The impact of extreme weather events exceeds those due to global-change drivers on coastal phytoplankton assemblages

Extreme wind and rainfall events have become more frequent phenomena, impacting coastal ecosystems by inducing increased mixing regimes in the upper mixed layers (UML) and reduced transparency (i.e. browning), hence affecting phytoplankton photosynthesis. In this study, five plankton assemblages from the South Atlantic Ocean, from a gradient of environmental variability and anthropogenic exposure, were subjected to simulated extreme weather events under a global change scenario (GCS) of increased temperature and nutrients and decreased pH, and compared to ambient conditions (Control). Using multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis we determined that evenness and the ratio of diatoms/ (flagellates + dinoflagellates) significantly explained the variations (81-91 %) of the photosynthesis efficiency (i.e. Pchla/ETRchla ratio) for each site under static conditions. Mixing speed and the optical depth (i.e. attenuation coefficient * depth, kdz), as single drivers, explained 40-76 % of the variability in the Pchla/ETRchla ratio, while GCS drivers <9 %. Overall, assemblages with high diversity and evenness were less vulnerable to extreme weather events under a GCS. Extreme weather events should be considered in global change studies and conservation/management plans as even at local/regional scales, they can exceed the predicted impacts of mean global climate change on coastal primary productivity.

Role of vertical advection and diffusion in long-range PM2.5 transport in Northeast Asia

This study quantitatively analyzed the role of vertical mixing in long-range transport (LRT) of PM_2.5 during its high concentration episode in Northeast Asia toward the end of February 2014. The PM_2.5 transport process from an upwind to downwind area was examined using the Community Multi-scale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system with its instrumented tool and certain code modifications. We identified serial distinctive roles of vertical advection (ZADV) and diffusion (VDIF) processes. The surface PM_2.5 in an upwind area became aloft by VDIF- during daytime-to the planetary boundary layer (PBL) altitude of 1 km or lower. In contrast, ZADV updraft effectively transported PM_2.5 vertically to an altitude of 2-3 km above the PBL. Furthermore, we found that the VDIF and ZADV in the upwind area synergistically promoted the vertical mixing of air pollutants up to an altitude of 1 km and higher. The aloft PM_2.5 in the upwind area was then transported to the downwind area by horizontal advection (HADV), which was faster than HADV at the surface layer. Additionally, VDIF and ZADV over the downwind area mixed down the aloft PM_2.5 on the surface. During this period, the VDIF and ZADV increased the PM_2.5 concentrations in the downwind area by up to 15 μg·m^-3 (15%) and 101 μg·m^-3 (60%), respectively. This study highlights the importance of vertical mixing on long-range PM_2.5 transport and warrants more in-depth model analysis with three-dimensional observations to enhance its comprehensive understanding.

Modelling spatial dispersion of contaminants from shipping lanes in the Baltic Sea

Major sources of pollution from shipping to marine environments are antifouling paint residues and discharges of bilge, black, grey and ballast water and scrubber discharge water. The dispersion of copper, zinc, naphthalene, pyrene, and dibromochloromethane have been studied using the Ship Traffic Emission Assessment Model, the General Estuarine Transport Model, and the Eulerian tracer transport model in the Baltic Sea in 2012. Annual loads of the contaminants ranged from 10^-2 tons for pyrene to 100 s of tons for copper. The dispersion of the contaminants is determined by the surface kinetic energy and vertical stratification at the location of the discharge. The elevated concentration of the contaminants at the surface persists for about two-days and the contaminants are dispersed over the spatial scale of 10-60 km. The Danish Sounds, the southwestern Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Finland are under the heaviest pressure of shipborne contaminants in the Baltic Sea.

Temporal-spatial features and key factors' analysis of vertical eddy diffusivities in Taihu Lake, China

Vertical eddy diffusivity (VED) is used to quantify the vertical mixing of water column, which has a profound influence on the evolution of aquatic ecosystems. Based on half-hourly water temperature measured at -20 cm and -150 cm depths from 2015 to 2017 at stations of Pingtaishan (PTS), Dapukou (DPK), Bifenggang (BFG), and Xiaoleishan (XLS) in Taihu Lake, the daily average VED is calculated according to the phase lag of water temperature series at two depths. The temporal and spatial features and possible evolution characters of vertical turbulences are then deliberated. The results show that the VED in Taihu Lake varies by several orders of magnitude. The weak VED exhibits stronger spatial heterogeneity and high frequency characteristics and vice versa for the strong VED. The VED in the center region of the lake is stronger, in comparison to bay areas. On seasonality, the VED is the strongest in winter, moderate in spring and autumn, and the weakest in summer. Analyses show that solar radiation and wind forcing are the key meteorological factors regulating VED changes, with the solar effect somewhat stronger than wind. It is also discussed potential roles of vertical mixing in cyanobacteria becoming dominant population in Taihu Lake.

Oxygen decline in a temperate marginal sea: Contribution of warming and eutrophication

Dissolved oxygen (DO) decline (i.e., deoxygenation) is an ongoing process in parts of the coastal and open oceans as a result of increased greenhouse gas emissions and nutrient discharges. Yet its controlling mechanisms remain unclear and patchy. Based on continuous observational data collected in a temperate margin, the southern Yellow Sea (SYS), we quantitatively evaluate how deoxygenation responds to warming and eutrophication in different seasons by using an evaluation method that allows us to distinguish the effects of temperature, salinity and biological activities. Results show that during winter, when the water column is vertically well-mixed, and in summer surface waters, deoxygenation is dominated by warming-induced decreases of O₂ solubility due to a quick exchange of O₂ between the ocean and atmosphere. Moreover, we find a regionally accelerated deoxygenation with enhanced warming along the pathway of the YSCC (Yellow Sea Coastal Current) in winter. In contrast, for bottom waters in summer when O₂ exchange is inhibited due to high stratification, deoxygenation appears to be dominated by biological respiration associated with eutrophication. Also, we find the summer bottom deoxygenation can be accelerated by warming, indicating that the bottom waters or the hypolimnion may be vulnerable to deoxygenation in the future. Our study further demonstrates that the deoxygenation mechanisms in shallow coastal oceans are associated with water column structures, i.e., well-mixed vs. stratified water column. Information is assembled into a conceptual model to provide an overview of deoxygenation in temperate marginal systems.

Sensitivity of fine particulate matter concentrations in South Korea to regional ammonia emissions in Northeast Asia

Ammonia (NH3) is an important precursor for forming PM2.5. In this study, we estimated the impact of upwind transboundary and local downwind NH3 emissions on PM2.5 and its inorganic components via photochemical grid model simulations. Nine sensitivity scenarios with ±50% perturbations of upwind (China) and/or downwind (South Korea) NH3 emissions were simulated for the year 2016 over Northeast Asia. The annual mean PM2.5 concentrations in the downwind area were predicted to change from -3.3 (-18%) to 2.4 μg/m3(13%) when the NH3 emissions in the upwind and downwind areas were perturbed by -50% to +50%. The change in PM2.5 concentrations in the downwind area depending on the change in NH3 emissions in the upwind area was the highest in spring, followed by winter. This was mainly attributed to the change in nitrate (NO3-), a secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA) that is a predominant constituent of PM2.5. Since NH3 is mainly emitted near the surface and vertical mixing is limited during the night, it was modeled that the aloft nitric acid (HNO3)-to-NO3- conversion in the morning hours was increased when the NH3 accumulated near the surface during nighttime begins to mix up within the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) as it develops after sunrise. This implies that the control of upwind and/or downwind NH3 emissions is effective at reducing PM2.5 concentrations in the downwind area even under NH3 rich conditions in Northeast Asia.

Historical CTD dataset and associated processed dissipation rate using an improved Thorpe method in the Indonesian seas

In this article, we present the datasets which are used to estimate the turbulent kinetic energy dissipation rates and vertical diffusivity in the Indonesian seas. An archived CTD (conductivity, temperature, depth) datasets collected between 1990 and 2016 with 1 m vertical resolution is presented and analyzed using an improved Thorpe method. The direct estimates dataset of the dissipation rate from two research expeditions, i.e., INDOMIX Program in 2010 and TOMTOM Program in 2015 were also presented, available to be compared with the indirect estimates from CTD profiles. We also present the dissipation rate output of three recent regional internal tide models in the Indonesian seas for comparison with microstructure measurements and improved Thorpe estimates. The datasets refer to "Spatial structure of turbulent mixing inferred from historical CTD datasets in the Indonesian seas" [1].

On the use of random walk schemes in oil spill modelling

In oil spill models, vertical mixing due to turbulence is commonly modelled by random walk. If the eddy diffusivity varies with depth, failing to take the derivative of the diffusivity into account in the random walk scheme will lead to incorrect results. Depending on the diffusivity profile, the result may be either over- or underprediction of the amount of surfaced oil. The importance of using consistent random walk schemes has been known for decades in, e.g., the plankton modelling community. However, it appears not to be common knowledge in the oil spill community, with inconsistent random walk schemes appearing even in recent publications. We demonstrate and quantify the error due to inconsistent random walk, using a simplified oil spill model, and two different diffusivity profiles. In the two cases considered, a commonly used inconsistent scheme predicts respectively 54% and 202% the amount of surface oil, compared to a consistent scheme.

Hydrodynamic modelling of a polluted tropical bay: Assessment of anthropogenic impacts on freshwater runoff and estuarine water renewal

A bay's capacity to buffer fluvial fluxes between the land and sea is sensitive to hydrological changes that can affect its water renewal rates. In Cartagena Bay, Colombia, pollution issues have been associated with freshwater fluxes which are projected to increase in future years. This has led to plans to reduce freshwater flows by constructing upstream hydraulic doors. Given the influence of freshwater discharge on coastal water renewal, it is important to assess how these upstream changes will affect the bay's hydrodynamic processes. This study calibrated the 3D MOHID Water model, configured with a high-resolution mixed vertical discretization to capture the bay's characteristic processes of vertical stratification and mixing. A Lagrangian transport model was used to analyze the flow of passive particle tracers and calculate water renewal time scales. Mean residence times of 3-6 days and flushing times of 10-20 days for canal water were found, while mean residence times of 23-33 days and flushing times of 70-99 days were calculated for the bay's complete water volume. An assessment of future scenarios showed that increases in freshwater runoff would result in faster water renewal in the bay, while plans to decrease freshwater discharge would result in slower water renewal in the bay. It is therefore imperative that any plans for reducing fluvial fluxes into the bay be accompanied by the control of local pollution sources, which are abundant and could worsen the bay's water quality issues should water renewal times become longer.

AERMOD as a Gaussian dispersion model for planning tracer gas dispersion tests for landfill methane emission quantification

The measurement of methane emissions from landfills is important to the understanding of landfills' contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. The Tracer Dispersion Method (TDM) is becoming widely accepted as a technique, which allows landfill emissions to be quantified accurately provided that measurements are taken where the plumes of a released tracer-gas and landfill-gas are well-mixed. However, the distance at which full mixing of the gases occurs is generally unknown prior to any experimental campaign. To overcome this problem the present paper demonstrates that, for any specific TDM application, a simple Gaussian dispersion model (AERMOD) can be run beforehand to help determine the distance from the source at which full mixing conditions occur, and the likely associated measurement errors. An AERMOD model was created to simulate a series of TDM trials carried out at a UK landfill, and was benchmarked against the experimental data obtained. The model was used to investigate the impact of different factors (e.g. tracer cylinder placements, wind directions, atmospheric stability parameters) on TDM results to identify appropriate experimental set ups for different conditions. The contribution of incomplete vertical mixing of tracer and landfill gas on TDM measurement error was explored using the model. It was observed that full mixing conditions at ground level do not imply full mixing over the entire plume height. However, when full mixing conditions were satisfied at ground level, then the error introduced by variations in mixing higher up were always less than 10%.

Vertical mixing with return irrigation water the cause of arsenic enrichment in groundwater of district Larkana Sindh, Pakistan

Stable isotopes ratios (‰) of Hydrogen (δ²H) and Oxygen (δ¹⁸O) were used to trace the groundwater recharge mechanism and geochemistry of arsenic (As) contamination in groundwater from four selected sites (Larkana, Naudero, Ghari Khuda Buksh and Dokri) of Larkana district. The stable isotope values of δ²H and δ¹⁸O range from 70.78‰ to -56.01‰ and from -10.92‰ to -7.35‰, relative to Vienna Standard for Mean Ocean Water (VSMOW) respectively, in all groundwater samples, thus indicating the recharge source of groundwater from high-salinity older water. The concentrations of As in all groundwater samples were ranged from 2 μg/L to 318 μg/L, with 67% of samples exhibited As levels exceeding than that of World Health Organization (WHO) permissible limit 10 μg/L and 42% of samples expressed the As level exceeding than that of the National Environmental Quality Standard (NEQS) 50 μg/L. The leaching and vertical mixing with return irrigation water are probably the main processes controlling the enrichment of As in groundwater of Larkana, Naudero, Ghari Khuda Buksh and Dokri. The weathering of minerals mostly controlled the overall groundwater chemistry; rock-water interactions and silicate weathering generated yielded solutions that were saturated in calcite and dolomite in two areas while halite dissolution is prominent with high As area.

Enhancement of nitrate removal at the sediment-water interface by carbon addition plus vertical mixing

Wetlands and ponds are frequently used to remove nitrate from effluents or runoffs. However, the efficiency of this approach is limited. Based on the assumption that introducing vertical mixing to water column plus carbon addition would benefit the diffusion across the sediment-water interface, we conducted simulation experiments to identify a method for enhancing nitrate removal. The results suggested that the sediment-water interface has a great potential for nitrate removal, and the potential can be activated after several days of acclimation. Adding additional carbon plus mixing significantly increases the nitrate removal capacity, and the removal of total nitrogen (TN) and nitrate-nitrogen (NO3(-)-N) is well fitted to a first-order reaction model. Adding Hydrilla verticillata debris as a carbon source increased nitrate removal, whereas adding Eichhornia crassipe decreased it. Adding ethanol plus mixing greatly improved the removal performance, with the removal rate of NO3(-)-N and TN reaching 15.0-16.5 g m(-2) d(-1). The feasibility of this enhancement method was further confirmed with a wetland microcosm, and the NO3(-)-N removal rate maintained at 10.0-12.0 g m(-2) d(-1) at a hydraulic loading rate of 0.5 m d(-1).

Origin of non-spherical particles in the boundary layer over Beijing, China: based on balloon-borne observations

Vertical structures of aerosols from the ground to about 1,000 m altitude in Beijing were measured with a balloon-borne optical particle counter. The results showed that, in hazy days, there were inversions at approximately 500-600 m, below which the particulate matters were well mixed vertically, while the concentration of particles decreased sharply above the mixing layer. Electron microscopic observation of the particles collected with the balloon-borne impactor indicates that the composition of particles is different according to weather conditions in the boundary mixing layer of Beijing city and suggests that dust particles are always dominant in coarse-mode particles. Interestingly, sea-salt particles are frequently identified, suggesting the importance of marine air inflow to the Beijing area even in summer. The Ca-rich spherical particles are also frequently identified, suggesting chemical modification of dust particle by NOx or emission of CaO and others from local emission. Additionally, those types of particles showed higher concentration above the mixing layer under the relatively calm weather condition of summer, suggesting the importance of local-scale convection found in summer which rapidly transported anthropogenic particles above the mixing layer. Lidar extinction profiles qualitatively have good consistency with the balloon-borne measurements. Attenuation effects of laser pulse intensity are frequently observed due to high concentration of particulate matter in the Beijing atmosphere, and therefore quantitative agreement of lidar return and aerosol concentration can be hardly observed during dusty condition. Comparing the depolarization ratio obtained from the lidar measurements with the balloon-borne measurements, the contribution of the dry sea-salt particles, in addition to the dust particles, is suggested as an important factor causing depolarization ratio in the Beijing atmosphere.

Spatial variability of methane: attributing atmospheric concentrations to emissions

Atmospheric methane concentrations were quantified along transects in Switzerland, using a mobile laser spectrometer combined with a GPS, to identify their spatio-temporal patterns and their controlling factors. Based on these measurements in complex terrain dominated by agriculture, three main factors were found to be responsible for the diurnal and regional patterns of atmospheric methane: (1) magnitude and distribution of methane sources within the region, (2) efficiency of vertical exchange, and (3) local wind patterns within the complex topography. An autocorrelation analysis of measured methane concentrations showed that nighttime measurements close to the ground provide information about regional sources (up to 8.3 km), while daytime measurements only carry information about sources located up to 240 m away in the upwind fetch. Compared to daytime concentrations, nighttime methane concentrations do also better reflect emissions obtained from a spatially explicit methane emission inventory and allowed the investigation of inconsistencies in this emission inventory.