Modeling Near-Surface Suspended Sediment Concentration in the English Channel

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering

Nicolas Guillou²  Aurélie Rivier²  Francis Gohin¹  Georges Chapalain² 

[1] ODE-DYNECO-PELAGOS, Ifremer, Centre de Bretagne, Technopôle Brest-Iroise, 29280 Plouzané, France; E-Mail:;Laboratoire de Génie Côtier et Environnement, DTEMF/DS, Cerema, Technopôle Brest-Iroise, BP 5, 29280 Plouzané, France; E-Mails:

关键词: ROMS;    satellite;    MERIS;    MODIS;    tide;    wave;   

DOI  :  10.3390/jmse3020193

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

The present study investigates the performances of the three-dimensional multicomponent hydro-sedimentary model ROMS (Regional Ocean Modeling System) to predict near-surface suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) in the English Channel (western Europe). Predictions are assessed against satellite-retrieved observations from raw MODIS and MERIS images for the year 2008 characterized by the highest availability of cloud-free data. Focus is put on improvements obtained with: (1) SSC inputs at the open boundaries; and (2) simple parameterizations of the settling velocity and the critical shear stress. Sensitivity studies confirm the importance of the advection of fine-grained suspended sediments in the central waters of the English Channel exhibiting benefits of refined SSC estimations along the sea boundaries. Improvements obtained with modified formulations of the settling velocity and the critical shear stress finally suggest possible seasonal influences of biological activity and thermal stratification on near-surface SSC.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.