The role of time and length scales of mesoscale eddies on phytoplankton production
Vicente Perez-Munuzuri, Florian Huhn
MeteoGalicia, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela
(Abstract received 08/11/2009 for session E)
ABSTRACT
Hydronamic forcing was found to play a crucial role in the development of spatial plankton structures. The role of time and length scales of the flow on plankton production is investigated. To that end, we used a coupled model consisting of a three component ecological NPZ model and a fluid model able to mimic the mesoscale structures observed in the ocean. Two hydrodynamical models were used: a Gaussian flow, where the length and time scales can be easily controlled, and a real velocity field derived from altimetry data in the North Atlantic ocean. Optimal time and length scales were obtained for the Gaussian flow model and this result was confirmed by the real altimetry flow. Results are discussed in terms of the time scale of the NPZ model, the front roughness and the Finite-Time Lyapunov Exponent analysis.
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