Numerical simulation of ice-ocean variability in the Barents Sea region

A dynamic–thermodynamic sea ice model has been coupled to a three-dimensional ocean general circulation model for the purpose of conducting ocean climate dynamical downscaling experiments for the Barents Sea region. To assess model performance and suitability for such an application, the coupled model has been used to conduct a hindcast for the period 1990–2002. A comparison with available observations shows that the model successfully tracks seasonal and inter-annual variability in the ocean temperature field and that the simulated horizontal and vertical distribution of temperature are in good agreement with observations. The model results follow the seasonal and inter-annual variability in sea ice cover in the region, with the exception that the model results show too much ice melting in the northern Barents Sea during summer. The spatial distribution of the winter simulated sea ice cover is in close agreement with observations. Modelled temperatures and ice concentrations in the central Barents Sea are biased too high and too low, respectively. The probable cause is too high inflow of Atlantic Water into the Barents. The seasonal and inter-annual fluctuations in temperature and sea ice cover in the central Barents are, however, in excellent agreement with observations. Salt release during the freezing process in the numerical simulation exhibits considerable inter-annual variability and tends to vary in an opposite manner to the net inflow volume flux at the western entrance of the Barents Sea. Overall, the model produces realistic ice-ocean seasonal and inter-annual variability and should prove to be a useful tool for dynamical downscaling applications.     

Investigating the effects of a summer storm on the North Sea stratification using a regional coupled ocean-atmosphere model

The influence of a summer storm event in 2007 on the North Sea and its effects on the ocean stratification are investigated using a regional coupled ocean (Regional Ocean Modeling System, ROMS)-atmosphere (Weather Research & Forecasting model, WRF) modeling system. An analysis of potential energy anomaly (PEA, Φ) and its temporal development reveals that the loss of stratification due to the storm event is dominated by vertical mixing in almost the entire North Sea. For specific regions, however, a considerable contribution of depth-mean straining is observed. Vertical mixing is highly correlated with wind induced surface stresses. However, peak mixing values are observed in combination with incoming flood currents. Depending on the phase between winds and tides, the loss of stratification differs strongly over the North Sea. To study the effects of interactive ocean-atmosphere exchange, a fully coupled simulation is compared with two uncoupled ones for the same vertical mixing parameters to identify the impact of spatial resolution as well as of SST feedback. While the resulting new mixed layer depth after the storm event in the uncoupled simulation with lower spatial and temporal resolution of the surface forcing data can still be located in the euphotic zone, the coupled simulation is capable to mix the entire water column and the vertical mixing in the uncoupled simulation with higher resolution of the surface forcing data is strongly amplified. These differences might have notable implications for ecosystem modeling since it could determine the development of new phytoplankton blooms after the storm and for sediment modeling in terms of sediment mobilization. An investigation of restratification after the extreme event illustrates the persistent effect of this summer storm.     

Anthropogenic nutrient load of the Baltic Sea

The discharge of nutrients is investigated in relation to their sources and effects in two case studies. The reduction of 47% in the phosphorus load from Denmark to marine areas between 1989 and 1993 has resulted in significantly lower phosphorus concentrations in most Danish coastal waters, and tendency to decrease can be seen in the Belt Sea and Kattegat as well. No general changes in nitrogen concentrations have been observed. This is due to the fact that more than 80% of the nitrogen load in Danish waters originate from diffuse agricultural sources.In the Pomeranian Bight strong nutrient gradients are generated by the mixing of Odra river water and coastal water. The spreading of the river plume could be exactly observed especially in winter, when biological activity is low. In general, different types of distribution, transport and modification patterns can be described.The annual input of nutrients from the catchment area to the Baltic Sea was estimated to be around 1000 kt N and 46 kt P. As a result, winter concentrations of phosphate and nitrate are characterized by positive overall trends in the surface layer in all subregions of the Baltic Proper for the period 1969 to 1993. These trends stem mainly from the strong increase in the 1970ies and early 1980ies. Thereafter, the concentrations of both nutrients fluctuate strongly around a high level. The drastic decrease in fertilizer consumption since the late 1980ies mainly caused by the great economic changes in the countries of the former East Bloc is not yet significantly reflected in decreasing winter concentrations, but first signs already have been found in the decrease in averaged phosphate concentrations in winter, especially in the Arkona and Bornholm Seas.     

Transient upwelling in the central Baltic Sea

The paper presents a theoretical study to explain the regular occurrence of a cold water upwelling cell at the southern east coast of the Gotland island in the central Baltic Sea. While for a circular island up- and downwelling patterns would rotate around the island, the responses around the elongated Gotland island with narrow tips at its southern and northern ends are different. The study uses the example of the response of a coastal ocean to a wind band to develop an understanding of important aspects of generation of Kelvin waves and how the waves change the response patterns.     

Hydrocarbons in the Suspension and Sediments of the Baltic Sea

The article gives the results of studying the concentration and composition of aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in suspension in surface waters at sections from the English Channel and Skagerak Strait to various regions of the Baltic Sea (2010–2015) and in water and bottom sediments of the southeastern part of the sea in the water area of the Kravtsovskoe field (2008–2015). In recent years, the surface waters of open areas of the Baltic Sea showed a decrease in hydrocarbon concentrations down to background levels (12–33 μg/L). The maximal concentration of hydrocarbons (in excess of the MAC) was recorded in different seasons in navigation areas, including the English Channel and Pregola R. mouth. In the zone of the Kravtsovskoe field, the concentration and composition of hydrocarbons in water depends on their inflow from the bank, and the same characteristics in bottom sediments, on the rate of their leakage from sediment stratum. A decline in these processes have led to a decrease in hydrocarbon concentrations in the sediments of a local area near D-6 platform to background levels (5–7 μg/g) and to the predominance of terrigenous, rather than petroleum, alkanes in hydrocarbon compositions.     

The BEEP project in the Baltic Sea: overview of results and outline for a regional biological effects monitoring strategy

Field studies in the framework of the EU funded BEEP project (Biological Effects of Environmental Pollution in Marine Coastal Ecosystems, 2001-2004) aimed at validating and intercalibrating a battery of biomarkers of contaminant exposure and effects in selected indicator species in the Mediterranean, the North Atlantic and the Baltic Seas. Major strategic goals of the BEEP project were the development of a sensitive and cost-efficient biological effects monitoring approach, delivery of information and advice to end-user groups, and the implementation of a network of biomarker researchers around Europe. Based on the main results obtained in the Baltic Sea component of the BEEP the present paper summarises and assesses the applicability of biomarkers for different regions and species in this sea area. Moreover, a general strategy and some practical considerations for the monitoring of biological effects in the Baltic Sea are outlined.     

Application of a littoral Baltic Sea resuspension model in a eutrophic lake-factors behind differences in the model performance

The performance of a linear resuspension model developed in the Baltic Sea was studied in the conditions of a eutrophic Lake Kirkkoj(a|¨)rvi(southern Finland).The model predicts sediment resuspension rate using data on vegetation cover,wind and sediment quality as an input.When the original model coefficients were used,the model resulted on average 1.8 fold overestimation of the resuspension rate in Kirkkoj(a|¨)rvi.This was due to lower fetch and water depth,and less consolidated sediment of Kirkkoj(a|¨)rvi compared with the Baltic Sea study site.When coefficients were adjusted for Kirkkoj(a|¨)rvi,the model predictions were 1.1 times the measured values.Due to the continuous resuspension,the effect of the wind term in the model was so low that it could be excluded without affecting the accuracy of model predictions.The study demonstrated that in a shallow eutrophic lake accurate predictions on resuspension rate can be made using only data on sediment quality and on factors inhibiting resuspension(macrophytes).The model residuals increased with increasing resuspension rate and high rates of resuspension were underestimated by the model.Due to the fluffy sediment in Kirkkoj(a|¨)rvi,erosion of sediment increases more than linear with increasing shear stress.Thus in such conditions,even better predictions could be achieved by a non-linear resuspension model.     

High-resolution atmospheric forcing for regional oceanic model: the Iroise Sea

This study was aimed at modeling, as realistically as possible, the dynamics and thermodynamics of the Iroise Sea by using the Model for Applications at Regional Scale (MARS), a regional ocean 3D model. The horizontal resolution of the configuration in use is 2 km with 30 vertical levels. The 3D model of the Iroise Sea is embedded in a larger model providing open boundary conditions. As regards the atmospheric forcing, the originality of this study is to force the regional ocean model with the high-resolution (6 km) regional meteorological model, Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF). In addition, as the air surface temperature is highly sensitive to the sea surface temperature (SST), this regional meteorological model is improved by taking into account a regional climatologic SST to compute meteorological parameters. By allowing a better coherence between the SST and the temperature of the atmospheric boundary layer while giving a more realistic representation of heat fluxes exchanged at the air/sea interface, this forcing constitutes a noticeable improvement of the Iroise Sea modeling. The different sensitivity tests discussed here pinpoint the importance of entering, in WRF, SST data of sufficiently high quality before the computation of meteorological forcing when the aim is a study of dynamics and thermodynamics far away from the coast. On the other hand, when the target is the reproduction of coastal small-scale features in Iroise Sea modeling, the resolution of the meteorological forcing and the quality of SST are both paramount. The simulation of reference was carried out throughout the Summer and Autumn of year 2005 to allow comparisons with a campaign of surface current measurements by high-frequency radars conducted at the same period.     

PAH-profiles in sediment cores from the Baltic Sea

To document the historical input the PAH-profiles of sediment cores in two different basins of the Baltic Sea, the Gotland Basin (GB) and Arkona Basin (AB), were analysed by means of GC-MS. 35 PAHs were quantified in all samples, and additionally, several marker PAHs, like Cyclopenta[cd]phenanthrene (CCP) for combustion processes and retene for terrigenous input, were quantified in selected samples. The preindustrial sediments (older than 200-250 years) in the GB core illustrate concentrations <100 ng PAH15 g(-1) d.w. Calculated PAH-ratios indicated combustion processes as the main sources for both basins. The Perylene concentrations within the sediment cores decrease with increasing depth, along with an increase in relative percentage, indicating slow diagenetic processes. The preservation and enrichment of the introduced PAHs was more pronounced in the GB core.     

HELCOM Baltic Sea Action Plan - A regional programme of measures for the marine environment based on the Ecosystem Approach

The Helsinki Commission (HELCOM) Baltic Sea Action Plan, adopted by the coastal countries of the Baltic Sea and the European Community in November 2007, is a regional intergovernmental programme of measures for the protection and management of the marine environment explicitly based on the Ecosystem Approach. The Action Plan is structured around a set of Ecological Objectives used to define indicators and targets, including effect-based nutrient input ceilings, and to monitor implementation. The Action Plan strongly links Baltic marine environmental concerns to important socio-economic fields such as agriculture and fisheries and promotes cross-sectoral tools including marine spatial planning. Due to complementarities with the European Union (EU) Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the Action Plan is in essence a pilot for this process without neglecting the important role of the Russian Federation - the only Baltic coastal country not a member of the EU.