We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Microplastic trajectories and fates in the Canary Current System using TrackMPD
Summary
Researchers applied the TrackMPD Lagrangian modeling framework to explore how physical processes including ocean currents and particle properties control microplastic trajectories and fates in the Canary Current System, releasing virtual particles upstream of the Canary Islands using Atlantic-Iberian Biscay Irish operational ocean model fields.
The pollution caused by marine microplastic debris is a significant environmental problem that affects the world’s oceans. Therefore, understanding their movement, distribution and fates in the ocean is crucial for addressing this issue. We explore the sensitivity of microplastic trajectories and fates to physical processes in the Canary Current System by employing the TrackMPD modeling framework, an existing open-access toolbox developed in MATLAB. TrackMPD resolves the limitations of previous toolboxes considering particle dynamical properties and a diverse set of physical processes. The sensitivity tests were performed through the release of virtual particles upstream the Canary Islands, using the horizontal velocity field extracted from the operational Atlantic – Iberian Biscay Irish (IBI) Ocean Analysis and Forecasting dataset. We base the sensibility test on varying the advection resolving method (RK4, RK2 and Euler Method) and the horizontal dispersion coefficient. Comparisons between scenarios are conducted by descriptive visualization of the trajectories and by computing a dimensionless Skill Score based on normalized cumulative Lagrangian separation that allows to estimate differences between trajectories. Results underscore the impact that varying physical processes parameters have on microplastic transport within the Canary Current System. These preliminary findings indicate that the transport and fates of microplastics are strongly influenced by the noteworthy mesoscale activity in the region, especially the eddies, and a coastal jet located east of the islands. After 90 days of simulation, most of the particles remain in the open ocean and those that reach the coast will mainly do so on the east coast of the islands. In all cases, average Skill Score values are above 0.8. The main differences are related to the horizontal dispersion, resulting in lower Skill Scores with higher dispersion coefficients. This effect shows no significant differences between advection scheme resolution. Moreover, the Skill Score indicates variability differences between advection schemes, where the Euler method exhibits more variability than the RK2, and the RK2 more than the RK4. This analysis provides insights into the importance of basic physical processes on the distribution and fate of microplastic debris, thereby increasing the knowledge on the topic. Ongoing analyses test the performance of the above different schemes against real case scenarios of surface drifters navigating through the Canary Current system
Sign in to start a discussion.
More Papers Like This
Pathways and Hot Spots of Floating and Submerged Microplastics in Atlantic Iberian Marine Waters: A Modelling Approach
Researchers combined a global ocean reanalysis model with a Lagrangian particle-tracking model to simulate the transport pathways and accumulation zones of both floating and submerged microplastics originating from southwestern Iberian coastal waters. The modelling approach identified key hotspots and transport corridors for microplastic pollution in Atlantic Iberian marine waters.
A 3D numerical model to Track Marine Plastic Debris (TrackMPD): Sensitivity of microplastic trajectories and fates to particle dynamical properties and physical processes
The TrackMPD model was introduced as a 3D numerical framework for simulating marine microplastic transport, incorporating particle properties, buoyancy changes, and physical oceanographic processes to improve trajectory and fate predictions.
A Regional Lagrangian Model for Assessing the Dispersion of Floating Macroplastics from Different Source Types over the Iberian Peninsula in the North Atlantic Ocean
Researchers used a validated Lagrangian model to track floating macroplastics entering the North Atlantic from rivers, land-based sources, and maritime traffic along Spain's Atlantic coast, finding significant plastic concentrations near the coastline and at medium distances over a seven-year simulation period.
Exploring marine debris transport patterns downstream of Gran Canaria using TrackMPD and surface drifters deployed after a marine pollution incident
Researchers used the TrackMPD Lagrangian modelling framework together with data from six oceanographic surface drifters deployed after a 2015 fishing vessel sinking near Gran Canaria to model marine debris transport patterns downstream of the Canary Islands. They validated model performance against real drifter trajectories using the Liu-Weisberg Skill Score, demonstrating TrackMPD's applicability for estimating pollutant dispersion following marine pollution incidents.
Marine microplastics analysis and their transport in the water column of the Canary Islands region
Researchers characterized marine microplastics in the water column of the Canary Islands, tracking how ocean currents and physical processes transport particles vertically and horizontally. The study found that particle properties and oceanographic conditions jointly determine where microplastics accumulate in the water column.