Large Eddy Simulation of Shelf Sea Thermocline Mixing Processes
Lead Research Organisation:
NATIONAL OCEANOGRAPHY CENTRE
Department Name: Science and Technology
Abstract
The continental shelf seas provide a transistion zone between estuaries and the ocean across which carbon, nutrients, sediments and contaminants are exchanged. Whilst the currents and mixing on the continental shelf are dominated by the tide interacting with the sea bed, significant levels of biological primary production occurs in regions that stratify during the summer months. The exchange of nutrients and carbon across these critical interfaces of stratified fluid is poorly understood and is also underrepresented in numerical models. The current proposal aims to exploit state-of-the-art computer modelling and analysis tools in the investigation and quantification of the physical mechanisms and processes responsible for the fluxes across this critical interface. In particular the focus will be on understanding the interaction between mixed layer turbulence and wind-driven inertial oscillations in the tidally-strong shelf sea environment. The hypothesis is that these interactions at the thermocline will exceed a critical shear threshold leading to catastrophic loss of stability and episodic mixing. Parameterisations for this mixing will be developed. The potential impact on the shelf sea ecosystem will then be investigated by looking at the nutrient flux into the seasonal thermocline.
Publications
Polton J
(2013)
The vertical structure of time-mean estuarine circulation in a shallow, rotating, semi-enclosed coastal bay: A Liverpool Bay case study with application for monitoring
in Continental Shelf Research
Polton J
(2011)
Physical and dynamical oceanography of Liverpool Bay
in Ocean Dynamics
Polton J
(2013)
Can Drake Passage Observations Match Ekman's Classic Theory?
in Journal of Physical Oceanography
Pearson B
(2018)
Reply to "Comments on 'Langmuir Turbulence and Surface Heating in the Ocean Surface Boundary Layer'"
in Journal of Physical Oceanography
Palmer M
(2011)
A strain-induced freshwater pump in the Liverpool Bay ROFI
in Ocean Dynamics
Palmer M
(2013)
Variable behavior in pycnocline mixing over shelf seas
in Geophysical Research Letters
Neil C
(2012)
Remote sensing of seasonal stratification dynamics in the southern Irish Sea
in Remote Sensing of Environment
Howarth M
(2014)
Assessment of coastal density gradients near a macro-tidal estuary: Application to the Mersey and Liverpool Bay
in Continental Shelf Research
Hopkins J
(2011)
Scales and structure of frontal adjustment and freshwater export in a region of freshwater influence
in Ocean Dynamics
Graham J
(2018)
AMM15: a new high-resolution NEMO configuration for operational simulation of the European north-west shelf
in Geoscientific Model Development
Description | The primary discovery was a method to remotely sense 3D ocean currents in regions where estuaries enter the sea and create complex depth varying flows. |
Exploitation Route | If coastal / port / wind farm managers were interested in mapping 3D mean currents in the neighbourhood of an estuary. We present a method where this could be done remotely (following some initial, standard, survey work). |
Sectors | Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Construction,Energy,Environment |
URL | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278434313000629 |
Description | The work was only published in 2013 so there are 3 academic citation. This work led to developing a smart phone app for tidal prediction using our state of the art modelling capability. |
First Year Of Impact | 2013 |
Sector | Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism |
Impact Types | Societal |
Title | anyTide |
Description | Tidal prediction on mobile devices for Northwest European Shelf coastal waters. Released on Android (June 2014) and Apple (Apr 2013) platforms. Updated with tidal currents (Apr 2015). Tidal currents integrated in AUV pilot tool as Google maps layer (Apr 2015) |
IP Reference | |
Protection | Protection not required |
Year Protection Granted | 2013 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | The Apple version of the app has had 28 thousand downloads through the Apple Store. |