Hydrographic processes
Leader: P. Puig
Understanding of physical oceanographic processes has improved enormously in recent years, particularly as a result of the drive to relate changes in water mass circulation with climate change. However, there is further good potential for achieving a fundamental breakthrough in our understanding of ocean circulation and how the associated physical processes relate directly to sedimentary processes and their products (e.g. contourites). This area at the boundary between the often disparate disciplines of physical oceanography and sedimentology has been relatively neglected. This objective is fundamental to each of the other objectives listed.
Specific topics:
- Reconciling theoretical and observational versions of the history of contourite deposition and erosion; and hence developing a new understanding of contourite evolution from a combined sedimentological and fluid dynamic point of view.
- Investigating the role and impact in deepwater of surface water currents; residual internal waves and tidal currents; the exchange processes in canyon systems; and the dynamics of flow through oceanic gateways.
- Developing new techniques and experimental work, involving obstacle flow modelling, different water mass properties, the influence of bottom currents generated by other than thermohaline circulation, the role of surface currents, density currents.
- Working with other groups to establish one or more fully instrumented benthic seafloor laboratories on a part of the continental margin under the direct influence of bottom currents. We are in direct contact with participants at the very recent Marine Board-ESF Forum 'Towards a European Network of Marine Observatories'.
