We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Beaching patterns of plastic debris along the Indian Ocean rim
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used Lagrangian particle-tracking simulations to model the beaching patterns of plastic debris along the Indian Ocean rim, finding that the absence of a subtropical gyre in the Northern Hemisphere Indian Ocean means plastics likely accumulate on coastlines rather than forming a garbage patch. Results showed a large amount of plastic ends up on coastlines in the Northern Indian Ocean while some crosses the equator into the Southern Hemisphere.
Abstract. A large percentage of global ocean plastic waste enters the Northern Hemisphere Indian Ocean (NIO). Despite this, it is unclear what happens to buoyant plastics in the NIO. Because the subtropics in the NIO are blocked by landmass, there is no subtropical gyre and no associated subtropical garbage patch in this region. We therefore hypothesize that plastics “beach” and end up on coastlines along the Indian Ocean rim. In this paper, we determine the influence of beaching plastics by applying different beaching conditions to Lagrangian particle-tracking simulation results. Our results show that a large amount of plastic likely ends up on coastlines in the NIO, while some crosses the Equator into the Southern Hemisphere Indian Ocean (SIO). In the NIO, the transport of plastics is dominated by seasonally reversing monsoonal currents, which transport plastics back and forth between the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal. All buoyant plastic material in this region beaches within a few years in our simulations. Countries bordering the Bay of Bengal are particularly heavily affected by plastics beaching on coastlines. This is a result of both the large sources of plastic waste in the region and the ocean dynamics that concentrate plastics in the Bay of Bengal. During the intermonsoon period following the southwest monsoon season (September, October, November), plastics can cross the Equator on the eastern side of the NIO basin into the SIO. Plastics that escape from the NIO into the SIO beach on eastern African coastlines and islands in the SIO or enter the subtropical SIO garbage patch.
More Papers Like This
Beaching patterns of plastic debris along the Indian Ocean rim
AI summary Read the abstract
This modeling study found that most plastic entering the northern Indian Ocean eventually beaches along surrounding coastlines rather than forming a garbage patch, because landmass blocks the formation of a subtropical gyre in this region. The findings explain observed high plastic loads on Indian Ocean rim coastlines.
Modeling the convergence of buoyant debris in the Indian Ocean: Insights from surface drifter trajectories and Lagrangian simulations
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used six surface drifter trajectories in the Southern Indian Ocean, combined with Lagrangian particle simulations that incorporate Stokes drift, to map a plastic convergence zone in the western basin fed by the Agulhas Return Current and South Equatorial Current—filling a major gap in understanding where buoyant debris accumulates in this under-monitored ocean.
Role of Indian Ocean Dynamics on Accumulation of Buoyant Debris
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers used ocean circulation modeling to investigate the role of Indian Ocean dynamics in accumulating buoyant marine plastic debris, examining how Ekman convergence and regional current patterns shape the distribution of floating debris in the Indian Ocean subtropical gyre.
A particle tracking model approach to determine the dispersal of riverine plastic debris released into the Indian Ocean
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers developed a particle tracking model to simulate the dispersal of riverine plastic debris released into the Indian Ocean from surrounding landmasses. The study found that plastic accumulation on beaches peaked during monsoon seasons, with ocean currents, wind, and wave action driving distinct transport patterns, providing valuable data for identifying high-risk coastal areas and informing cleanup strategies.
The Movement of Plastic Marine Debris in Indonesian Seas using A Trajectory Model
AI summary Read the abstract
This Indonesian study used a Lagrangian trajectory model to simulate the transport of plastic marine debris in Indonesian waters, driven by ocean current data. The modeling revealed characteristic movement patterns of floating plastic waste within the Indonesian archipelago and toward surrounding ocean regions.
Research digests by email
When a large batch of papers lands in the Atlas, we read through it and send a short write-up of what stood out.