Influence of waves on the three dimensional distribution of plastic in the ocean
Published in Marine Pollution Bulletin, 2023
Recommended citation: Raphaël Bajon, Thierry Huck, Nicolas Grima, Christophe Maes, Bruno Blanke, Camille Richon, Xavier Couvelard (2023). "Influence of waves on the three dimensional distribution of plastic in the ocean." Marine Pollution Bulletin, 187, 114533 (11p.) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.114533
This article is the second after an M2 internship with the LOPS plastics team. Here, plastics are continuously released into the oceans by rivers and coastal populations. Plastic particles are advected by two ocean models, one taking into account waves (with an appropriate coupling), which allows us to analyse their influence on the distribution of plastic in the open ocean. The 3D circulation, wave coupling and the combination of the two emission scenarios are state-of-the-art. Brief overview of the results: High plastic accumulations are found near the sea surface and in the first 200 m of depth (as well as in the quasi-enclosed seas), highlighting the different gyres of the ocean basins. The shape of the 7th continent of plastic changes according to the model used, which could perhaps help collection missions in the open sea. (“I also hope you will like the different figures of the article, don’t hesitate to give me feedback”).
Recommended citation: Bajon, et al. (2023). “Influence of waves on the three dimensional distribution of plastic in the ocean” Marine Pollution Bulletin, 187, 114533 (11p.)