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Shelf
Sea Oceanography and Meteorology
research group * |
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Created
by Laurent
Latché (2000) and
maintained by Deborah Tyrrell (2003). Rebuild
by Dr
Dmitry Aleynik (2004) last update 18 January 2008
Meso-scale
physical and biogeochemical processes in coastal waters
of the Russian Arctic, EU project INTAS-97-1881
(1998-2001)
Partners:
- Plymouth Marine
Laboratory, Plymouth, UK
- Dept of
Environmental Science, University of Plymouth, UK
- Institute of
Marine Studies, University of Plymouth, UK
- Consejo
Superior de Investigaciones Marinas, Instituto de Investigaciones
Marinas, Vigo, Spain
- P.P. Shirshov
Institute of Oceanology, Moscow, Russia
- Geography
Faculty, Moscow State University, Russia
- Nenetsk Okrug
Committee of Ecology, Narjan -Mar, Russia
Objectives:
The
project
aims are to identify and quantify meso-scale physical and
biogeochemical
processes in the coastal waters of the White Sea and the Barents Sea
and to
assess the environmental impact of these processes. The main specific
objectives are to:
- investigate the
physical and biogeochemical processes, governing material fluxes in the
study area;
- estimate the
environmental impact of meso-scale processes in the White and southern
Barents Seas;
- collate
existing observations of physical, chemical and biological conditions
in the White and southern Barents Seas;
- formulate
modelling approaches for diagnosis and prognosis of these processes.
For
more information about this project click here
Dense
water overflows
off continental shelves (cascading),
EU
project INTAS-99-1600
(2000-2003)
Partners:
- Proudman
Oceanographic Laboratory, NERC, Bidston, UK
- Institute of
Marine Studies, University of Plymouth, UK
- Scientific
Coordination Center TSUNAMI, Moscow,Russia
- Oceanological
Faculty, Russian State Hydrometeorological University, St.Petersburg,
Russia
- Centre for
Marine and Climate Research, University of Hamburg, Germany
- Dynamic Great
Mass Institute, Council of Research, Venezia, Italy
- P.P.Shirshov
Institute of Oceanology, Moscow, Russia
- Ocean-Air
Interaction Department, State Research Centre Arctic and Antarctic
Research Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia
- Condensed
Matter Laboratory, A.V. Luikov Heat and Mass Transfer Institute, Minsk,
Belorussia
Objectives:
- improve
understanding and modelling of dense water overflows, ie. "cascading"
as a meso-scale process
- extrapolate
from specific observations (focused on the edge of the continental
shelf) using generic models and
- estimate its
influence on fluxes of dissolved and particulate matter between the
shelf and open ocean in the bottom boundary layer.
For more information about this project
click here
Morphodynamics
of Estuarine Systems in the United Kingdom:
Teignmouth and Humber
Partners:
- Institute of
Marine Studies, University of Plymouth, UK
- Associated
British Ports - ABPMER, Southampton, UK
- Hydraulics
Research (HR) Wallingford, UK
- Harbour Master
at Teignmouth, UK
Objectives:
The
management of estuaries requires a good understanding of their multiple
uses
and complex processes which are intrinsically related. The main
objectives of
this project are to provide a better comprehension of the mechanisms
involved
in the morphodynamic evolution of estuaries, and to address the
problems that
arise when controlling these systems. This kind of approach has a
general
application and constitutes the state of the art in the management of
estuaries
all over the world. In order to achieve these objectives and to test
two real
data sets, Teignmouth (South Devon) and the Humber Estuary (Yorkshire),
both in
UK which were chosen as case studies, due to the extensive information
available for these sites. TELEMAC numerical model was selected to
simulate the
morphodynamic processes inherent to these environments.
For
more
information about this project click here
Recent/current
climate of Greenland and relation with Ice Sheet
mass balance
Collaborators:
- Edward Hanna
(Institute of Marine Studies, Plymouth)
- John Cappelen
(Danish Met. Institute, Copenhagen)
- Joe McConnell
(Desert Research Institute, USA)
- Philippe
Huybrechts (Alfred Wegener Institute, Germany)
- Tom Mote
(University of Georgia, USA)
- Roger
Braithwaite (University of Manchester, UK)
Objectives:
Relating
recent/ongoing changes in ice and climate in Greenland to improve
understanding
of present-day surface mass balance of Greenland Ice Sheet and its
likely
response to future sea-level change.
For
more
information about this project click here
Comparative
analysis of Water Mass Distribution and Circulation in
semi-enclosed seas (White Sea & Irish Sea).
Partner:
- Institute of
Marine Studies, University of Plymouth, UK
Collaborators:
- Dr. Anatoli
Pantiulin ( Moscow State University, Russia)
- Dr. Kevin
Horsburgh (School of Ocean Sciences, University of Wales, Bangor, UK)
- Prof Alexei.
Nekrasov (Russian State Hydrometeorological University, Saint
Petersburg, Russia)
Objectives:
The
aim of the project is to get a better knowledge of the mesoscale
water
mass structure of the White Sea. Specific objectives are to
study
fine thermohaline structure, mixing of water masses and tidal stirring
in the
Northen part of the White Sea. The project will contrast and
compare
hydrology of two semi-enclosed seas: the White Sea and the Irish Sea.
For
more information about this project click
here
Mass
transfer through the submarine canyons. EU project INTAS
01-0460
(2002-2005)
Partners:
- Centre
Mediterrani d’Investigacions Marines i Ambientales, Instituto de
Ciencias del Mar (Barcelona, Spain)
- University of
Plymouth, Institute of Marine Studies (UK)
- P.P.Shirshov
Institute of Oceanology (Moscow, Russia) Kaliningrad State University,
Geography Department (Russia)
- Lavrentyev
Institute of Hydrodynamics, Department of Theoretical Hydrodynamics
(Novosibirsk, Russia)
Objectives:
The
main goal of the project is to provide a deeper understanding of
physical
mechanisms that control the hydrodynamic regimes associated with
submarine
canyons and to evaluate their impact on mass transfer between the
continental
shelf and open ocean.
For
more
information about this project click here
'The
acoustic noise generated by breaking waves in surf
conditions'. Funding body: Nuffield Foundation Award.
Synopsis:
Ambient
noise generated
by breaking waves provides information relating to the amount of energy
that is
lost in the breaking process. This energy is important in coastal seas
because
it generates turbulence and currents, suspends sediment and transports
it along
the coast. This work studies ambient noise in surf conditions by using
an
omnidirectional broad-band hydrophone to listen to the sound generated
by waves
breaking. Current and wave height information will be provided by
current
meters and pressure sensors respectively. The hydrophone data gives
temporal
information on the sound character of individual breakers and is
compared with
hydrodynamic and sediment concentration measurements. An over water
video of
the sea surface above the hydrophones will provide independent
monitoring of
wave breaking conditions.
For
more information about this project click
here
'Cycles
in estuarine hydrodynamics in relation to cycles in
near-bed flocculating suspensions'. Funding body: NERC.
Collaborator:
- Prof. Keith
Dyer (Institute of Marine Studies, University of Plymouth, UK)
Synopsis:
Tidal
cycles in
turbulence, current velocity and salinity are compared with near-bed
mud
suspension characteristics through in-situ measurements of floc
settling
velocity, size and mass concentration. The complex nature of
flocculating
suspensions results in lags in the response of sediment properties to
local
forcing mechanisms which has important implications for residual flux
magnitudes and directions. This study will examine the phase
relationships
between floc settling velocity, size and density, suspension
concentration,
turbulence and velocity in an estuarine environment and use the results
to
estimate transport and deposition rates as well as net fluxes over a
tidal cycle.
For
more information about this project click here
Ongoing
research from
PhD. "Sand and mud dynamics in shelf seas"
Partners:
- Cambridge, UEA,
CEFAS
Synopsis:
This
ongoing collaboration involves analysis of sediment and hydrodynamic
information acquired by the CEFAS minipods in an inner shelf
environment at 5
different locations and over a period of 2 months in 1997.
For
more
information about this project click here
Finite
Element Modelling of the Hydrodynamics and Water Quality of
the Patos Lagoon System, Brazil
Partners:
- Institute of
Marine Studies, University of Plymouth, UK
- Hydraulics
Research (HR) Wallingford, UK
- Federal
University of Rio Grande (FURG), Brazil
Objectives:
The
aim of this research project is to simulate the physical
processes of hydrodynamics, transport and dispersion, and water quality
in the
Patos Lagoon and Estuary system, Brazil, using and 2 dimensional finite
element
hydrodynamic and water quality model (TELEMAC-2D and WQFLOW-2D). It is
intended
to use the model as a predictive tool to aid the decision making
process for
the rehabilitation and management of degraded environments within the
estuary.
This study hopes to provide advancement in the knowledge of simulating
a
complex system for the purposes of practical management. Specific
objectives
are :
- To carry out
integrated observations of the more relevant magnitudes (relative to
hydrodynamics, suspended matter, nutrients and pollutants) in the Patos
Lagoon Estuary and Saco da Mangueira that has multiple pollution
sources (industrial and domestic wastewater discharges ) and
eutrophication problems.
- To interpret
the data to provide an increased understanding of the physical,
chemical and biological processes involved in the pollution of the
Patos Lagoon System.
- To validate and
evaluate the model TELEMAC (dealing with hydrodynamics, dispersion and
water quality) in terms of its ability to represent the involved
processes and its utility as a predictive tool to study other cases.
- To provide
input to a reduced set of parameters synthetically describing the state
of health of the Patos Lagoon system.
For
more information about this project click here
Black
Sea Ecosystem
Recovery Project, United Nations Development Programme
BSERP-3 Cruise
Report
For
more information about this project click here
Mini-researchers
(Meteorology and Oceanography)
Partners:
- Leading Edge
schools, Plymouth, UK
Objectives:
This
innovative approach to learning means that students from four schools
across
Devon and Cornwall were invited to spend the day at the Mount Batten
Centre in
Plymouth. Groups of students from Tamarside and Callington Community
Colleges
and Looe and Liskeard Community Schools took turns to spend 2 hour
sessions on
a boat out in Plymouth Sound learning about meteorology,
oceanography,
charts, angles and bearings.
The
students took
on the role of mini-researchers measuring and comparing air
temperature,
windspeed, and water visibility in Plymouth Sound and the Tamar.
There
was a
benefit of immersion in a variety of teaching and learning styles for
15
students from each of the schools involved.
For
more information about this project click here
INTAS
Nordic Sea in the global climate system
The
video was developed with the sponsorship from the Centre for
Sustainable
Futures and Schumacher College and is intended to give a "simple" (
understandable to first year students and applicants) holistic
presentation of
a complex probelm of the role of negative feedbacks in climate change.
NERC
Grant Ref.
NEC50747X/1
Stratified flow in jet-type estuaries and fjords
PI
Dr. V. Vlasenko
01.11.2004-30.04.2006
The goal of the project was to gain a greater insight into the
processes
relevant to nonlinear internal waves in stratified estuaries and fjords
produced by an external tidal forcing in a jet-type fjordic system, and
to
quantify in detail the pathway of tidal energy transformation, from
barotropic
to baroclinic component and ultimately to mixing.
The research objectives of this work included:
- analysis
and processing of experimental data collected by Scottish Association
of Marine Science in the jet-type fjord Loch Etive (Scotland);
- development
of a fine resolution fully nonlinear nonhydrostatic numerical model of
baroclinic tides and its application to the area under study;
- comparative
analysis of the observation data and the results of numerical modelling
for the description of all important stages of flow-topography
interaction;
- study of
evolution of strongly nonlinear internal waves and related mixing
processes during their interaction with fjord boundaries.
The
achievement of the project objectives has led
to an understanding of the energy flow path from the barotropic tidal
flux to
internal waves, and then to shorter solitary waves and turbulence in
ôjet-typeö
fjordic systems, when generated baroclinic disturbances are effectively
arrested by strong tidal currents.
INTAS
Grant Ref. Nr 03-51-3728
Strongly nonlinear internal waves in lakes: generation, transformation
and
meromixis
PI Dr. V. Vlasenko
01.04.2004-31.03.2007
The overall goals of the project were to acquire a better understanding
of the
dynamic and kinematic processes relevant to nonlinear internal waves in
lakes,
to quantify the physical processes controlling the transfer of energy
within
the internal wave field from large to small scales and to gain more
knowledge
on impact caused by wave mixing on the lake ecosystem.
The specific objectives of this work included:
- detailed
theoretical and experimental considerations of important stages of
nonlinear evolution of basin-scale internal waves to short-period
waves and turbulence;
- development and
improvement of the three complementary numerical models: Boussinesq
type model, 2D and 3D free-surface nonhydrostatic models;
- field,
laboratory and numerical examination of dynamics of strongly nonlinear
internal waves and mixing processes to consider new parameterizations
of mixing driven by waves the lake models.
The achievement of the main goal of the project gave the possibility to
understand the energy cascading from the wind to the basin-scale
internal
waves, and then to shorter solitary waves and turbulence in the benthic
boundary layer.
NERC
Grant Ref. NE/D007968/1
Boiling water in the Strait of Gibraltar
PI Dr. V. Vlasenko
01.04.2006-30.03.2007
The principal aim of the project was to gain a greater insight into the
processes
relevant to large-amplitude internal waves generated by barotropic tide
in the
Strait of Gibraltar and to quantify in detail the transformation of
tidal
energy, from barotropic to baroclinic component and ultimately to
mixing. The
processes to be studied were:
- flow-topography
interaction resulting in generation of first-mode baroclinic bore,
highly nonlinear internal solitary waves, and high-mode stationary
internal lee waves in the area of the Camarinal Sill;
- dynamics of
high-mode internal lee waves trapped by the barotropic tidal flow in
the generation area producing the effect of "boiling water";
- evolution of
strongly nonlinear internal waves beyond the generation area.
The
specific objectives
of this work included:
- processing and
analysis of the experimental data collected by the University of Cadiz
(Spain);
- adjustment of a
fine resolution fully nonlinear nonhydrostatic numerical tidal model to
the area under study and conducting numerical runs;
- comparison of
the observation data with the results of numerical modelling for the
description of multimodal structure of highly nonlinear baroclinic
tides in the Strait of Gibraltar.
NERC
Grant Ref. NE/E01030X/1
A new mechanism for generation of internal waves
PI Dr. V. Vlasenko
01.04.2007-30.03.2008
The overall goal of the project is to study a new mechanism of internal
wave
generation that may occur in river-plume areas at the transition of the
head of
surface gravity current from supercritical (in terms of the Froude
number) to
subcritical regime of evolution. Formulated as a hypothesis in the
course of
the analysis of recently taken satellite images and the data of in-situ
observations, this mechanism requires further theoretical clarification
and
justification on the basis of hydrodynamic modelling.
The greater insight into the new mechanism of the generation of
internal waves
will be achieved in the framework of the following research activities:
·
analysis
of published
in-situ data and satellite images provided by the University of Hamburg
(Germany);
·
numerical
simulations of
the plume dynamics based on a fine-resolution fully nonlinear
non-hydrostatic
numerical model;
·
comparison
analysis of
the remote sensing and in-situ data with the results of numerical runs.
As
a result of the
aforementioned activities, the conditions controlling formation of
large-amplitude internal waves at the frontal side of the river plume
will be
identified and clarified in terms of various input parameters such as
model
geometry, river discharge, bottom topography, sea water stratification
etc.
NERC
Grant Ref. NE/F010214/1
Nontraditional baroclinic wave effects in the Strait of
Gibraltar
PI Dr. V. Vlasenko
01.04.2008-30.03.2009
The principal aim of the project is to study the three-dimensional
evolution of
packets of tidally generated large-amplitude internal waves in the
Strait of
Gibraltar. On the basis of this knowledge the pathway of energy in the
wave
packets (and the observed irregular structure of wave packets, in
particular)
will be explained and quantified. The greater insight into the
baroclinic wave
dynamics of the strait and, as a consequence, into the mixing processes
initiated by the tidally generated internal waves will be achieved in
the
framework of the following research activities:
·
the
oceanographic
objective is to work with the experimental data collected by the
University of
Malaga (Spain) at two moorings during a three-month experiment in 2005
to
quantify significant baroclinic wave events occurring in the strait;
·
the
numerical objective
is to apply the-state-of-the-art fully nonlinear non-hydrostatic MITgcm
to the
strait with the real bathimetry and to reproduce the evolution of
tidally
generated internal waves and their input into spatial-temporal
variability in
the strait with the focus on three-dimensional nonhydrostatic effects
and
mixing processes;
·
the
comparison objective
includes an accurate comparison analysis of the available in-situ data
with the
results of numerical modelling in order to quantify the nontraditional
three-dimensional baroclinic wave processes occurring in the strait.
As a result of the aforementioned activities, the conditions
controlling the
evolution of large-amplitude internal waves in the strait will be
identified
and clarified
NERC
Grant Ref. NE/EO15247/1
The
application of remote sensing to the
measurement of marine particle size and their relation to turbulence
£307,434
In collaboration with Drs Bowers (PI) & Jago and Prof Simpson,
University
of Wales, Bangor
To provide high-quality in situ suspended particle size information
using a
submersible holographic particle imager.
Mixing
and Dispersion of Coastal Plumes.
UoP / BRNC
D.Huntley
Partners:
- Dr Richard
Thain and Dr Duncan Priestley
2007-2009
EPSRC
network
project
Wave-flow interactions
2008-2011
PI
-
D.G.Dritschel (University of St. Andrews),
V.I. Shrira (Keele University) ,
J. Vanneste (Edinburgh University);
Co-PIs
V.I.
Vlasenko (Plymouth University),
R.Grimshaw (Loughborough University ),
M.E.
McIntyire (Cambridge University)
NERC
Grant
Modelling of the Wyville Thomson Ridge overflow
01.04.2008-31.03.2011
PI Dr. V.
Vlasenko
Co-PI
Dr N Stashchuk
Amount Awarded £136844
fEC
£171054
NATO
Collaborative Linkage Grant SP.NUKR.CLG.982285
Black
Sea Ecosystem Recovery is a Basis of
Regional Environmental Security (2006-2009)
PRINCIPAL
INVESTIGATORS:
Prof Georgy
Shapiro (University
of Plymouth, UK)
Dr Evgeny
Lemeshko (Marine
Hydrophysical Institute,
Ukraine)
The overall
goal of the project is to reduce scientific
uncertainties in the processes of mixing in the Black Sea and in
particular related
to the vertical mixing across the thermocline, and horizontal
cross-frontal transport
between the shelf and open sea regions induced by meso-scale dynamic.
The
project helps to reveal the pathways of pollutants based on the modern
information from direct high-precision measurements of currents and
remotely
sensed data and obtain a better understanding of how these features
influence
losses/gains of pollutant/nutrients and hence the biological
productivity and
environmental stability of the Black Sea. This work is important for
future
management decisions affecting the Black Sea. The effective control of
eutrophication requires major changes in land-based activities that
should be
advised by solid science. Present uncertainties regarding the behaviour
of the
system do not allow sufficiently precise modelling for new goals to be
set. By
reducing the uncertainties, the project will help to improve the
environmental
security and stability of the Black Sea.
For more
information about this
project click here
Southern European Seas
Assessing and Modelling Ecosystem changes (SESAME) (2006-2010)
PRINCIPAL
INVESTIGATOR:
Prof Georgy
Shapiro (University
of Plymouth, UK)
The general scientific objectives of SESAME IP, supported by the European Commission, are to assess and predict changes in the Mediterranean and Black Sea ecosystems as well as changes in the ability of these ecosystems to provide goods and services.
The Mediterranean and Black Sea will be approached as a coupled climatic/ecosystem entity, with links and feedbacks to the world ocean. The assessment of ecosystem changes will be based on the identification of the major regime shifts in ecosystems that occurred during the last 50 years. Mathematical models, validated and upgraded using existing and new observations, will be used to predict ecosystem responses to changes in climate and anthropogenic forcings during the next five decades. The new data will be gathered during multidisciplinary, multiship oceanographic cruises in the Mediterranean and Black Sea. These will provide an overall picture of the Mediterranean and Black Sea that does not yet exist as well as essential datasets for model validation.
For more
information about this
project click here