We can't find the internet
Attempting to reconnect
Something went wrong!
Hang in there while we get back on track
Operational Modeling of Surfing Transport for Buoyant Objects in OpenDrift
AI summary Read the abstract
A surfing transport function was added to the OpenDrift ocean trajectory model to capture how buoyant objects, including small plastic particles, are carried by breaking waves in the nearshore zone, improving prediction accuracy. More accurate modeling of nearshore plastic transport dynamics is essential for designing effective beach cleanup interventions and forecasting coastal microplastic accumulation hotspots.
Abstract Surfing transport occurs when a buoyant object is caught on the face of a breaking wave and travels with the breaking wave. Surfing transport can affect the transport of marine debris, plastics, search and rescue objects, among other objects of interest. Operational trajectory models, such as OpenDrift, allow users to quickly predict where an object will go or where it came from as it drifts in the ocean. These tools are useful for predicting where plastics or oil will go after a spill so effective cleaning efforts can be launched along with effective search patterns deployed for search and rescue objects. The OpenDrift model is a lightweight, highly modular, Python-based modeling framework used to predict the trajectory of a wide variety of objects in the ocean. The model is object-oriented, where the Python objects represent a model class that can be configured based on a desired set of transport physics and object characteristics. A surfing transport function is added to the set of physics methods based on observations of surfing transport made using small drifters in the nearshore. Including surfing transport has been shown to increase the accuracy of the trajectory modeling for small buoyant plastics in the nearshore. The additional functionality is also expanded for use in deep water but has not yet been validated against similar observations.
More Papers Like This
Surfing Transport of Buoyant Objects Observed in the Nearshore
AI summary Read the abstract
Field observations of free-drifting buoys in the nearshore zone documented 3,172 wave-surfing events with a median jump amplitude of 8.3 m, and incorporating a probabilistic surfing parameterization improved prediction of whether objects beached or remained offshore from 76% to 93% accuracy. This nearshore transport model directly advances understanding of how buoyant plastic debris and microplastic particles move toward coastlines, which is essential for predicting beaching patterns and shoreline contamination.
The Role of Stokes Drift in the Dispersal of North Atlantic Surface Marine Debris
AI summary Read the abstract
Researchers modeled the dispersal of floating marine debris in the North Atlantic using particle tracking models, finding that Stokes drift — wave-driven surface water transport — substantially accelerated beaching timescales and altered coastal accumulation patterns compared to models using Eulerian currents alone.
Global ocean beaching pathways of surface drifters
AI summary Read the abstract
Analysis of NOAA surface drifter trajectories revealed that approximately 20% of buoyant objects beach within one year of entering open ocean, with beaching concentrated in coastal hotspots strongly influenced by onshore wind conditions. These findings directly advance understanding of how plastic debris transitions from ocean to shoreline, improving models of microplastic accumulation in coastal and beach environments.
Modelling the transport and fate of buoyant macroplastics in coastal waters
AI summary Read the abstract
This study used the Delft3D modeling suite to examine how parameter uncertainty affects predictions of buoyant macroplastic transport and fate in coastal waters of the southern North Sea. Results showed that windage (wind-driven drift) and release location were the most important parameters influencing plastic particle trajectories and shoreline deposition, with implications for improving emergency response and monitoring strategies.
Groundings of Drifters in the Wadden Sea Inform the Transport of Floating Macroplastic
AI summary Read the abstract
A drifter tracking campaign in the Dutch Wadden Sea characterized how tidal and wind conditions govern the frequency and duration of floating plastic groundings on intertidal mudflats and coastlines. The resulting statistical model of coastal plastic interactions can improve predictive transport models and help optimize cleanup operations in tidal environments where microplastics accumulate.
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.