Synergy of remote sensing and numerical modelling for monitoring of suspended particulate matter

Abstract

A quasi 3D and fully 3D Suspended Particulate Matter (SPM) Transport model was developed for the North Sea. The model was calibrated utilising the synergy of satellite borne ocean colour data (SPM surface concentrations) and SPM exchange models to determine the vertical exchange coefficients due to currents and waves in the mixing scheme. The vertical exchange model considers erosion, sedimentation and resus- pension, which depend on the local shear velocities and the exchange processes in the seabed. The exchange processes in the seabed take into account bioturbation by benthos as well as diffusion in the bottom layers. This resulted in a quasi 3D and fully 3D SPM model that for the first time are able to reproduce the temporal and spatial evolution of the plume intensity observed in the North Sea. It is shown that the plume calculated with the models agrees very well with the plume visible in a corresponding satellite borne ocean colour imagery.