Effects of vertical shear in modelling horizontal oceanic dispersion
The effect of vertical shear on the horizontal dispersion properties of passive tracer particles on the continental shelf of the South Mediterranean is investigated by means of observation and model data. In situ current measurements reveal that vertical gradients of horizontal velocities in the upp...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Copernicus Publications
2016-02-01
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| Series: | Ocean Science |
| Online Access: | http://www.ocean-sci.net/12/207/2016/os-12-207-2016.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818153930815700992 |
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| author | A. S. Lanotte R. Corrado L. Palatella C. Pizzigalli I. Schipa R. Santoleri |
| author_facet | A. S. Lanotte R. Corrado L. Palatella C. Pizzigalli I. Schipa R. Santoleri |
| author_sort | A. S. Lanotte |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The effect of vertical shear on the horizontal dispersion properties
of passive tracer particles on the continental shelf of the South
Mediterranean is investigated by means of observation and model data.
In situ current measurements reveal that vertical gradients of
horizontal velocities in the upper mixing layer decorrelate quite fast
( ∼ 1 day), whereas an eddy-permitting ocean model, such as
the Mediterranean Forecasting System, tends to overestimate such
decorrelation time because of finite resolution effects. Horizontal
dispersion, simulated by the Mediterranean sea Forecasting System, is
mostly affected by: (1) unresolved scale motions, and mesoscale motions
that are largely smoothed out at scales close to the grid spacing; (2)
poorly resolved time variability in the profiles of the horizontal
velocities in the upper layer. For the case study we have analysed, we
show that a suitable use of deterministic kinematic parametrizations
is helpful to implement realistic statistical features of tracer
dispersion in two and three dimensions. The approach here suggested
provides a functional tool to control the horizontal spreading of
small organisms or substance concentrations, and is thus relevant for
marine biology, pollutant dispersion as well as oil spill
applications. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-11T14:18:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-974e624d9c064648bb6f3301351a6f1e |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1812-0784 1812-0792 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-11T14:18:27Z |
| publishDate | 2016-02-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ocean Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-974e624d9c064648bb6f3301351a6f1e2022-12-22T01:03:02ZengCopernicus PublicationsOcean Science1812-07841812-07922016-02-0112120721610.5194/os-12-207-2016Effects of vertical shear in modelling horizontal oceanic dispersionA. S. Lanotte0R. Corrado1L. Palatella2C. Pizzigalli3I. Schipa4R. Santoleri5CNR ISAC, GOS Team, Str. Prov. Lecce Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, ItalyCNR ISAC, GOS Team, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 1, 00133 Rome, ItalyCNR ISAC, GOS Team, Str. Prov. Lecce Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, ItalyCNR ISAC, GOS Team, Str. Prov. Lecce Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, ItalyARPA Puglia (Regional Environmental Protection Agency), Corso Trieste 27, 70126 Bari, ItalyCNR ISAC, GOS Team, Via Fosso del Cavaliere 1, 00133 Rome, ItalyThe effect of vertical shear on the horizontal dispersion properties of passive tracer particles on the continental shelf of the South Mediterranean is investigated by means of observation and model data. In situ current measurements reveal that vertical gradients of horizontal velocities in the upper mixing layer decorrelate quite fast ( ∼ 1 day), whereas an eddy-permitting ocean model, such as the Mediterranean Forecasting System, tends to overestimate such decorrelation time because of finite resolution effects. Horizontal dispersion, simulated by the Mediterranean sea Forecasting System, is mostly affected by: (1) unresolved scale motions, and mesoscale motions that are largely smoothed out at scales close to the grid spacing; (2) poorly resolved time variability in the profiles of the horizontal velocities in the upper layer. For the case study we have analysed, we show that a suitable use of deterministic kinematic parametrizations is helpful to implement realistic statistical features of tracer dispersion in two and three dimensions. The approach here suggested provides a functional tool to control the horizontal spreading of small organisms or substance concentrations, and is thus relevant for marine biology, pollutant dispersion as well as oil spill applications.http://www.ocean-sci.net/12/207/2016/os-12-207-2016.pdf |
| spellingShingle | A. S. Lanotte R. Corrado L. Palatella C. Pizzigalli I. Schipa R. Santoleri Effects of vertical shear in modelling horizontal oceanic dispersion Ocean Science |
| title | Effects of vertical shear in modelling horizontal oceanic dispersion |
| title_full | Effects of vertical shear in modelling horizontal oceanic dispersion |
| title_fullStr | Effects of vertical shear in modelling horizontal oceanic dispersion |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of vertical shear in modelling horizontal oceanic dispersion |
| title_short | Effects of vertical shear in modelling horizontal oceanic dispersion |
| title_sort | effects of vertical shear in modelling horizontal oceanic dispersion |
| url | http://www.ocean-sci.net/12/207/2016/os-12-207-2016.pdf |
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