Abstract
Area 6.4.1.2. Cross-cutting research activities relevant to GEO ENV.2008.4.1.2.1. Monitoring and observing oxygen depletion throughout the different Earth system components Deliverable D 2.4 Report on oxygen dynamics in silled basins and its dependence on atmospheric, marine, and terrestrial boundary conditions, including land-use and nutrient loading; month 36 Editors: D. Aleynik, H. Stahl, M. Inall , SAMS with all partners of WP2
The hydrophysical regime in semi-enclosed water bodies with strong tidal influence and
topographically restricted exchange with the open ocean has been the focus of numerous
research papers in past four decades. Loch Etive is a Scottish fjord located in North West Europe
which is exposed to the North Atlantic with low anthropogenic pressures. Yet the fjord
experience aperiodic hypoxia in its inner deep basin which has been suggested to be mainly
driven by natural factors such as bottom topography, tides and freshwater input to the fjord. In
this study we focus on the main physical drivers of these processes controlling the delivery of
oxygen enriched water from outside the fjord to the inner deep basin during the period December
2009 to January 2012. The study confirmed that the unusually cold winter of 2009/2010 was the
controlling factor for the overturning event that took place in January 2010, whereas the
consecutive 2 overturning events during dry spring and summer (2010) was facilitated by
reduced fresh water supply from a nearby hydro-electric power installation.
The hydrophysical regime in semi-enclosed water bodies with strong tidal influence and
topographically restricted exchange with the open ocean has been the focus of numerous
research papers in past four decades. Loch Etive is a Scottish fjord located in North West Europe
which is exposed to the North Atlantic with low anthropogenic pressures. Yet the fjord
experience aperiodic hypoxia in its inner deep basin which has been suggested to be mainly
driven by natural factors such as bottom topography, tides and freshwater input to the fjord. In
this study we focus on the main physical drivers of these processes controlling the delivery of
oxygen enriched water from outside the fjord to the inner deep basin during the period December
2009 to January 2012. The study confirmed that the unusually cold winter of 2009/2010 was the
controlling factor for the overturning event that took place in January 2010, whereas the
consecutive 2 overturning events during dry spring and summer (2010) was facilitated by
reduced fresh water supply from a nearby hydro-electric power installation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-58 |
| Number of pages | 58 |
| Journal | Seventh Framework Programme D2.4 |
| Issue number | April |
| Publication status | Published - 19 Apr 2012 |