This book examines how large-scale processes drive centimetre-scale mixing throughout the stratified ocean. It explores the primary factors affecting mixing and turbulence, and reviews insights from laboratory studies and numerical modelling. It is an excellent reference for researchers and graduate students in oceanography and related fields.
This book is the outcome of a NATO Advanced Research Workshop on "The Eastern Mediterranean as a laboratory basin for the assessment of contrasting ecosystems" that was held in Kiev, Ukraine, March 23-27, 1998. The scientific rationale of the workshop can be summarized as follows. The Eastern Mediterranean is the most nutrient impoverished and oligotrophic large water body known. There is a well-defined eastward trend in nutrient ratios over the entire Mediterranean that starts at the Gibraltar Straits and, through the western basin, proceeds to the Ionian and Levantine Seas. Supply of nutrients to the entire Mediterranean is limited by inputs from the North Atlantic and various river systems along the sea. The unique feature of the Mediterranean is the presence of an eastward longitudinal trend in available nitrate/phosphate ratios. This apparently induces a west-to-east variation in the structure of the pelagic food web and trophic interactions. In this context the Mediterranean, and in particular its Eastern basin, provides probably a unique platform to explore the hypotheses related to the suggested phosphate-limitation on production and to the shift between "microbial" and "classical" modes of operation of the photic food web. The major exception of the overall oligotrophic nature of the Eastern Mediterranean is the highly eutrophic system of the Northern Adriatic Sea. Here, during the last two decades the discharges of the northern rivers (especially of the Po), together with municipal sewage, have led to a very marked increase of nutrients and subsequent imponent eutrophication events.
Ocean Mixing: Drivers, Mechanisms and Impacts presents a broad panorama of one of the most rapidly-developing areas of marine science. It highlights the state-of-the-art concerning knowledge of the causes of ocean mixing, and a perspective on the implications for ocean circulation, climate, biogeochemistry and the marine ecosystem. This edited volume places a particular emphasis on elucidating the key future questions relating to ocean mixing, and emerging ideas and activities to address them, including innovative technology developments and advances in methodology. Ocean Mixing is a key reference for those entering the field, and for those seeking a comprehensive overview of how the key current issues are being addressed and what the priorities for future research are. Each chapter is written by established leaders in ocean mixing research; the volume is thus suitable for those seeking specific detailed information on sub-topics, as well as those seeking a broad synopsis of current understanding. It provides useful ammunition for those pursuing funding for specific future research campaigns, by being an authoritative source concerning key scientific goals in the short, medium and long term. Additionally, the chapters contain bespoke and informative graphics that can be used in teaching and science communication to convey the complex concepts and phenomena in easily accessible ways. - Presents a coherent overview of the state-of-the-art research concerning ocean mixing - Provides an in-depth discussion of how ocean mixing impacts all scales of the planetary system - Includes elucidation of the grand challenges in ocean mixing, and how they might be addressed
The oceans cover 70% of the terrestrial surface, and exert a pervasive influence on the Earth's environment but their nature is poorly recognized. Knowing the ocean's role deeply and understanding the complex, physical, biological, chemical and geological systems operating within it represent a major challenge to scientists today. Seafloor observatories offer scientists new opportunites to study multiple, interrelated natural phenomena over time scales ranging from seconds to decades, from episodic to global and long-term processes. Seafloor Observatories poses the important and apparently simple question, "How can continuous and reliable monitoring at the seafloor by means of Seafloor Observatories extend exploration and improve knowledge of our planet?" The book leads the reader through: the present scientific challenges to be addressed with seafloor observatories the technical solutions for their architecture an excursus on worldwide ongoing projects and programmes some relevant scientific multidisciplinary results and a presentation of new and interesting long-term perspectives for the coming years. Current results will yield significant improvements and exert a strong impact not only on our present knowledge of our planet but also on human evolution.
This is the fourth Volume of the six Volume Open University set. Each Volume is used by students as a relevant part of the Open University course in the UK, but designed so that it can equally be used as an individual text book. This Volume describes waves, their measurement and characteristics, their behaviour in shallow water and unusual waves. It also considers mainly theoretical aspects of sediment movement and deposition of currents, wave estuaries, and the interaction of waves, tides and river flow in deltas. Concludes with a look at shelf-sea processes and their mineral resources. Each Volume in this set is well laid out and copiously illustrated with full colour photographs, graphs and graphics. Questions to help develop arguments and/or understanding can be found in the text and at the end of each chapter, with worked answers provided at the back of each Volume. Each chapter also concludes with a summary to help consolidate understanding before the next chapter is begun.