Anthropogenic Mixing in Seasonally Stratified Shelf Seas by Offshore Wind Farm Infrastructure

Frontiers in Marine Science

Colm-cille P. Caulfield¹  Rob A. Hall²  John R. Taylor³  Charlie J. Lloyd⁴  Robert M. Dorrell⁴  Jeff A. Polton⁵  Deborah M. Greaves⁶  Jonathan Sharples⁷  Tom P. Rippeth⁸  Brian D. Scannell⁸  Ben J. Lincoln⁸  John H. Simpson⁸ 

[1] BP Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom;Centre for Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom;Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom;Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull, Hull, United Kingdom;National Oceanography Center, Joseph Proudman Building, Liverpool, United Kingdom;School of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, United Kingdom;School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom;School of Ocean Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, United Kingdom;

关键词: offshore wind energy;    shelf seas;    marine biogeochemistry;    stratification;    turbulent mixing;   

DOI  :  10.3389/fmars.2022.830927

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The offshore wind energy sector has rapidly expanded over the past two decades, providing a renewable energy solution for coastal nations. Sector development has been led in Europe, but is growing globally. Most developments to date have been in well-mixed, i.e., unstratified, shallow-waters near to shore. Sector growth is, for the first time, pushing developments to deep water, into a brand new environment: seasonally stratified shelf seas. Seasonally stratified shelf seas, where water density varies with depth, have a disproportionately key role in primary production, marine ecosystem and biogeochemical cycling. Infrastructure will directly mix stratified shelf seas. The magnitude of this mixing, additional to natural background processes, has yet to be fully quantified. If large enough it may erode shelf sea stratification. Therefore, offshore wind growth may destabilize and fundamentally change shelf sea systems. However, enhanced mixing may also positively impact some marine ecosystems. This paper sets the scene for sector development into this new environment, reviews the potential physical and environmental benefits and impacts of large scale industrialization of seasonally stratified shelf seas and identifies areas where research is required to best utilize, manage, and mitigate environmental change.

【 授权许可】

Unknown