A numerical study of the formation of the Rhône River plume

Marsaleix, Patrick; Estournel, Claude; Kondrachoff, Veronique; Véhil, Raoul

doi:10.1016/s0924-7963(97)00011-0

Cited by 70 publications

(86 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…8b), scores are globally very good despite an underestimation of simulated temperatures (∼0.4 • C). However, the density distribution inside the river plume being mostly driven by salinity (Marsaleix et al, 1998), this bias has very little influence on this buoyant structure hydrodynamics'. Moreover, such a temperature underestimation corresponds to a 2.8 % underestimation of the Q 10 temperature function (see Eq.…”

Section: Validation Of the Hydrodynamic Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Functioning of the planktonic ecosystem on the Gulf of Lions shelf (NW Mediterranean) during spring and its impact on the carbon deposition: a field data and 3-D modelling combined approach

et al. 2011

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Abstract.A coupled hydrodynamic-biogeochemical modelling is developed to address main mechanisms that drive the particulate organic carbon (POC) deposition in the Gulf of Lions (NW-Mediterranean). Low-salinity water (LSW, salinity <37.5) lenses detached from the Rhone River plume under specific wind conditions tend to favour the biological productivity and provide a good opportunity for validating a planktonic ecosystem modelling. A specific calibration dedicated to river plume ecosystems is then proposed and validated using in situ measurements within such LSW lens (BIOPRHOFI cruise -May 2006) and on the Gulf of Lions. During spring 2006, the POC deposition is maximal on the prodelta area and within the coastal area in the Gulf of Lions. Organic detritus mostly contribute to the total POC deposition (82-92 %) whereas the contribution of living organisms (microphytoplankton) appears lower than 17 %. Exploring both influences of terrestrial inputs from the Rhone River and planktonic ecosystems on the POC deposition on the shelf, we estimated that the contribution of terrestrial POM inputs to the total POC deposition is lower than 17 % at the shelf scale during the study period, with maxima during peak discharges of the Rhone River. The main deposition area of terrestrial POC is found in the vicinity of the river mouth in agreement with sediment data. On the other hand, a remarkable influence of marine biological processes on the POC deposition is highlighted further on the shelf (from 60 to 80 m depth). A tight feedback between zooplankton and POM contents in the water column is proposed to explain Correspondence to: P. A. Auger (pierre-amael.auger@aero.obs-mip.fr) the control of POC deposition by zooplankton: terrestrial POM inputs would favour the development of living organisms through photosynthesis and grazing processes increasing the retention of organic matter within the food web. By favouring the development of large-sized zooplankton, LSW lenses may have paradoxically a negative impact on the carbon deposition on the shelf. In the same way, peak discharges of the Rhone River finally increase the gradient of POC deposition between the prodelta and the offshore area in the Gulf of Lions. The biogenic elements from the Rhone River are then exported further offshore through advection of zooplankton communities on the Gulf of Lions shelf.

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Section: Validation Of the Hydrodynamic Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This model has been primarily used to describe the dynamics of the Rhone River plume and its response to wind forcing (Estournel et al, 1997(Estournel et al, , 2001Marsaleix et al, 1998), and also succeeded in reproducing the coastal circulation in the Gulf of Lions (Estournel et al, 2003;Petrenko et al, 2008).…”

Section: Three-dimensional Hydrodynamic Modelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functioning of the planktonic ecosystem on the Gulf of Lions shelf (NW Mediterranean) during spring and its impact on the carbon deposition: a field data and 3-D modelling combined approach

et al. 2011

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“…For that purpose, we use the 3D free-surface primitive equation 222 model SYMPHONIE (Marsaleix et al, 1998;Marsaleix et al, 2008), which produces realistic 223 scenarios including a wide variety of structures and processes. In particular, ageostrophic 224 motion caused by current-topography interactions or wind forcing is included; conversely, tides 225…”

Section: Building-up the Pseudo-observation Data Set 220mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The model has a horizontal resolution of 3 km and 41 226 vertical hybrid σ-z layers (Marsaleix et al, 1998). The control fields used to test the skill of the 227 different methods are the geostrophic field (inferred from the model 3D density field and the 228 free surface height) and the total velocity fields of the model outputs.…”

Section: Building-up the Pseudo-observation Data Set 220mentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating geostrophic and total velocities from CTD and ADCP data: Intercomparison of different methods

Rubio¹,

Gomis

Jordà

et al. 2009

Journal of Marine Systems

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11Inferring geostrophic velocity fields from CTD data distributions can be handicapped by the 12 impossibility of referring dynamic height to a no-motion level. This is often the case over the 13 continental shelf, but also at open sea, even when velocity measurements (e.g. from a vessel 14 mounted ADCP) are available. In this paper we test and compare four different methods aimed 15 to estimate the geostrophic and total velocity fields from hydrodynamical data. Two of them can 16 either use only CTD data (then relying on the election of a no-motion level) or incorporate 17 ADCP data (through a multivariate interpolation); the other two methods always combine CTD 18 and ADCP data. A 3D primitive equation model is used to reproduce realistic scenarios that 19 provide control velocity fields and typical CTD and ADCP data profiles. The chosen scenarios 20 represent different dynamic situations (in terms of data quality, bathymetric constrictions and 21 dynamical characteristics such as the relative ageostrophic/geostrophic velocity variance) and 22 make possible a broad discussion on the capabilities and limitations of the examined methods. 23Results show that the performance of the methods is highly dependent on the dynamics to be 24 resolved. The combination of CTD and ADCP data constitutes the best approach for most of the 25 analyzed situations, though special attention has to be paid when dealing with low quality 26 ADCP data and when the circulation is characterized by intense non-divergent ageostrophic 27 velocities. 28 29

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“…Fresh water inputs in the gulf vary throughout the year, with peaks in rainy seasons, generally spring and fall (Moutin et al, 1998), but the main input is the Grand Rhône river plume (Petrenko et al, 2005), whose direction and extent are greatly affected by the wind (Demarq and Wald, 1984;Estournel et al, 2001;Marsaleix et al, 1998;Naudin et al, 2001). The plume sometimes extends all the way to the Spanish coast (Castellon et al, 1985).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Shallow gas off the Rhône prodelta, Gulf of Lions

et al. 2006

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In areas unaffected by the high flux of organic matter and rapid/thick flood deposition, or in between flood events, the conditions for methanogenesis and gas accumulation have not been met. In these areas, the physical and biological reworking of the surficial sediment may effectively oxidize and mineralize organic matter and limit bacterial methanogenesis in the subsurface. We propose that in the Rhône prodelta flood deposits deliver significant amounts of terrigenous 1 organic matter that can be rapidly buried, effectively removing this organic matter from aerobic oxidation and biological uptake, and leading to the potential for methanogenesis with burial.

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A numerical study of the formation of the Rhône River plume

Cited by 70 publications

References 26 publications

Functioning of the planktonic ecosystem on the Gulf of Lions shelf (NW Mediterranean) during spring and its impact on the carbon deposition: a field data and 3-D modelling combined approach

Functioning of the planktonic ecosystem on the Gulf of Lions shelf (NW Mediterranean) during spring and its impact on the carbon deposition: a field data and 3-D modelling combined approach

Estimating geostrophic and total velocities from CTD and ADCP data: Intercomparison of different methods

Shallow gas off the Rhône prodelta, Gulf of Lions

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