Main Upwelling Regions In The Baltic Sea Âa Modelling Approach
Abstract
Upwelling is an important process e.g. in the Baltic Sea in bringing nutrient-rich waters to the surface layers. Consequently, the surface layers are replenished with the nutritional components necessary for biological productivity. Our present knowledge of the most important upwelling areas in the Baltic is inadequate and only a few comprehensive investigations have been carried out to study these main regions. Here, three-dimensional, high-resolution modelling is used as a tool to estimate the spatial and temporal statistics of upwelling frequency in the Baltic during a 10-year period from 1979 to 1988. A new idea is used here, where the key parameter for determining the upwelling index is the vertical component of currents and not the changes in the sea-surface temperature, as is usually done. According to the results of the simulations, a statistical upwelling index (in percentages) is calculated in order to find the upwelling areas with highest persistency. The highest values are between 30 and 50 %. The model results were compared with corresponding indexes at the Swedish coast based on analyse of long-term sea-surface temperature measurements (Gidhagen, 1984). The fit between the results was good.
- Publication:
-
EGS General Assembly Conference Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- 2002
- Bibcode:
- 2002EGSGA..27..924M