Full article

This paper presents a re-analysis of the track and the intensity of tropical cyclone Senyar, an unprecedented tropical cyclone that formed over the Strait of Malacca south of 5 degrees North, moving eastwards towards the South China Sea. This cyclone brought about heavy rainfall, severe flooding and landslides to southern Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia, and this re-analysis helps document such a special and disastrous storm. Some key meteorological observations are presented to support the re-analysis, including weather radar imageries and surface weather observations. Forecasting aspects of Senyar by medium-range models and a sub-seasonal model are also presented. It turns out that both the numerical weather prediction model and the artificial intelligence model manages to resolve the warm core structure of the cyclone, but the sub-seasonal forecast fails to capture the occurrence of this very rare storm even with a forecast time of one week ahead. The formation of Senyar is found to be related to the terrain of Malay Peninsula and Sumatra, as revealed by a number of numerical simulations using a mesoscale meteorological model with different modifications of the terrain. This may be related to the lee low downstream of the terrain of Malay Peninsula under the prevailing northeasterly flow. Full article

Wind-driven shear and vertical mixing in the upper meter of the ocean strongly regulate near-surface circulation and buoyant tracer transport, yet direct field observations immediately beneath the air–sea interface remain scarce. We present Lagrangian observations, equipped with an upward-looking Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP), collected during 5–7 April 2022 in the Jeju Strait under wind stresses of 0.0006–0.19 Pa. Near-surface shear and turbulence metrics were resolved within the top surface layer (TSL), and a response-time analysis showed that upper-layer shear responded most promptly to wind variability, whereas deeper-layer shear and sea-state metrics adjusted more slowly. Wave-period variability exhibited the weakest coupling, indicating additional nonlocal influences. Reynolds-stress estimates showed that the along-wind momentum flux was predominantly negative, indicating net downward transfer of downwind momentum, while cross-direction fluxes were smaller on average and frequently reversed sign, consistent with intermittent lateral transfers associated with evolving wave–current interactions. Using an eddy-viscosity framework, we derived stress-based exponential-saturation parameterizations for depth-averaged shear and vertical diffusivity, with the diffusivity magnitude treated as sensitive to the assumed turbulent Prandtl number. The relationships are intended for event-scale conditions within the observed forcing range and provide field-constrained, implementation-ready formulations for near-surface transport and mixing models. Full article

In the context of cross-Strait integrated development, agricultural cooperation policies between the Chinese mainland and Taiwan are intended to serve as key instruments for integration. However, these policies frequently encounter an implementation dilemma in which higher-level authorities actively promote policy goals while grassroots governments respond primarily through symbolic actions. Existing studies have largely explained this phenomenon from static perspectives, such as resource constraints or individual motivation, but have paid insufficient attention to how defensive compliance and distorted feedback interact to sustain systemic implementation failure. To address this gap, this study adopts political systems theory and conceptualizes policy implementation as a dynamic process involving input, conversion, output, and feedback. Using a comparative case study of two counties, supported by semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and document analysis, the study examines how local governments process politically sensitive policy mandates under conditions of high political pressure and resource mismatch. The findings show that contradictory inputs create strong risk-avoidance incentives, leading local governments to adopt defensive compliance strategies during the conversion stage. Through symbolic implementation, resource diversion, and responsibility shifting, policies are translated into formally compliant but substantively hollow outputs. These symbolic outputs generate distorted feedback that conceals implementation failures and prevents higher-level authorities from making corrective adjustments, thereby trapping the policy system in a state of suspended implementation and apparent stability. Theoretically, this study extends political systems theory by revealing how defensive compliance and feedback distortion function as adaptive mechanisms that sustain system persistence while undermining substantive policy performance. Practically, it provides important insights for enhancing governance effectiveness and preventing systemic implementation failure in politically sensitive policy domains. Full article

The residual current is the ocean current after the tidal component has been removed. Understanding the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of sea surface residual currents is key to revealing the local current field evolution and typical physical oceanographic processes. The Taiwan Strait is in the East Asian monsoon region, where residual currents are significantly influenced by monsoons during periods of high wind speeds. However, the characteristics and dynamic mechanisms of residual currents under low wind speed conditions (≤5 m/s) remain unclear. Based on high-frequency surface wave radar current data and wind field reanalysis data, this study analyzed the characteristics of residual currents in the southwestern Taiwan Strait under low wind speed conditions, focusing on two orthogonal directions: cross-shore and along-shore. During these periods, residual currents exhibit counter-wind current characteristics. These currents cross the Taiwan Bank and generate wave signals with wavelengths ranging from 35.6 km to 65.8 km and durations of 6 to 12 h in the Xiapeng Depression area. These fluctuations are triggered by the combined timing of low winds and nonlinear current–topography interactions. In terms of dynamic mechanisms, the Coriolis force term and the acceleration term dominate the momentum equations in both two orthogonal directions, indicating that the current field is in a non-steady inertial adjustment phase during this period. Furthermore, this study constructs a two-layer ocean model of rotationally modified gravity waves to analyze the influences of topography, oceanic stratification, and steady current velocity on the characteristics of residual current fluctuations under low wind speed conditions. The theoretical model yields spatial scales that closely match the observed wavelength characteristics. Full article

Background/Objectives: University Department of Rural Health (UDRH) programs were created to address the disparities in rural Australian communities. A large proportion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people live in rural communities, and the UDRHs work closely with communities to improve outcomes for Indigenous Australians. This narrative review examines the nature of the intervention papers in Australian Indigenous health published by UDRHs and identifies key learnings to improve interventions in Australian Indigenous health. Methods: Intervention papers were identified from an established database of UDRH Indigenous health-related publications published 2010–2021. Results: Thirty-three papers were included in the review. Thematic analysis identified four overarching themes from the key learnings identified in the papers: (1) principles of engagement and design; (2) considerations for improving healthcare systems; (3) considerations for improving healthcare workforce; and (4) the sustainability of interventions and improvements in outcomes. Most of the studies employed qualitative or mixed-methods designs. Conclusions: These findings provide practical guidance for strengthening Indigenous health interventions. Effective Indigenous health interventions require meaningful community engagement and co-design, culturally safe practice supported by workforce training, and multicomponent approaches that address social determinants and barriers to access. Sustained impact depends on adequate resourcing, strong organisation leadership and embedding programs within healthcare systems with clear pathways for ongoing care and capacity building. UDRHs should reflect on current and future projects to ensure that engagement principles, system-level considerations, health workforce development, and long-term sustainability are embedded within intervention design and implementation. Full article

South China’s freshwater biodiversity has been shaped by Quaternary climatic oscillations and persistent geological barriers. We investigated the phylogeography and conservation implications of the primary freshwater fish Microphysogobio kachekensis across mainland China and Hainan Island using mitochondrial (cyt b and control region) and nuclear (RAG2 and rpS7-1) markers from 200 individuals. Mitochondrial analyses recovered two major lineages and multiple sublineages largely structured by drainage basins, whereas nuclear data resolved four geographically concordant lineages. Population differentiation was strong (high F_ST), and SAMOVA/AMOVA supported major barriers restricting gene flow, including the Qiongzhou Strait, Gulf of Tonkin, Yunkai Mountains, and Nanling Mountains. Ancestral-area reconstruction inferred the Pearl River region as the most likely source area, followed by dispersal to northern Hainan and subsequent expansion to southern Hainan and the Red River, with additional northward expansion to the Zhejiang–Fujian region. Despite high haplotype diversity, within-population nucleotide diversity was low, consistent with long-term river isolation and complex demographic history. We propose six ESUs and four MUs for evolutionarily informed conservation and to guide stock enhancement in southern China. Full article

A shipborne campaign was conducted in China’s southeastern coastal waters (21° N–32° N) from 14 to 31 January 2024 to investigate atmospheric CO₂ and CH₄ concentrations and their offshore gradients. Advanced instrumentation enabled high-precision measurements, validated by canister sampling with strong correlations to reference data. The voyage employed a dual-route design: a northbound baseline along the mainland coast and a southbound route with offshore excursions up to 80 nm, facilitating the first quantification of GHG gradients in the continental shelf region. Baseline concentrations from the northbound route revealed regional variability: CO₂ levels ranged from 422.75 ± 9.96 ppm (Fujian) to 445.62 ± 1.51 ppm (Zhejiang), while CH₄ levels spanned 2005.78 ± 5.89 ppb (Fujian) to 2064.59 ± 13.93 ppb (Zhejiang). Southbound analysis at 10 nm intervals showed CO₂ gradients transitioning from positive to negative at ~30 nm and back to positive at ~70 nm, whereas CH₄ exhibited complex behavior, including a positive–negative–positive transition at 30–40 nm and consistent increase beyond 50 nm. Under winter monsoon conditions, transport flux analysis identified eastward CO₂ fluxes of 3819.55–6587.77 g·m⁻²·s⁻¹ and CH₄ fluxes of 6.42–11.42 g·m⁻²·s⁻¹. Southward transport diminished along the coast, with CO₂ fluxes declining from 5741.07 to 879.76 g·m⁻²·s⁻¹ and CH₄ fluxes from 9.84 to 1.49 g·m⁻²·s⁻¹ between Zhoushan and Hong Kong. The Taiwan Strait demonstrated a funneling effect, enhancing southward transport. These findings address data gaps in ocean regions and provide insights for future GHG monitoring. Full article

Indigenous Australians experience a disproportionate burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. While clinician-led, community-based exercise programs are effective in general populations, limited peer-reviewed evidence is available describing culturally adapted exercise interventions with Indigenous Australians that transparently reports governance, cultural adaptation, and theoretical design. This paper reports the co-design and development of tools for the Preventing Indigenous Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes through Exercise (PrIDE) study, an adaptation of the Beat It program that incorporates wearable technology. Using the Co-design Health Research and Innovation Model, four tools were developed with Indigenous governance through a Consumer Advisory Group and a project-specific Consumer User Panel. Three tools were culturally adapted—the PrIDE Exercise Program, the Strong Spirit Strong Self self-efficacy assessment, and Keep Your Heart Strong educational materials—and a newly developed tool, the Success Plan. Cultural adaptations were prospectively documented using the Model for Adaptation Design and Impact, and all tools were assessed using the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Quality Appraisal Tool. Behavior change mechanisms were mapped using the COM-B model. This paper provides transparent documentation of culturally adapted theory-informed tool development to support reproducibility and knowledge translation. The evaluation of effectiveness, acceptability, and psychometric properties will be reported following PrIDE implementation. Full article

Transitional water bodies are coastal areas of strategic naturalistic and socio-economic importance, and highly vulnerable to increased anthropic pressure. A monitoring study was performed in the transitional area of Lake Faro (Cape Peloro Lagoon, Italy), where specimens of the threatened species Pinna nobilis (Mollusca, Bivalvia) constitute a resident community, as a part of a wider research program aiming to preserve this organism in the context of safeguarding lake biodiversity. Five surface water samplings with a two-month frequency were carried out at four selected stations, three of which were located in the inner part of the lake and one control station outside, in a canal connecting the lake to the Messina Straits. Trophic conditions (total suspender matter, nutrients and chlorophyll-a) and the main environmental variables (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen) were measured. Insights into the total prokaryotic abundance and metabolism via the extracellular enzymatic activities (i.e., leucine aminopeptidase; beta-glucosidase and alkaline phosphatase) were obtained. The dataset indicated that microbial and trophic dynamics were associated with the abundance of the P. nobilis population. These parameters, moreover, proved to represent a suitable tool for characterizing the environmental health status of transitional areas, as well as for implementing new effective strategies for sustainable resource management. Full article

Maritime safety is a key element of sustainable maritime transportation, particularly in strait regions with dense vessel traffic and dynamic environmental conditions that increase collision risk. Based on historical records, ship collisions can result in severe human casualties, environmental pollution, cargo and infrastructure damage, operational disruptions, and substantial economic losses; therefore, a reliable and integrated safety assessment is essential to support safe, efficient, and sustainable maritime transportation. This study proposes a novel safety index framework to assess the ship’s collision risk by integrating vessel characteristics, ship encounter conditions, operational time parameters, and oceanographic factors such as currents and waves. The analysis is based on questionnaire data, AIS records, and oceanographic information collected over a one-month period with a three-minute temporal resolution. Case studies are conducted in the Bali Strait and the Lombok Strait using grid-based spatial segmentation to represent spatial risk patterns. Two safety index models are developed. Model I emphasizes vessel, encounter, and temporal factors, while Model II extends the assessment by fully integrating oceanographic conditions. To improve interpretability and practical applicability, the calculated safety index is further transformed into a normalized safety index with values bounded between 0 and 1, allowing for explicit risk classification. A multivariate contribution analysis is applied to identify dominant risk factors. The results show that the maritime risk in both straits is mainly influenced by vessel traffic intensity, sailing hours, days of the week, and environmental conditions. High-risk zones in the Bali Strait are concentrated near Ketapang and Gilimanuk Ports, while elevated risks in the Lombok Strait are observed near Padangbai and Lembar Ports and along the ALKI II shipping route. Full article

One of the most significant impacts of climate change is sea-level rise, which is increasingly threatening to the coastal setting, infrastructure, and socioeconomic systems. Since a change at the sea level is spatially non-uniform and highly modulated by local oceanographic and climatic events, local or regional-scale measurements are necessary—especially in semi-enclosed basins. This paper examines the long-term variability of sea levels throughout the Persian Gulf and illustrates a strong spatial variance of the trends over the past and the future. Using three decades of satellite-derived observations, regional sea-level trends were estimated from monthly sea-level anomaly (SLA) data, which were also used to generate future projections to 2100. The analysis shows that the rate of sea-level rise along the UAE–Oman stretch is 3.88 mm year⁻¹ and that of the Strait of Hormuz is 5.23 mm year⁻¹, with a mean of 4.44 mm year⁻¹ in the basin. Statistical forecasts of sea-level change were projected by a statistical forecasting scheme with high predictive ability with the optimal configuration of an average of 0.0391 m, an RMSE of 0.0492 m, and an R² of 0.80 when independent validation was conducted. It is estimated that by 2100, the average rise of the sea level in the Persian Gulf is about 0.30–0.40 m, and the peak rise in sea level is at the Strait of Hormuz. Since these projections are based on statistical extrapolation rather than physics-based climate models, they are interpreted within the uncertainty envelope defined by IPCC AR6 scenarios. This study presents a unique, regionally resolved viewpoint on sea-level rise that is relevant to coastal risk management and adaptation planning in semi-enclosed marine basins by connecting robust statistical performance with physically interpretable regional patterns. Full article

This study provides a systematic analysis of the spatiotemporal distribution and trends in the frequency of significant wave height (SWH) exceeding level 5 (SWH > 2.5 m) and level 7 (SWH > 6 m) in the Northwest Pacific (NWP) for 1993–2024, which are defined as f₅ and f₇, respectively, as well as their correlations with major climate indexes. Our results indicate that (1) the high-value zones for the annual mean f₅ and f₇ are both located in the south waters of the Aleutian Islands, with maximum values of 58.0% and 6.4%, respectively. Winter’s contribution is greatest (maximum values of 96.9% and 16.8% per year), while summer’s is the smallest. (2) f₅ exhibits a significant decline trend across the entire NWP basin (of −0.15 to −0.30%/yr), with the steepest decline occurring in autumn (−0.69%/yr) and the shallowest in summer. f₇ exhibits a significant linear decrease in the open ocean east of Japan (−0.08%/yr) while showing a significant linear increase in the waters east of the Kamchatka Peninsula (0.08%/yr). Both variations peak in winter (maximum values of −0.27% and 0.30% per year) and are smallest in summer. (3) Seasonal and regional variations in climate index–f₅ and f₇ relationships reflect large-scale atmospheric modulation of waves. For example, the Oceanic Niño Index shows a predominantly negative correlation with f₅ in winter (maximum correlation coefficient r_m = −0.70) around the Luzon Strait, shifting to a significant positive correlation in summer (r_m = 0.70) across the extensive region east of Taiwan Island and the Philippines. The Pacific Decadal Oscillation index shows a significant positive correlation with f₇ in summer and autumn (r_m = 0.69) east of Taiwan Island and a strong negative correlation in winter (r_m = −0.77) to the east of Kamchatka Peninsula. Full article